posted on Oct, 13 2009 @ 11:37 AM
I have learned a lot and have made numerous mistakes on here.I hope my
experiences can help a fellow newbie out.One thing I have to say is to enjoy your
time on ATS.I have sat down in front of my computer and before you know it,two
hours have gone by.There are ways you can help others enjoy this forum as well.
1.Learn the rules quickly.I recommend reading them before you start posting and
review them once a month.You never know when new rules might surface.You
usually get a U2U notice about new ones.
2.There are members out there who love to disrupt threads and cause all kinds of problems,they are trolls.I had never heard of this term before
joining ATS.Being
a newbie,you may be awkward in posting at first.Some members may consider
your mistakes as trolling.My advice to you newbies is to do your best and learn
from your mistakes.
3.When posting on a regular basis,you might strike up friendships with other members.You have to remember not to reveal personal contact
information.You
don't know that person on the other side of the computer screen.Many kids' have
been duped by strangers posing as kids.
4.Don't get hung up on getting stars,flags and points.You don't have to be in a hurry to get them,in time and good posting,you will.
5.Posting threads,make sure of your facts and notes first.Check with the board to
make sure you're not copying another member's thread.If someone already has
this thread,read theirs and add your ideas and opinions to it.
Another thing about posting threads.If you post about a personal experience in your life,be prepared for how others will reply.Some members will not
be sympathetic to your posting and will make you feel you are wasting board space.
6.Thread banning,I just learned about this a few days ago.When you are reading
a thread and suddenly it is gone.Relax,it's not about you or anything you've done.
I was upset and angry when this happened to me.I thought I wasn't being allowed
to read this thread.The thread was probably placed in the trash bin by a MOD.
7.MODS,they are the ATS police.They enforce the rules,give you warnings,give
advice,get you banned and patrol the forum for disruptive members and behavior.
Remember,the MODS are your friends!
8.Don't always feel you have to post a reply.There are many times I just read through some threads,liked what I read and flagged it and moved on.I
also give other members stars if I liked what they posted.
9.There are a lot of topics to choose from here.Do yourself a favor and stick to
topics you like.If politics and religion upset you,avoid them or limit yourself to these threads.
10.Emotional outbursts,There are members who will hurt your feelings and exploit
any weaknesses in your character. Don't allow yourself to get wrapped up in a dispute with another member.You WILL type something you will regret
later. If you
find yourself getting upset or angry,STOP what you're doing and get away from your computer until you have calmed down.I have seen newbies join one
day and
get banned on the next day.
Just use common sense and be courteous to other members,you will have a great time here if you do.To all my fellow newbies,welcome to ATS.