File - netiquette2.txt

[HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 29994


****NETIQUETTE TIPS FOR HP for GROWNUPS****

Harry Potter for Grown Ups is a very high-volume list; so it's important that 
members observe a few rules to help us all navigate through the ocean of messages.
 
Members, new and old, are requested to observe certain rules of 'netiquette' and 
good practice, as outlined below.
 
ATTENTION! 

Please note that we now have separate club areas for OT posts, Movie-related posts and Announcements:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPFGU-OTChatter

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPFGU-Movie

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPFGU-Announcements

You will need to join OT Chatter if you want to submit an off-topic message to the group and Movie if you want to discuss the Harry Potter film(s).

Bear in mind that the Moderators will be standing over you, flexing their wands and eyeing 
up that box of Howlers sitting in the corner of the cyber-office. You may get the odd 
advisory e-owl from us if we think you're getting a bit unruly, and if you're really, 
really naughty, you may end up being turned into a ferret and getting bounced. Consider 
yourselves warned! 

[Moderators exit, stage left, cackling...]
 

***IF YOU HAVEN'T POSTED HERE BEFORE...

Read the VFAQ (Very Frequently Asked Questions) document in our Files area before posting 
to the group. The answers to many burning newbie questions can be found in this document, 
and it will save time for everyone.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/files/Admin%20Files/VFAQ.htm

It's also helpful to read a few days' worth of messages before posting your own. You can do 
this either by "lurking" (reading messages, but not writing them) for a few days, or by going 
back through the most recent messages (a daunting task, with such an active group). This way, 
you'll get a "feel" for the group, and you can make sure you're not repeating something that 
has been posted recently by someone else. 

If you ask burning questions in your first post, make sure you indicate that extra content in 
the heading and don't just call it "Hi from a newbie!" 


***USE/NOTE PREFIXES FOR SOME TOPICS

SHIP: discussion of ships (real or potential romantic relationships among the characters)

Please note that if your ship post doesn't use examples from the books (canon), it belongs 
on OT-Chatter rather than the main group. 

FF: discussion of fan fiction or imaginary scenarios.

Please note that these discussions belong on OT-Chatter rather than the main group.

ADMIN: 'I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.' 
[Dumbledore, GoF, Chap 12] - Important announcements from the Moderators.
 

***KEEP THE SUBJECT LINE RELEVANT TO THE CONTENT OF THE POST 

Message board conversations, like "real life" ones, will often drift from one subject to another. 
If the subject line does not change to fit the direction of the conversation, it can frustrate 
the reader.
 
When replying to a message, please take the time to check the subject line and make sure it 
still matches your post. For example, if the subject line says: "RE: Who's going to die in 
the next book?" and the topic has segued into a character matchmaking debate (with no mention 
of death), it's time to change the subject line! Spare a thought for the people who are busy 
preparing FAQ essays for the club - they have to scan all the messages for relevant content, 
so it isn't very helpful if your post is headed "Digest #345" or "A question."

 
*** CLEARLY DISTINGUISH YOUR OPINIONS/THEORIES FROM FACTS

If you are expressing an opinion or espousing a pet theory, be sure that the other readers will 
recognize it as an opinion or theory. Using phrases such as IMO (in my opinion), "I believe," 
"This is all speculation but I think ....," etc. will make it clear that your statements are not 
necessarily based on facts from the books (canon). It can be very confusing for everyone if someone 
puts forth a theory without any qualifying language.

 
***KEEP YOUR POSTS ON TOPIC
 
In such a large and active group, it's easy for discussions to go off on a tangent. If a couple 
of you find something in common other than Harry Potter, wonderful! Getting to know people is, 
perhaps, the best thing about clubs. But if you find your discussion getting away from the main 
point of the club, please continue it off-list.


***BANNED TOPICS 

The banned discussions on this list fall into three categories: 

(1) The Holocaust: Discussion of historical parallels is perfectly fine, including historical parallels to WWII in the HP series, but please avoid discussion of the Holocaust specifically. 

(2) Politics (especially current US & UK politics), not including speculation about Wizarding World politics.  

(3) Richard Abanes' book "Harry Potter and The Bible".

 
***TRY TO AVOID ONE-LINE AND ULTRA-SHORT POSTS

Our message volume is sometimes very high, so one-line posts can push the numbers through the roof. 
Please take a moment to think about the following guidelines:-

- Consider expanding on your point. For example, if you are posing a question about the HP books 
("What about so-and-so?"), could you add some thoughts of your own to lead off any discussion?

- Consider combining your shorter points/responses with a few others in a multi-topic post, making 
sure the topic line indicates this. However, if your point is substantive (or just plain lengthy), 
it is best to give it space on its own to make the thread easier to follow.

- Try to avoid "me too!" and "LOL!" posts that have absolutely no other content.

Sometimes a brief response is perfectly acceptable; for example, if you are correcting an error 
someone has made and do not have much else to say (e.g.  "You cannot apparate into Hogwarts!") 
or giving information that you don't want to bury in another message ("The link to that article 
about Dumbledore's socks is at http://www.anyoldwebsite.com").


***TAKE CARE WHEN RESPONDING TO POSTS

If you are replying to a message, please indicate the name of the person who wrote the original 
and include any relevant segments of their post, or a brief summary of their point(s). At the 
same time, please try to delete any parts of the original post that are not relevant to your 
point(s), especially if the original was really long! Please avoid putting your reply at the end 
of a very long quoted segment unless absolutely necessary. In most cases, it will be easy enough 
to delete some or all of the quoted material.

Remember, also, that if you respond in a fresh post rather than using the 'reply' button, your 
response will not appear in the "replies to this message" in any search. In general, if someone 
asks a question that has a unique answer, please try to check through the message headers to see 
if anyone else has responded to it before posting the answer. It's understandable that several 
people may dash off a response just after the original message, but there should be no need for 
further posts after that. 

 
***TAKE THE TIME TO PROOFREAD YOUR POSTS 

If you're used to forums where speed is important (chat rooms, role playing games, etc.), it's 
easy to fall out of the habit of proofreading. Here, however, your post will be as relevant in 
five minutes (or, usually, even in five hours) as it is now. 

Before hitting the 'send' button, please take a few minutes to look over your post and correct any 
typos, spelling/punctuation errors, or problems with sentence structure or capitalization. This 
will make it much easier to read and help in getting across your point.

Please avoid using all lower case letters or, worse still, all CAPITAL LETTERS. 

 
***BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER MEMBERS' FEELINGS 

If you disagree with someone's message, no matter how strongly, remember to respect the other 
person's right to his or her own opinion. If you do wish to refute the post, do so gently, by 
building up your own case, rather than just knocking down the other person's. And never attack 
your fellow club members (name calling, personal remarks, etc). 

Thanks!! 

>From your Magical Moderators
HPforGrownups-owner at yahoogroups.com