Rules and Guidelines

[CoFats]

We don't have a lot of rules, and don't intend to have any unless the need arises. This forum is for civilized people who behave with respect for each other. That being said, below are some guidelines to follow in this and all forums. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact an Admin or Super Moderator.

Before You Ask, SEARCH!!!
This is one of the single most important things you can do. In most cases, this is the fastest, most efficient way to find an answer to your problem. Be sure to use the right key words.

Start With A Clear Subject Line.
Not everyone has the time to read all forum postings. To ensure that your message reach the right people at timely manner, identify your topic clearly in the subject line.

In Most Cases, Don't Post To A Specific Person.
This is what Private Messages(PM) are for. It clutters the boards, and most people find this annoying.

If They Don't Reply, They Don't Know!
If you post a question and no one responds, you shouldn't take it personally. If someone knows, they'll contribute. If they don't, they won't.

Post In The Appropriate Forum.
Please use the appropriate forum when starting a new topic. And don’t post the same message in multiple forums.

Stay On Topic.
Replies should be answers to the original question. Try not to create sub-conversations in a thread as it complicates reading and really doesn't belong in the thread. If you have a discussion topic that was generated from reading a thread, just start a new thread.

Trim Your Quoting.
Do not quote the entire content of the message to which you are replying. Include only as much as is necessary for context.

Post A Followup With Your Results (or at least acknowledge the help)!
If you take the time to post a question and someone takes the time to post a possible solution, PLEASE be kind enough to acknowledge the help AND post a followup to tell whether it worked or not.

How You Write Your Message, Expresses Your Attitude.
Please use standard size font when posting. All caps or large or small fonts or all bold or italic is not only hard to read, it's generally considered poor forum etiquette. For example, all caps is considered the equivalent of YELLING.

No Thread Hijacking.
Thread hijacking is the act of taking a thread discussion away from the original poster. Often a person may ask a question, and another person replies with a question. Then everyone ends up helping the wrong person.

No Trolling.
What is a troll? It's a person who posts something which is bound to stir people up and then sits back and watches as dozens of people jump in and start arguing. If you see a message like this, please try and refrain from replying to it - it may well be deleted anyway.

No Power Posting.
Power-posting is when board members post empty, or short useless messages in order to simply increase their number of posts more quickly. Examples of power-posting are replying to a message with only 'LOL' or 'I agree', but failing to contribute anything further to the discussion.

No Soliciting, Spamming, Recruiting, Or Advertising.
Do not attempt to sell or advertise something, especially if you are a brand new member. Regular contributors of worthwhile information can offer something that will benefit the members, but please use good judgement. Do not respond to SPAM threads as they will be deleted.

Welcome Newcomers.
Make them feel welcome in the community. More users = more heads = more ideas & information = more issues & requests resolved.

Respect.
What makes this forum work is respect for all members. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. Civil debate is encouraged, and differences of opinion are celebrated, but only if it remains civil, productive, and respectful. Excessive vulgarity or obscenity will be deleted without warning.