Re: Food for thought for you....

> You seem to believe that "newbies" who come here are abused.
> This is so far from the truth it is pathetic.

> Would you go to a meeting of top business people in your community and,
> without even knowing the rules of the meeting, begin by spouting off? How
> do you think you would be received?

> It is quite likely that the veteran members of this business association
> would correct your actions and explain how you might better become a part
> of their community.

> And so it is in the world of online discussion boards. There are certain
> rules. Not knowing those rules is no excuse for breaking them; once they
> have been broken you are likely to be told, sometimes in a not-so-nice
> manner, how you need to mend your ways.

> Try speeding in your town and when you get pulled over tell the cop that
> you didn't realize the speed limit was so low. You will still get the
> ticket even though you didn't know you broke the law in the first place.

> "Newbies" are welcomed on every board that I know of. They
> actually, quite often, ask some of the most interesting questions. But
> they need to realize that there are rules that must be followed. Anyone
> who doesn't feel that the rules on boards like this are unreasonable or
> unfair can move on; no harm no foul. But if people do come here to post
> they are held to a standard. Noone is above it and those who don't fully
> understand it are better off learning more about it BEFORE they begin
> posting.

> The simple summary is this; the only time "newbies" get blasted
> here is when they come in and post ads, attack people who are
> well-respected, or post something that doesn't fit the basic mode of the
> board. I challenge you or anyone else to point out any other time where a
> "newbie" was made to feel unwelcome.

> There is a learning curve involved in becoming a "member" of
> boards such as this one. We all still learn and grow as we stop in and
> post. "Newbies", as the people who don't even have a rep to fall
> back upon, need to be extremely careful of getting off to the wrong start.
> Coming in, posting a thinly vailed ad for something or a drive-by article
> tells a great deal about you. And that's the real difference between the
> "newbie" and the veteran. The "newbie" doesn't know
> better and thinks that their post is a great new idea of a method that
> might get traffic coming into their offer/website. They are essentially
> trying to steal free advertising and yet they, according to your post,
> should be treated gently?

> Enuff said. As a matter of fact I have to go and nuke a newbie ad off of
> my board.