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Please move to relevant section of the forum, if not suited here.
First off, the disclaimers:
- These are not official Motoroids Rules/Guidelines.
- No one is perfect (especially me), but we do share a common goal of improving Motoroids
This is the result of my online search. Below are the results and some opinions of my own. Feel free to consider or ignore them as you please.
Some guidelines:
- Group Discussion, not a Personal Conversation
A Forum is akin to a Group Discussion. Every post is addressed to the entire member community of the forum (even when preceded with an @<nick name>). Long personal conversations are better suited to messages/e-mails. - Stick to Automobiles
Since Motoroids is an Automotive discussion forum, stick to the topic. Political and Religious views could spoil the quality of the discussion. Off-topic discussions are encouraged in the 'General Discussions' section but I presume very few of us come here to listen to political/religious views. - Search before posting a new thread
Search for existing threads on the topic you are about to post. If one exists, evaluate if a new thread is really warranted or your post could be added to the existing one. Since Motoroids is also a news site, I'm sure a relevant link to an article on it would be highly appreciated by the moderators
- Avoid slangs and SMS language
It would be wise to use proper English language and grammar for your post to be meaningful and understandable. SMS language and local slang may not be understood by everyone, especially considering that we have international members too. Also never post in ALL CAPS, it is considered rude and is akin to shouting. - Differentiate Opinion from Fact
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But do not give an impression that it is a fact, appreciate the difference. Facts (to improve credibility) could be accompanied with sources or links to relevant news articles/websites. Blogs are generaly not considered a credible source. If a particular blog quotes an original source, look through the original source and reference it(if required) instead of the blog. - Back your opinions with reasons
Always provide accompanying reasons. Do not wait for someone to ask you for it. - Be Civil and Respectful
You may not agree to every post. But while disagreeing, be very respectful and provide your reasons (if possible). Treat others as you expect to be treated. If you find a post distasteful, report it but do not retort on the forum. - Ask yourself, Am I adding value?
Before posting, check if you are adding value to the discussion/topic. Members do not appreciate rants/trolls that do not add value. - Use forum nicknames
Members (especially new ones) do not know real names of other members. Ideally, refer to members by the forum nicknames. Hell, I just recently found out Amit is Revmaster and Deepak is Pulsurge (I think). - Moderation should be consistent
Moderators should be consistent with their tolerance level. Any action taken on a post should have clear reasons accompanying the action, so that members do not repeat the same mistakes. - Never share private information
Never share yours/others private information on the forum. Use the messaging facility for the same.
Some quick tips:
- Look before you type. Preview before you submit.
- Use proper English and grammar
- Be courteous
- Check your facts before posting
- Forum posts are public and searchable, unlike social networking sites
- Everyone is entitled to an opinion, anyone can disagree with yours
- Spell check before posting
Do add more guidelines as they come to your mind.
Damn, I already feel ten years older after writing this post. Also, my apologies for the length.
