daguin
0
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2008
- Messages
- 15,989
- Points
- 113
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THIS AND DECIDE IT IS TOO LONG TO READ, YOU HAVE ALREADY FAILED
Recently a member asked me to explain the "culture" of LPF
Not understanding the culture of the forum is the basis of many of the conflicts with NooB's
In explaining it to the member, I hit upon an analogy that may work for you in learning how to get along in and become a part of the forum
The question is similar to asking why one should remain at a party in a stranger's house:
You walk in
There are people all around having fun
Some of them are older than you
Some of them are younger than you
They are talking about all kinds of cool stuff
Some of them are talking about stuff that happened before you got to the party
Some of them are talking about other parties
Some of them are friendly
Some of them are not friendly
Some of them have been at the party a long time
Some of them have only been there a short time
Some of them are selling things
Some of them are buying things
A few of them appear to be "bouncers" and are monitoring the action
Interesting things are being brought out of a "secret" room and shown around
There is a book titled "Everything You Wanted to Know About This Party" sitting on a table by the door
You don't know any of the people there, but are interested in becoming part of the fun
How do you decide to stay or go?
How would you go about getting involved with them?
How would you learn the "rules" of this party?
(all parties have rules)
Would you run in and yell, "This party needs more SWAG!"
Would you go to groups of people and tell them that they weren't holding a conversation correctly?
Would you go to the owners of the house and tell them that the rooms are arranged all wrong or that their furniture is out of date?
Would you stand in a corner, stamping your feet, whining about how nobody at the party likes you, nobody will talk to you, and it seems that no one will just give their drink to you, for free?
Would you run around trying to sell stuff to these strangers?
Would you decry to the participants that "You were at another party, yesterday, and it was way more fun than this one?"
Would you ask someone that got there just before you what was going on?
Would you pick a fight with one of the bouncers?
If you did things like that, you could expect to be reprimanded, ignored, and maybe even asked to leave or be tossed out on your ear
If, however, you came in respecting the house and the people there.
If you stood by a bit to understand what they were talking about
If you took the time to read the book
If you politely introduced yourself
If you looked around yourself to find the bar and the bathroom
If you entered conversations with some understanding of what was going on
If you took the time to learn of the quality and workmanship expected from the people
If you asked for and took the advise of the people that had been at the party awhile
If you acted in this manner, you would probably be accepted and even be able to become part of things as you learned how the party worked
If one treats the forum in this manner, acceptance is pretty much guaranteed
The forum is like a party that has already been going on for 10 years
Come in and introduce yourself
Stand by to learn who is who and what is what
Accept that this forum has worked for years without you and it is the most successful of its kind
Accept that your mommy and your daddy do NOT live here
Understand that we will NOT blindly accept your "credentials"
Respect is NOT a "right" that is owed to you here
Respect is not "awarded" for work outside the forum
Respect here is earned here
There is MUCH more info available in the forum about how to get along here, than there is at a party
It is mostly housed in the stickies
READ THEM!
The stickies are the book that tells you everything you wanted to know
Most of your questions will have already been answered in them
Did I mention that you should read the stickies?
Start out by reading the stickies in these top two sections ("Welcome" and "Rules & Stickies")
Peace,
dave
Recently a member asked me to explain the "culture" of LPF
Not understanding the culture of the forum is the basis of many of the conflicts with NooB's
In explaining it to the member, I hit upon an analogy that may work for you in learning how to get along in and become a part of the forum
The question is similar to asking why one should remain at a party in a stranger's house:
You walk in
There are people all around having fun
Some of them are older than you
Some of them are younger than you
They are talking about all kinds of cool stuff
Some of them are talking about stuff that happened before you got to the party
Some of them are talking about other parties
Some of them are friendly
Some of them are not friendly
Some of them have been at the party a long time
Some of them have only been there a short time
Some of them are selling things
Some of them are buying things
A few of them appear to be "bouncers" and are monitoring the action
Interesting things are being brought out of a "secret" room and shown around
There is a book titled "Everything You Wanted to Know About This Party" sitting on a table by the door
You don't know any of the people there, but are interested in becoming part of the fun
How do you decide to stay or go?
How would you go about getting involved with them?
How would you learn the "rules" of this party?
(all parties have rules)
Would you run in and yell, "This party needs more SWAG!"
Would you go to groups of people and tell them that they weren't holding a conversation correctly?
Would you go to the owners of the house and tell them that the rooms are arranged all wrong or that their furniture is out of date?
Would you stand in a corner, stamping your feet, whining about how nobody at the party likes you, nobody will talk to you, and it seems that no one will just give their drink to you, for free?
Would you run around trying to sell stuff to these strangers?
Would you decry to the participants that "You were at another party, yesterday, and it was way more fun than this one?"
Would you ask someone that got there just before you what was going on?
Would you pick a fight with one of the bouncers?
If you did things like that, you could expect to be reprimanded, ignored, and maybe even asked to leave or be tossed out on your ear
If, however, you came in respecting the house and the people there.
If you stood by a bit to understand what they were talking about
If you took the time to read the book
If you politely introduced yourself
If you looked around yourself to find the bar and the bathroom
If you entered conversations with some understanding of what was going on
If you took the time to learn of the quality and workmanship expected from the people
If you asked for and took the advise of the people that had been at the party awhile
If you acted in this manner, you would probably be accepted and even be able to become part of things as you learned how the party worked
If one treats the forum in this manner, acceptance is pretty much guaranteed
The forum is like a party that has already been going on for 10 years
Come in and introduce yourself
Stand by to learn who is who and what is what
Accept that this forum has worked for years without you and it is the most successful of its kind
Accept that your mommy and your daddy do NOT live here
Understand that we will NOT blindly accept your "credentials"
Respect is NOT a "right" that is owed to you here
Respect is not "awarded" for work outside the forum
Respect here is earned here
There is MUCH more info available in the forum about how to get along here, than there is at a party
It is mostly housed in the stickies
READ THEM!
The stickies are the book that tells you everything you wanted to know
Most of your questions will have already been answered in them
Did I mention that you should read the stickies?
Start out by reading the stickies in these top two sections ("Welcome" and "Rules & Stickies")
Peace,
dave
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