Teacher Discussion Forums

For the benefit of people who just never seem to learn, and might even be totally unaware of, the niceties of discussion forums, I thought we should start a column of pithy aphorisms.

Here are four to start us off:

1. Don't keep repeating yourself, especially under ridiculous pseudonyms.
2. Don't open a discussion if you aren't actually prepared (in any sense of the word) to discuss anything.
3. Don't tell people what they probably already know.
4. If others have expressed it better than you ever could, direct readers to that source wherever possible, and try to allow people to come to their own conclusions and offer their own, presumably welcome, comments on what they have read before chipping in with your "wisdom".

Sorry, that last one got a bit long, but I couldn't be assed breaking it up into smaller points.

If you want to continue this list, please do so, but only from number 5!

Good morning.

I would add number 5:

5. When posting, use a normal font size.

This does not mean that you can't type up your messages on a word-processing program in a large type size so that you don't strain your eyes. It does mean that, here on the "post a reply" page, there is a little unfolding menu called "font size" where, once a message has been cut and pasted, we can choose the size it will be posted in the forum. The big bold fonts have been generally accepted as shouting (as in using ALL CAPS WHEN WRITING ON THE INTERNET).

Another tool we have is the size button on our browser. By clicking on that button we can change the size of most fonts to something we can read. Adjust the accessability settings in your pc. But don't use massive font sizes that sound like shouting and make us scroll from left to right in order to read what you have written.

Sorry, my personal pet peeve!

peace,
revel.

'Pithy aphorisms' that can't be assed by breaking them up into smaller parts.

Nice one.

With regard to Shun's postings, I suspect his problem comes because the font size in the text box window for posting is too small. This is why his posts come in large fonts, but he can still read ours in smaller fonts.

The answer is to write the message in Notepad, in large letters and then cut and paste it.

I have some advice that will save on all that typing, copying and pasting etc etc:

6. Don't post at all if you think all this is too much to expect of anyone!

(Without prejudice)
Could we add another?

7) Don't quote someone else's post in its entirety. Personally, I find it a bit of a drag to re-read a post to find one word or smiley added on at the end.

8. Don't quote from other (unconnected?) threads unless there is a clearly constructive or genuinely amusing reason for doing so, and then, always make sure you say exactly where the quote is from.

(9) Try not to start any trend of abbreviating other peoples' names to a common appellation for a toilet.

Oh, I don't mind really, as long as I can say "Du Po" in return, though that is more reminiscent of a Chinese poet than a bodily function.

Somebody gave me the name "Dang ken" once, in the characters that mean "deserves to be" and "decapitated/cut" (apparently, I didn't know much Chinese at the time, and can't exactly recall the second character, except that it had the stone radical on the left).

Number 3 is an interesting point. How much should we be thinking about the amazing number of views that these strange threads get and might not a bit of background be useful for some of the viewers?

So although we may seem to be giving an egg-sucking masterclass to our apparent correspondent, there must be people out there who have even less idea what we are on about, if such a thing is possible.

I have a suggestion for dealing with problematic posts from prat-like posters:

Just don't respond (ever) to any OP from Shun/Xui. Ignore completely. Shun thoroughly. He'll soon get the message and stop posting.

Will it work? We'll only know if we try it.

It's a nice idea in theory, Richard, but even if all of us current users could somehow unanimously agree right now not to reply to Shun in the future, there will be future newer members who are unaware of the pact, and who will therefore go on encouraging him to some extent; and even if he got no replies, it is by no means certain that Shun would ever actually stop. The guy just can't seem to help himself, just as we can't resist replying! It is perfectly natural to want to tell a loudmouth to pipe down, especially when he is so unclear or just plain wrong about just about everything. The truth is out there!

What ultimately works every time is that despite the effort that's apparently wasted, nobody will (can!) ever play ball with him to the extent that he'd really like, so even somebody as sad and misled as he eventually tires and falters in his repeated "crusades".

Number 3 is an interesting point. How much should we be thinking about the amazing number of views that these strange threads get and might not a bit of background be useful for some of the viewers?

It's nice to think there is an army of over-awed, silent readers. However, each poster views several times. I strongly suspect, for example, that 20% of all views are provided by Filthy Linguist/Du Po/ Dang Kui all by himself.

Yeah, especially cos I have nothing better to do than re-read everything (I''ve been keeping strange hours lately), and often edit my own entries a zillion times. All that sure racks up the view count.

The perceptive among you might have even noticed how a lot of the threads I've contributed umpteen posts to don't have that flashing bell next to their otherwise "high" number of views.

It's got to the point now where I try to only view those threads that already have flashing bells: I don't want to raise the viewcount any more on "my" dead, non-flashing threads - it's getting embarrassing!

10. Don't bother continuing to reply to people who've never thanked you for helping them previously.

Ooh, sorry, was writing a memo to myself then. Allow me to rephrase:

10. Remember to promptly thank those who've responded to your requests for answers or advice.