Please do some proofreading of your new threads

SNGX1275

SNGX1275

Posts: 10,615   +468
I know this won't get many views here in Meeting Spot, but I don't think its serious enough to put elsewhere or make a sticky.

As far as I see it, there really is no excuse to screw up your "Message Title" when making a new thread. I can see making some errors in the body of your post, we all do it from time to time, and I think that is acceptable. The title though, that is the thing we see on the thread listings page and it is the first thing any potential responder sees before entering your thread. When I see errors like that, often times I don't even click the thread, because in my opinion, if you can't put forth the effort to at least get that part right, it shows a lack of respect for your peers. It shows me, personally, that you don't care too much about what you are typing, and you are just demanding a solution. As the link in my signature says, if you demand help, pay for it, don't come here demanding it, we do this for free.

/steps down off the pedestal
 
heh, well yes, that wouldn't be a good one.

But I'm thinking more of spelling errors or mistypes in the titles like "Tldr is compressed - XP urgent please" when he clearly meant ntldr. Its just little stuff like that, missing letters, wrong letters. My point is this is what you are presenting to the community first, to get us to look at your thread, and you can't even bother to get things right there. In fact, in this case I don't even know how it happened, he had to have held down shift and just completely missed the "n" key, yet still had shift down on the 2nd letter, t. They are so far fetched to create some times I wonder if they are done intentionally?

Just put forth a bit more effort, I'm not asking a lot, just asking that you look at what you just typed for the title and make sure everything is correct as best you can tell.
 
A little proofreading of the post itself would be nice too. Some are so hard to read with all the spelling errors, punctuation errors or punctuation at all. As SNGX1275 said, it doesn't have to be perfect but make an effort at least.

SNGX1275, maybe you could incorporate some of what you said into the link in your sig. That said, I'm not confident that it will be read by those that need it the most but that shouldn't stop you from trying.
 
mailpup said:
SNGX1275, maybe you could incorporate some of what you said into the link in your sig. That said, I'm not confident that it will be read by those that need it the most but that shouldn't stop you from trying.
Click to expand...

I have :), its been there.

SNGX1275 said:
4. Create a subject line that summarizes your problem.
It's poor form to create a thread with “Help!” or any variation of in the title, even worse when that is the entire title. Those threads are less likely to be read because we can’t waste our time clicking and reading something that we may not be able to help. If there is a specific title then we know whether or not we have a shot at answering it and can focus/manage our time in those threads. This also forces you to think a bit harder about your problem; perhaps it will give you another idea on it before posting. As an added bonus this makes the search function more efficient.

5. Writing your post.
Write in respectable form, this isn’t an instant message conversation with your buddy, it's irritating to have to decipher whatever malformed English you are typing and it's likely your post will be ignored or get something nasty replied.

In order for us to help you, we need to know what the problem is. The more precise you are with this the better. Don’t provide information that isn’t relevant, if your hard drive is giving you CRCs or clicking we don’t need to know how much RAM you have or what video card you are using.

Bad: Computer won’t turn on
Better: Computer powers on for 3 seconds then shuts off.
Even Better: New build powers on for 3 seconds then shuts off with no error beeps. I’ve checked all the power connections and reseated the RAM.

Do not tell us what to do, you are the one with the problem, and if you write a decent description of your problem and steps you’ve taken to solve it we will already know what not to tell you to do. An example of this is would be to mention in your post that you don’t have a floppy drive, do not tell us not to tell you to boot off a floppy.

To see a great example check out this post: Brand new PC is Crashing
To see a great example of how not to do things check out this thread: Need Some Effin Help!!!!
Click to expand...

I doubt people that need to read it will, like you said. But as a community we can 'suggest' that those people try and post better. Its not that I'm wanting perfection, I'm not, I screw up grammatically or in spelling pretty often. I just want people to try a bit.
 
Us Firefox users really have no room to spell anything wrong considering the spell check in FF2.0+
 
In Opera there is 'aspell' you can add to spell check. That works for Windows, and Linux. If you use OS X Opera uses the system's dictionary and it sort of works :)
 
Do you think even one member would write better now?

I'd like to have an option to leave a deleted thread visible for a week with a reason why it's been deleted. Then we'd delete the poorly written threads.

Sure, it would make some people leave and some people angry, but I think it's better that way.

Too many things are politically correct and oversensitive these days, you can't even ask people to type properly.
 
Oh yea I hate when people write like that. They should be banned immediately if they post here lol.
 
What is political correctness....? Never heard of it...!

Mictlantecuhtli said:
Sure, it would make some people leave and some people angry, but I think it's better that way.
Click to expand...
From time to time people get angry and leave anyway, so be it.
Mictlantecuhtli said:
Too many things are politically correct and oversensitive these days, you can't even ask people to type properly.
Click to expand...
If you want or need someone who's overcome political correctness, I'm your guy.

I spent years and years in English classes, back when they actually taught it correctly.
You know, "i" before "e" except after "c" and the like. There is no "noise in Illinois", still, after all these years.

It seems the youth of today are busy texting some b***s*** variant of English from English class. I suppose it's for the better that I'm not an English teacher, since the first time somebody walked up and started spouting nonsense like, "I is" or "dey be", I'd fail them on the spot. Or wow, you can spell "kids" "kidz", here's your "F", that stands for "fantastic", I hope your parents agree.

Computer programming is a very specific language, with almost no room for a misplaced operator, or poorly spelled word. So, it seems to me, that that discipline should crossover to the discussion of the machine.

So remember boys and girls, when you're working out all those clever little abbreviations and misspellings, I don't really give a f*** what happens to "u" or "ur" damned computer.
 
captaincranky, I agree 100%. I have seen, in English 10 CP (not good enough for honors they say, yet...), a girl have an "essay" that is 5 long run on sentences. She literally had one sentence per paragraph, and they never stopped, not even to capitalize...
 
Reform School............

I had an English Instructor in Philadelphia Community College who called the school "13th & 14th grade", in a very derisive, accusatory tone.

I suppose that English doesn't intrigue everyone to the same degree but, it does have a rich, robust, and varied wealth of expression. Enough to say anything you might desire, in any way you choose to express yourself. Should you need to speak or write something, you might as well take some pride and enjoyment away from the experience.
 
Since we're on grammar, let's mind our possessives, okay? For example, we have a collection of CDs, not a collection of CD's. Our CDs don't own anything. Perhaps that's being too picky but that's driven me nuts since I was a teenager.
 
OK, You Really Did (Almost) Lose Me on That One....

I understand the politically correct thing about saying something on the order of "she is my wife". A feminist might jump all over you with, "when you say it like that, it sounds like you think she is a possession". I unfortunately forget the correct way to phrase that, but I'm willing to be reminded.

I really don't understand where you're going with the CD rant. But in this case, I'm eager to learn. No really, I am.

If you're talking about the apostrophe, that is a head scratcher. Hey, it could also be the verb "is", contracted". Nah, that makes even less sense.

You would have to do some serious rewriting of that sentence to cause anyone to conclude that the CDs own you, or anything else for that matter.

I fully and heartily agree that that is lousy punctuation. <Notice how cleverly I used adverbs instead of adjectives to modify agree, since it is, after all a verb.

Giving the apostrophy devil its' due, I'll say goodnight with, "it's a nice night wouldn't you agree"?

Afterthought:
AtK SpAdE said:
Us Firefox users really have no room to spell anything wrong considering the spell check in FF2.0+
Click to expand...
To paraphrase some silly navy proclamation-slash-motto, "damn the red underlines, full speed ahead".

mopar man said:
captaincranky, I agree 100%. I have seen, in English 10 CP (not good enough for honors they say, yet...), a girl have an "essay" that is 5 long run on sentences. She literally had one sentence per paragraph, and they never stopped, not even to capitalize...
Click to expand...
Mopar, you should have asked if she was twite's sister! LOL
 
your crazy

BorisandBailey said:
Since we're on grammar, let's mind our possessives, okay? For example, we have a collection of CDs, not a collection of CD's. Our CDs don't own anything. Perhaps that's being too picky but that's driven me nuts since I was a teenager.
Click to expand...
 
Here's another few irritations

1. "a lot" is actually two words
2. If you're going to use acronyms like AGP, at least get it right, not AVP or any other deriviation
3. "i" is actually not a word, "I" is
4. Posting "my friend's PC" is not actually a computer spec.
5. Saying the computer is a PC, can actually mean anything (laptop included)
6. Using usernames like Im-new (or similar) doesn't sound like you'll be around for long
7. Actually knowing zero about computers and terminology, can be annoying
8. Asking howto post or reply to a post is a contradiction in itself
9. No one likes reading a long winded paragraph

And No. 10 on the list of anoyances in creating a new thread. Drum roll...
10. Creating a new thread, under a specific forum should actually come close to being related to that forum, Introduce yourself forum being one of the best examples of this, usually being used to ask tech questions

I have experienced at least another 10 or so, more general examples of poor thread creating. Actually I believe we need a new thread just to post "Todays Anoyances" it would run hotter than the "Hot" (pun intended!) Mobile password thread, I feel.
 
I have to say I agree, I've passed and left a lot of threads when the spelling of the title is wrong or isn't a proper title, some bad titles like "Help" and even if they have written the title correctly if I read the post and see all the words like "iz", "dey" etc, then normally I just leave it.

You may think something is wrong with me being young I must be some of the last few who always has to have correct spelling I hate putting wrong spellings and incorrect grammar in my posts and always check them before I post on the thread. I for one would like to see a thread like kimsland has mentioned about Annoyances.

But also English is being dumbed down a lot, the tests we take here in the UK have got easier and easier. I looked at a Test Paper which was about 5 years older than the 1 I took and I would have struggled to get the same Grade I got, I might have been a Grade or two lower than what I actually got in my tests.
 
Here are a few gems from my collection on communication:

• Do not write so that you can be understood, write so that you cannot be misunderstood. (Epictetus)
• If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought. (Dennis Roch)
• A misspelling man walks into a bra.
• Dew knot trussed yore spell chequer two fined awl yore mistakes. (Brendan Hills)
• Don't use a run-on sentence you got to punctuate it.
• In letters themes reports articles and stuff like that we use commas to keep strings apart.
• Check to see if you any words out.
• In every sentence verb necessary. (“bobcat”)
 
Come on and get a grip guys.

I think some of you guys need to stop taking yourselves too seriously.

It may have escaped your notice, but this is a computer help site for goodness sake and not some kind of literary guild.

Some folks find it difficult to express themselves in written language and when they come asking for help with a computer problem, correct grammar etc may well be the last thing on their minds.

As for mistakes in thread titles, I`m pretty sure everyone has done that at some time or another, I know I have. This isn`t helped by the complete lack of the OP`s ability to edit his or her own thread title once submitted, in order to correct any type`o`s.

Anyone new to the forum scene may well find this type of thread intimidating and I don`t think it does TS any real favours.

Before getting on your high horses, ask your self what the purpose of TS is, if like me you believe it to be one of the worlds premier computer help sites, then maybe your efforts would be better spent in dealing with computer help issues rather than spouting this kind of ridiculous crap.

Whether the English language and it`s written form in particular has deteriorated is a job for linguists and educationalists, not for a tech forum and some folks who are too far up their own backsides.

Gillan
 
gillianbrown said:
Some folks find it difficult to express themselves in written language
Click to expand...

You mean like thread titles such as Need Some Effin Help!!!! ?

Or the daily posts with titles like "Urgent help" (which consistantly have Moderators trying to re-title the thread to a more relevant title) ?

Because that to me seems like the real issue here, not the incoherent ability of the English language. That and the many non-understandable body text, such as: " i hav proc run @ 100% pls hlp"
To me this is usually not an issue with understanding English (or grammar), but a laziness of typing the words in there entirety. Yes I agree that this is a Computer Tech Support forum, but its main engine is the effective communication between support and the one that seeks (or requests) this support.

Wouldn't you agree?

Here's a Guide to Making a Good Post/Thread
 
Sum Peeple Dun Gots Only 2 moovin' parts, and Dey Bees Interchangable

gillianbrown said:
I think some of you guys need to stop taking yourselves too seriously.
Click to expand...
OK, this is a bit presumptive to "assume" that we care what you think. Maybe we do, maybe we don't, but this is really a very premature conclusion at which to arrive


gillianbrown said:
It may have escaped your notice, but this is a computer help site for goodness sake and not some kind of literary guild.

Some folks find it difficult to express themselves in written language and when they come asking for help with a computer problem, correct grammar etc may well be the last thing on their minds.

As for mistakes in thread titles, I`m pretty sure everyone has done that at some time or another, I know I have. This isn`t helped by the complete lack of the OP`s ability to edit his or her own thread title once submitted, in order to correct any type`o`s.

Anyone new to the forum scene may well find this type of thread intimidating and I don`t think it does TS any real favours.

Before getting on your high horses, ask your self what the purpose of TS is, if like me you believe it to be one of the worlds premier computer help sites, then maybe your efforts would be better spent in dealing with computer help issues rather than spouting this kind of ridiculous crap.

Whether the English language and it`s written form in particular has deteriorated is a job for linguists and educationalists, not for a tech forum and some folks who are too far up their own backsides.

Gillan
Click to expand...

Dis be whut we dun be needin', y'all a bees tellin' us whut 2 thimk n ho 2 operize dis hear fo-rum! I bee's thinkin' that sum 1 wit olny 13 posts ought to wait a bit a 'n ak-shoe-lee do sum wurk a-4 dey be shootin' off de dey mouth. U cud give us'n all de impression thet y'all is a jus 1 of dem thar trolls.

There are a number of young people here at Techspot that believe they might pursue a career in computer science. They will probably run into a personal director who believes as I do, that if you're not competent to handle reading and writing English, that you're not competent to be allowed access to a multi-million dollar computer installation. There are others that sit around playing video games all day, and somehow that makes them important. Here again, at least an honest attempt at decent grammar, spelling, and punctuation is always appreciated. The alternative is a very long string of posts that all say the same thing, bump, bump, bump.

That having been said, welcome to Techspot. We'll all be anticipating you bringing your obviously considerable expertise to the computer issues that arise here. Oh, by the way, would you mind terribly if we save all the postings with the doggerel, gangsta' speak, text message speak, and run of the mill incoherance for you? I look forward to you attaining the rank of "Guru".
 

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