I've been thinking about this for some time and finally wrote them down. I think it would be helpful it the following guidelines were added.

Posting Suggestions

When posting about companies, whether to praise or criticize them, it is helpful if you mention how long you have used their services and specifically what you are commenting on. Anything less lacks credibility and usefulness. Problems at many companies do not become apparent immediately and are only evident after a few weeks. Praising a company you signed up with recently has little value as a recommendation as it has not met the test of time.

Service can differ according to the needs of various customers. One who has only a few HTML pages and simple needs may be content where a customer with greater needs and usage may experience problems. For that reason, among others, it is helpful to mention your particular needs in relation to the service you received from any particular hosting company.

It is not required that you do any of these things. However, the presumption is made that you are posting to be helpful to others. That can only be true if you supply the suggested details.

Asking Questions

Before you ask about a particular topic or company, you may want to use the search feature for the forums. Chances are high your question will have been asked and answered before. As many people get tired of repeating the same answers over and over, they might simply ignore you if you ask a common question. Doing a search may also give you a more comprehensive answer than asking again.

If asking for suggestions for a host, be sure to specify any requirements and needs you have, such as operating system, space requirements, ASP, Cold Fusion and others.

Hosting Companies

You are welcome to post your offerings only in our Advertising Forum. Be warned. If you post a solicitation in any other forum, your post, like spamming, will have the opposite effect of that you intended. Also, if you use tricks, like posting as an individual touting your company "Hey folks, I'm hosted by X company and they are great. Check them out at X company's URL" you will be found out. Just as school teachers have heard every excuse for homework not being done, our regulars have seen all the tricks. If you cheat, you will be caught and disgrace yourself.

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Make yours bad and you only have yourself to blame.




[Edited by Duster on 03-21-2001 at 08:37 PM]

Excellent suggestions - thank you.

I can think of a few other miscellaneous comments, but that can come later. If the mods are fine with it they will be in the guidelines in the next week.

Agreed.

Just want to toss in my support. Good idea, and the particular points made here all seem to be right on.

Ha! And I like the final sentence warning...

It is good, just too wordy. Honestly, it is difficult to get people to read bulleted lists of rules, let alone an entire page. Maybe the guidelines could be altered into two pages (or one page with anchor links at the bottom?), so they can click on a link in a particular rule and get more info.

Chicken,

Have you know Duster to ever be *not* wordy? I think his clients must be very happy when they get a reply to a support email. No single line responses there I think.

Greg Moore

Agreed with Chicken - that's the only thing that concerns me. Guidelines should be brief and direct (to the point).

THe "wordiness" points make sense, and maybe it could be shortened somewhat, but this kind of stuff doesn't naturally translate to bulleted lists of rules: each point needs some explanation because they just aren't that cut-and-dry.

Certainly some people won't read it in that form, but I suspect that most of those wouldn't read a short list either.

But that's just me, sometimes I like wordiness and verbosity.

And multiple paragraphs.

Originally posted by akashik
Chicken,

Have you know Duster to ever be *not* wordy? I think his clients must be very happy when they get a reply to a support email. No single line responses there I think.

Greg Moore

Greg LOL! First, I *used* to think Duster was a bit wordy... then Tim started posting and Duster's posts seem shorter all of a sudden (honestly, I am cracking up just writing this, no offense Tim :)!).

Also, I was just thinking about your quote TODAY, but it was for one of Tim's posts (again, no offense!). I've been with hosts that returned three word responses and just don't get the feeling that Tim is guilty of this. Heh heh... too funny and quite coincidental that you mentioned it.

Just know it's all good reading...

Maybe the rules need to be something like a FAQ. Well I know if they read them they wouldn't need to ask questions, but you can make them up.. Something a little dynamic maybe - like a knowledge base. Start light, with the obvious stuff and drill down to the perculiar point of interest. You could get nice and wordy, but not scare people off from looking at a huge page full of text all in one hit.

Greg Moore

Originally posted by Chicken
Originally posted by akashik
Chicken,

Have you know Duster to ever be *not* wordy? I think his clients must be very happy when they get a reply to a support email. No single line responses there I think.

Greg Moore

Greg LOL! First, I *used* to think Duster was a bit wordy... then Tim started posting and Duster's posts seem shorter all of a sudden (honestly, I am cracking up just writing this, no offense Tim :)!).

Also, I was just thinking about your quote TODAY, but it was for one of Tim's posts (again, no offense!). I've been with hosts that returned three word responses and just don't get the feeling that Tim is guilty of this. Heh heh... too funny and quite coincidental that you mentioned it.

Just know it's all good reading...

Well, this is why I'm the official typing mascot of WHT, hence my status. :-) I figure if people notice how much I type, they must be reading it, the poor bastards! *L*

Tim,

during some of your more 'excited' threads I can usually manage to get through about a half dozen of your posts before my eyes start to hurt from all the reading :) I remember you mentioning in your defense once that you "Talk fats, and type fast". Any idea exactly how many words per minute you actually do pump out?

Greg Moore

I want to point out to you wiseguys (nyuk, nyuk, nyuk) that the guidelines I posted consist of 3 different points, and each is only 2 or 3 short paragraphs. As Jay has remarked those points bear explaining, and I believe I did so as concisely as possible.

Also, I've made short posts before. I seem to recall great laughing at one of my posts that was only a single word.

If some of my posts are lengthier than the typical post here, it is likely to be that being fair and presenting various options requires it, as does explaining things fully. Many of the topics we cover do not call for short answers. This is one reson i often refer people to my site where more detailed information is available.

Need I explain further? ;)

Originally posted by akashik
Tim,

during some of your more 'excited' threads I can usually manage to get through about a half dozen of your posts before my eyes start to hurt from all the reading :) I remember you mentioning in your defense once that you "Talk fats, and type fast". Any idea exactly how many words per minute you actually do pump out?

Greg Moore

My typing rate depends on how pissed off I am.. *L* j/k. On a slow day, I type maybe 50 to 65/wpm, and on average probably about 80 to 90/wpm and if I really have a lot to say and know what I want to say, less a few typo's, I usually type about ober 100 to 120/wpm at that point.