Attn: ALL Members (a must read)

[Ariel]

Originally Posted by TipiDancer

LilPiggy, you tend to bring up really old topics alot...

How is LilPiggy bringing up an old topic? She was responding to Ly's post about not being lazy and capitalizing correctly. It is the post just before LilPiggy's post.

Ly sorry for being lazy I know I don't capitalize things the way they should be in every post and I have bad spelling alot. I will try to fix these problems.

I know I'm new and all but I do read alot of the posts and have almost made it through a few whole sections. But I do like VJ's idea about only having a few smillies a month and once your out your out. I have noticed that several people are smily crazy in alot of there messages.

[Susan9608]

LilPiggy, you tend to bring up really old topics alot...

TipiDancer - *you* tend to chastize people and scold people a lot when it is not your place to do so. If I were you, I'd keep my nose in my own business and leave the scolding to the moderators. Understand?

[Buggie_00]

I have to admit that I am a horrid speller, but I promise to hit the spell check button before posting from now on.

[TipiDancer]

Sorry. I didn't realize I was scolding them. I wasn't telling them off. I don't see anything wrong with bring up old topics.

I just realized the date on my thing was wrong. I checked back on page one and noticed LilPiggy posted on the same day as Ly.

[jackie158]

[FONT=Times New Roman]I will try hard not to break the rules anymore. I am sorry.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman]Somehow my font got messed up. I don't see a font button on here. Could someone help me?[/FONT]

[CBrewton5]

Originally Posted by vlb_21

oh my god! why are we anti smileys now?!?

I hate to single myself out when I'm a fresh-out-of-the-gate newbie but this was my reaction when I read this. Is there a reason to limit the number of smilies? I know that alot of graphics or graemlins (smilies) on a page can make the page slower to load, and I read that signatures were disallowed for that and can understand that, but even as a dialup user I don't find that the small smilies make my load time any slower, and I'll admit to being one that likes to use smilies to emphasize things that I'm writing or show emotions in my posts, since in written word there is no vocal inflection (sp?) just the word on the page so sometimes without smilies certain things don't come across....for instance a sarcastic statement might not be picked up without a on the end......does that make sense? I think maybe if some of us understood WHY some of the rules were there, it'd make it alot easier to understand, and in turn make people more willing to be compliant.

Hope I haven't stepped on any toes, just giving things from an *outsiders* point of view.

[CavySpirit]

It's got absolutely nothing to do with page load times.

They are to be used in moderation because we are not a chat room. The forum is for adult communication using the English language. It is fine to occasionally use smilies. Just not frequently. I prefer you to communicate with words, not hieroglyphs.

[Ly&Pigs]

Also with smilies, if someone has a pig with a problem and really needs help, it's very distracting reading a post chocked full of smilies to try to find the problem.

[Ly&Pigs]

Again, I want to remind everyone to please use proper capitalization. Some of you are going into that "lazy" mode again and are failing to capitalize the "I's" throughout your posts or posts with no capitalization throughout. I've been trying to cut down on giving impactions for capitalization and puntuation, etc., because many of the members think I'm too harsh on the posting rules but I can't just sit by and let people post with absolutely no capitalization or punctuation. So please don't forget to hit your shift key when typing an "I" or other word that needs capitalized. Thanks.

[Shaffy]

Originally Posted by CavySpirit

I prefer you to communicate with words, not hieroglyphs.

I agree too, I've been on a fourm that has a no chatspeak rule like this one, so when I go on MSN I can hardly read what my friends are typing even with my mom.
I will try to stop making spelling mistakes and stuff like that but im only human.

[CBrewton5]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

Again, I want to remind everyone to please use proper capitalization. Some of you are going into that "lazy" mode again and are failing to capitalize the "I's" throughout your posts or posts with no capitalization throughout. I've been trying to cut down on giving impactions for capitalization and puntuation, etc., because many of the members think I'm too harsh on the posting rules but I can't just sit by and let people post with absolutely no capitalization or punctuation. So please don't forget to hit your shift key when typing an "I" or other word that needs capitalized. Thanks.

I can understand why there is a proper grammar/no 'netspeak' rule since some of our members don't have English as their first language and have to run things through a translator to understand them, thus making the 'netspeech' words unable to be understood, but I don't get why it's such a big deal with capitalization. Punctuation I can understand because reading a run on sentence is challenging sometimes as well, but capitalization of 'I's' doesn't make a sentence harder/easier to read. Is it just a pet peeve with some of the moderators that they think it's a sign of lack of intelligence when someone does this? I guess I'm just one of the ones that finds this a little 'nit-pick'-ish too.

[Ly&Pigs]

This is an adult-oriented forum where posters agree to abide by the rules and one of the rules is to use proper capitalization. Forgetting to occasionally capitalize an I or other words is usually overlooked, but posts with absolutely no capitalization are subject to receiving an impaction. If you want to think I am mean, anal or a stickler about some of the rules then feel free to do so but part of my job is to uphold the forum rules. It's so much easier to read a post when it's written properly vs. one that isn't, especially for us older members.

[daftscotslass]

To be honest it's not just an adult thing. It annoys the 7 and 8 year olds in my class when their friends write all in lower case. It just makes you not want to read because, believe it or not, it IS more difficult to read. It's just not friendly on the eyes at all. It's not nit-pickish, it's just the very basics of how one writes in any language regardless of whether you're using a pencil, pen or a keyboard.

[Coiler]

Originally Posted by CBrewton5

I can understand why there is a proper grammar/no 'netspeak' rule since some of our members don't have English as their first language />

Englis is only a second language to me. Does it mean I should cancel my account now ? Because I make mistakes, my dictionnary cannot do all the work for me. I like it here and I would be sad if I were to be banned.

[Ly&Pigs]

We make exceptions for those whose native language isn't english. As long as you try Coiler then you are ok.

[daftscotslass]

Originally Posted by Coiler

Englis is only a second language to me. Does it mean I should cancel my account now ? Because I make mistakes, my dictionnary cannot do all the work for me. I like it here and I would be sad if I were to be banned.

Absolutely doesn't mean you should cancel your account or go anywhere! The rule is there to help you make the English that is posted on here easier to understand for you and any other people who have English as an additional language.

[MCR_Rox]

On Firefox, you could get put a Webster dictionary search engine on your computer. All you have to do is edit your search engines and select to use the Webster dictionary. Firefox 2.0+ has a spell check that you don't even have to press. You could manage your search engines for Firefox here.

[random09]

Im new. I have no idea what to do. Can someone please like pm me some info because im confused! .

Thanks.

[VoodooJoint]

Originally Posted by Dustye

Im new. I have no idea what to do. Can someone please like pm me some info because im confused! .

Confused about what? Are you confused about the rules or do you have questions about your pet?

[aeonkat]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

The rule of thumb on smileys is to only use smileys in about one out of 10 posts you make.

It's "smilies" not the slang netspeak "smileys".

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

I wanted to post that another must read for newbies is the posting rules and forum etiquette thread which can be found here:
Guinea Pig Cages Forum - Information in Forum : About Guinea Pigs

Everyone needs to learn how to post properly and what the forum rules are so they don't do anything that may result in getting a temporary or permanent ban.

I also want to add that some members are starting to overuse the smileys and if it continues, I will start issuing warnings.

If people use them to get an emotion across (hence the term emoticon) then I don't get a set number of smilies allowed. Shouldn't they be used in an appropriate manner? I think putting smilies (like a smile face) in my posts shows a friendly tone.

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

I want to say something. Recently I have issued some warnings and have received mouthy replies back to those warnings. The mods don't issue them unless rules have been broken. If you are going to post here, post properly. It's not that hard to be consistent and to double check your posts before submitting them to make sure you have capitalized everything that needs capitalizing and to put a dang period or question mark at the end of your sentence. Members are issued only 3 warnings before they receive a week's ban for failure to heed the rules. Everyone is treated the same when it comes to warnings. No one is singled out.

I know if I was issued a warning about something, I would just do my best to heed the warning so that I wouldn't end up being banned. Insulting, ignoring or getting mouthy with the mods can only get members into further trouble. I hate banning people for failure to post properly but it's part of my job as a mod to do so. Don't make the mod's jobs harder and just please follow the simple rules set forth on the forum.

Is voicing an opinion considered mouthy, especially since I follow the rules and I am not insulting? I am thinking my post will not be taken well but I am all for free speech and free speech that is done in a adult and respective manner.

Also, if these strict rules are to be followed by all members wouldn't the moderators be expected to follow the same rules as well, as an example? I have noticed a few moderators have not used the best grammar (laking commas, misuse of commas, past/present tense usage), spelling, and/or punctuation in some of their posts.

Originally Posted by VoodooJoint

We have always been anti-smiley.

Smilies were added as a privilege. They are ment to help portray emotion not decorate posts.

If we had wanted people to overuse them we would not have put a limit on the number we allow per post and disallowed signatures and tag lines.

I would love it if we could give people a monthly allotment of smilies. You get a certain amount and once you use them up that's it until next month. Alas, it doesn't work that way.

There was a claim that not checking posts before submitting and forgetting capitalization and spelling errors are considered "lazy". I noticed you misspelled 'meant' in your second sentence.

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

I have to say that I am getting tired of the posting laziness going on around here lately. I am seeing too many posts with some capitalization but the "I's" are just being ignored. Stop being lazy members and remember to capitalize your "I's" and any other words that need capitalizing. Also remember to punctuate correctly. If this doesn't stop, this mod is going to start jumping on those who are being lazy.

It may not be laziness as much as hitting a key wrong, shift key not activating (as in my case at times), etc. I am a very conscientious typer and I pride myself on grammar and spelling. It is a pet peeve of mine as well. Despite that, I find the extreme level of conformity to the rules to be taking away from the friendly and helpful atmosphere this site should provide. I frequent many "adult" message boards where grammar and spelling is appreciated and expected. The idea of punishing or banning someone based on punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes is completely condescending and inappropriate. Insulting members by calling them "lazy" or "stupid" for making common spelling/punctuation errors in hypocritical as well. As long as the post is clear and understandable it should be acceptable.

I am in college and I am taking English 102 (honors mind you) and my teacher isn't even as strict for final college essays as the rules here . Why? Because as long as it follows MLA format and rules, and is generally error free there is no reason to punish a mistake here and there. Like my teacher says, that would take away from the true idea and information in the paper.

This is a forum for guinea pig owners to find info, help, support, etc. and being "anal" about punctuation and spelling is truly sad. The idea of banning people because they happen to misspell or over use smilies (in YOUR opinion) is truly negating the whole purpose of this site. Why should someone be denied help or info for their guinea pigs because they might misspell a word here and there. Is it fair to insult them and call them lazy? They just want help and info for the beloved pets and yet the focus is on spelling and punctuation! Other than the occasional poster who mentions breeding, the members here seem to care about their pets and respectful in their posting style. I don't understand why spelling and punctuation to be such a punishable offense. If someone forgets to capitalize an "I" here or there, does it REALLY make their post not understandable?

I truly hope my post is looked at with a mature (adult) and considerate attitude rather than complete disregard and banning. Forums are truly for its members...their input should be taken into consideration. Moderators are there to make sure there are no inappropriate language and posts on the board. One of your "rules" is to speak with respect and not insult anyone (as are most forums), but when I see moderators insult members for a casual mistake to be completely contradicting.

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

Again, I want to remind everyone to please use proper capitalization. Some of you are going into that "lazy" mode again and are failing to capitalize the "I's" throughout your posts or posts with no capitalization throughout. I've been trying to cut down on giving impactions for capitalization and puntuation, etc., because many of the members think I'm too harsh on the posting rules but I can't just sit by and let people post with absolutely no capitalization or punctuation. So please don't forget to hit your shift key when typing an "I" or other word that needs capitalized. Thanks.

Insulting and condescending.

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

This is an adult-oriented forum where posters agree to abide by the rules and one of the rules is to use proper capitalization. Forgetting to occasionally capitalize an I or other words is usually overlooked, but posts with absolutely no capitalization are subject to receiving an impaction. If you want to think I am mean, anal or a stickler about some of the rules then feel free to do so but part of my job is to uphold the forum rules. It's so much easier to read a post when it's written properly vs. one that isn't, especially for us older members.

Age should have nothing to do with your perception on understanding posts. Its a personal opinion. The word "usually" in your second sentence is what I question. Oh and you forgot to put a comma before 'but' in your second to the last sentence.

If perfection is required then shouldn't the ones enforcing it uphold those same standards?

Thank you,

Kat