First and Foremost I like to Welcome you all to the insane and crazy land also known as Anivide we would like for you all to enjoy you're stay with us but before you embark on you're journey I would like you to take time and read though what I like to call Surviving the Gauntlet...

Surviving the Welcoming Gauntlet



Introduction

A lengthy introduction and good humor will save you the wrath of trolls in most part. You may be disinclined to type at length because the average internet user cannot handle more than a paragraph at a time or else they are overloaded with information. If you are one of these, then type more and expand on yourself. Clear interests are key, when you give information it should be telling about you. And a lack of information is just as telling. Go into genres or specific titles of entertainment medium that you enjoy, this is much more explicit than the vagueness of saying you simply like an entertainment medium.
The mods and other users mean no direct harm, but if you feel they are disrespectful you have likely inadvertently disrespected them someway. Perhaps you are being motivated to show your true colors, as strong emotions will remove a mask and bring out true character. If you are antagonized then keep calm and post responsibly. If you can do this you will get instant bonus points in many books for not flying off of the handle at the drop of a hat. If you can survive the introduction thread then you have made it into the insanity that is known as Anivide. Trust me when I say only the strong survive. The Introduction Gauntlet is not made to be rude and or disrespectful it is a test to see if newbies can handle themselves among those who have already surpassed…

Surviving the forum 101:

Read the forum rules

Most forum newbies head in to the discussion without even bothering to read the rules even if it’s flashed before them on registration (from experience, this is 90% true). While most of the time this is fine, there will be times that a simple question or request will draw the ire of current members because such posts are forbidden or are supposed to be placed somewhere else. Take note that no matter how excited you are to make your first post as a member of a new forum, make sure you find time to read the site’s policy page and read it thoroughly. It can never be stressed enough for you to lurk more in the forums. Hang back and check out threads to get a feel for the environment. You will understand the forum and its users more and not be bombarded with it if you check out the forums for a little bit before deciding to throw your head in the ring so readily. It may be bitten off.

In all honesty this is your first mistake…Be aware you will be called on it…

Read up before posting

If you’re going to ask a question or advice, make sure it hasn’t been asked before by using the SEARCH function. Once you’re certain that it’s something new or the said topic has been deleted, moved to trash or closed, you’re free to post it. Also, it’s good practice to read a number of posts in a particular thread instead of just relying on the title of the thread. Know what’s being discussed and participate accordingly.

If you do this you won’t be made to look like a moron…

Words are like swords

Remember that your words are your only medium to convey your ideas. Make sure you word your posts properly so that you don’t get misunderstood (this happened to me a lot: see I’m not perfect either) and if necessary, use descriptive wording to ensure your meaning is clear. If you come by a post that’s unclear to you, ask for clarification instead of jumping to conclusions.

You know what they say about those who assume right?

Don’t beat around the bush

If you want to say something, go right ahead. Going around in circles is a waste of your time and of responders. Keep it short but concise and Say your words exactly what you would say in person.

Honestly if you can speak all you do is make yourself a target… Really sucks to be you…

Check your spelling

Although it’s not a real requirement, it helps to minimize the risk of being misunderstood. Also, reading a well written post is less of a chore than a poorly composed one so you’re bound to get more attention to your posts.

I’m not telling anyone how to type or say they change their style BUT you make yourself to be a victim in other words you’ve become your own worst enemy and left yourself open to attack…

Be respectful

Not everyone will be tolerant to rude or disrespectful comments so it’s best to keep your cool at all times and appreciate that your opinion is one of many. When people disagree with what you think, be mature during discussions and don’t force them over to your way of thinking.
If you are attacked the best courses of action would be to raise yourself above the pettiness and ignore it, or defend yourself in a clear rational manner. However retreating to the safety blanket of your own mind and disallowing new information to reach it, contradictory to your beliefs, could be devastating and prove that you cannot handle yourself well enough or accept constructive criticism. No matter how harsh it is.

One: Respect is not given it’s earned so don’t expect to be put on a pedestal

Two: There are ways to put your point across without insulting someone cause trust me when I say this if you insult the wrong person be ready for the consequences…

Don’t feed the Trolls

Once you’ve spent enough time online, you’ll get to know them. Trolls are simply there to waste your time, raise your ire or even get you banned. They often don’t care about the subject but rather the conflict that ensues in the discussion and nothing more. When you encounter one, just remember that Trolls are not worthy of your time. Ignore them and move on.

Trolls are gluttons if you feed into their ignorance you become no better than they are…

Signatures in moderation

I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH!

While many forums disable this feature, some allow you to have signatures make it easier to identify the poster. A signature is usually an added option that gives you the option of adding HTML codes to each of your posts. Many people put their favorite stuff in it like quotes, pics of their cat, etc but sometimes it just goes too far. An example would be using a 1024x 768 image on a forum that maxes out at 900 px in width. It’s not only annoying but a waste of load time.
Now that you have read the Survival Guide hopefully you will heed it's warnings...