A few thoughts for new folks here.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

This morning, someone posted that they were leaving DU, frustrated that, in 11 posts, they had not enlightened anyone. A few thoughts.

I'd like to try to explain to you how I see DU and how i've made it work for me.
Disclaimer: Though I have been here for far too many years, like OWS, I don't claim to speak for Democratic Underground. I offer only my own thoughts and opinions.

As to not being able to enlighten people in a few posts;

It's important for you to establish credibility here. There are thousands of posts per day. Why should I pay attention to yours? There are a number of posters here that I will always read because they have established that they almost always have something important to add to the discussion. n2doc, nadinbrazinsky, kpete and scuba come to mind just off the top of my head.

So, how do you establish credibility? If you are going to start a thread, make sure that you have something to say that will add value. Think about it before you just post from your gut. Think it through, make it interesting and don't write a book. I have books. That's not what I come here for.

Your subject line is critical. You have basically one sentence to convince me that what follows will somehow enhance my life. There are a few folks here with high credibility that can get by with a crap subject line (see above) because I know that what follows is worthwhile. You can't. Not yet.

Please don't post blind links! Few things turn me off faster than someone posting a subject line like "This is REALLY cool" followed by a blind link. It is unlikely that I value your opinion enough to take the time to close my DU page and open up your link, find out that it's crap, close that page and come back to DU to continue where I've left off. My time is simply too valuable. By all means, post a link but please take the time to tell me why I should bother to click on it. "This is really cool" is not adequate.

Getting along with the DU community.
This is an anonymous forum. There are folks posting here that live in their mom's basement and have nothing better to do than disrupt threads. There are even people here who are paid to disrupt. Don't take the bait. Hardly a thread gets posted here anymore without some jerk jumping in to start (successfully) an argument, someone else falls for it and much hot air is exchanged. Pick your battles. Just because someone says something does not mean you need to respond.

Lastly, ignore is your friend. After awhile, you will learn who pisses you off. Put em on ignore. Your sanity will thank you.
DU is like any relationship. It takes time and effort but it's worth it. You will get out what you put in.

Just my thoughts. I have more but I don't want to write a book.

[CrispyQ]

1. "Please don't post blind links!"

Ditto! I don't un-rec often, but blind links get an auto un-rec from me. Bad use of subject line, might too.

[rurallib]

2. Geez I have posted like 20,000 and haven't enlightened anyone yet

But my time is coming, I can feel it!

[seabeyond]

5. better get on it, lol. nt

[lamp_shade]

3. An excellent post, although you could have left out the word "new".

[gateley]

10. Ha! And could have added "gateley" since I'm guilty

of these things - repeatedly! :banghead:

[lamp_shade]

14. Is that a bruise on your forehead?

[roguevalley]

47. almost at 30,000 and I can't even get my dogs to go outside to

wee wee. :-D

[seabeyond]

4. one of the better run, more organized, well informed sites. i have had the pleasure to know a lot

of diverse people both in lifestyle and thought.

:toast: to all.

[leftstreet]

6. 'There are even people here who are paid to disrupt' What does something like that pay?

:shrug:

[OffWithTheirHeads]

17. I don't know. Check with Rove or the Kock bros.

[Nye Bevan]

7. And politeness and civility cost nothing.

"I disagree" instead of "you're f***ing stupid" makes for a more pleasant discussion and won't get your post deleted as a personal attack.

[seabeyond]

11. i agree

;)

[SecularMotion]

8. Good advice for everyone

:thumbsup:

[lbrtbell]

9. My two cents

I don't judge posters by how many posts they've made. I also don't pay attention to who posted what. I keep an open mind and read the post--period. If I agree or disagree, I say so and then (usually) move on.

As for blind links, I understand part of your point. But you don't have to "close a page" to follow any link. You leave that tab open, then right-click the link and open that in a new tab in your browser. Perhaps if you learn how to do this, the links won't be so inconvenient to you. I hope I've helped you learn something new. :)

[OffWithTheirHeads]

18. Not on an i-pad

[Nye Bevan]

27. On an iPhone if you hold down on the link it gives you the option to open in a new page.

And then you can easily switch between the different pages. I would think that this would work on an iPad too.

[quinnox]

12. Very good guide

I heartily recommend newcomers read this!

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. And the fan clubs are just funny

A few puppies, kitties, sunrises, sunsets...are the best way to deal with them short of ignore.

[occupyeverywhere]

41. Is that why I've seen puppies and kittens

posted in the middle of heated discussions?

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Yup

Guilty as charged. That's my way to deal with disruptors anymore.

[Gold Metal Flake]

15. "...close my DU page and open up your link..."

You could learn to use a browser. Opening links in a new tab or window, too hard?

[gateley]

16. Is it too hard to indicate where a thread might take you?

That's just common courtesy because not everyone may be interested in the subject.

I think your snark is misdirected. And unkind.

[Gold Metal Flake]

26. Doesn't matter. OP blames others for work OP does not have to do.

OP can learn more efficient ways to use the browser, thus saving his "time" which he states is "simply too valuable", the precious.

My "snark", as you unkindly described it, is right on target.

[gateley]

28. Perhaps you could have suggested that in a kinder, less condescending way, so

the snark description stands and is appropriate. And, as the OP also says, Ignore is my friend. Judgmental, unkind people, aren't.

See ya. :hi:

[Wait Wut]

20. Uncalled for.

You could learn to use some manners. Resisting the urge to comment too hard?

[Gold Metal Flake]

24. Disagree.

But go ahead and be a net-nanny.

[11 Bravo]

40. Hmmmmm. Net-nanny or pompous dick? Let me think it over. I'll get back to you.

[pintobean]

19. Good post, but I wouldn't have named names

The DUers you respect may not be admired by some of the readers of this thread.
The poster doesn't automatically get a pass just because they post often. Admin has always encouraged users to respond to the content, rather than the person.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

29. As I said at the start, this is just MY opinion.

Others are free to disagree. In fact, it would suprise me if they didn't.

[pintobean]

30. No shit. Maybe you should follow some of your own advise.

I gave my opinion.

[DocMac]

21. The yahoo news forum

needs a whole lot of enlightenment. That would be like a crusade. :banghead:

[kentuck]

22. Wow!

I'm coming up on 60,000 posts and I haven't enlightened anyone! Not that I know of, at least.. :-)

[Altoid_Cyclist]

23. One more item that is related to the blind links is music and/or video etiquette.

This has been mentioned before, but some people still have dial-up or slow service or are hearing impaired and it is a lot easier to see the lyrics.

I try to remember to post the lyrics to songs that I provide a link for.

[Uncle Joe]

25. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, OffWithTheirHeads.:thumbsup:

[OffWithTheirHeads]

31. A quick follow up

If you have followed this thread you may have noticed that a few people have posted responses that, in my opinion, are less than polite. You may have also noticed that, after following up, I determined that any response from me would just result in pointless argument. I simply chose not to persue the pointless arguments. I did not (YET) put these folks on ignore. One thing I have learned here is that we all, on occasion, have bad days. God knows I have had my share. Additiionally, on very rare instances, people occasionally post after having too many Martinis. Not that I have ever done that. :toast: :toast: Before you put someone on ignore, you need to give them some slack. Just not enough to let them hang you with it.

[lamp_shade]

32. Remember when it wasn't like this? I do and I miss all those great discussions.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

33. yep, those were different times. We used to have actual discussions.

I think those days are gone. We have to run with what we brung.

[pintobean]

34. I wasn't "less than polite" until you were.

Take a look in a mirror, my friend. This post is a call-out.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SidDithers]

36. That's an interesting group of posters you chose to hold up as shining examples...

of all that is fair and good at DU. It's not a list that I, or many others here, would agree with.

Sid

[OffWithTheirHeads]

37. SO, make your own! For what it"s worth, this is just my opinion!

[occupyeverywhere]

38. "Why should I pay attention to yours?"

Because I'm fucking brilliant? that's a good place to start. ;-)

[ellisonz]

39. Don't post continuations of other flame wars.

It used to be a rule here and it worked well. There should be some substance to original posts. Otherwise when you look at GD you see 10-15-20 posts on exactly the same subject and it crowds out diversity. Also: internet search engines are your friend.

:thumbsup:

[ellisonz]

42. Also - Welcome new DUers! It sets a tone of civility.

I used to see a lot more of this but now it seems rare. Welcome them even if they have already been welcomed!

[Odin2005]

43. I hate blind links with a vicious passion.

[d_legendary1]

45. I just started at DU and

I don't want to set the world ablaze (yet). I just want to comment and gather some info. Not all of us want to be Walter Cronkite. As one of the posters at Thom Hartmann's page used to say "I'm just here for the eggs."

[Bonobo]

46. Angkor said Wot!? nt

[Scuba]

48. Thanks for your nice comment. My best posts ....

... are simply passed along from my sister!