Netiquette: Etiquette practiced or advocated in electronic communication over a computer network.

There are certain accepted forms of behavior practiced on the internet. (I don’t make this stuff up–Google netiquette and you’ll find the standard documents.) Following some of these guidelines in any discussion will keep people from labeling you a “newbie” Below are a few of the main points of netiquette, along with some ManicNirvana.com specific conventions.

ALL CAPS
In the internet, all caps means shouting. We can hear you just fine. Also from a readability standpoint all caps is more difficult to read and annoys people. So use upper and lower case, even in your subject lines.

Read the Conversation
Don’t just immediately reply to the original post without reading the whole conversation. Your point may already have been made or your question asked and answered. Just adding “ditto” or “me too!” doesn’t add anything to the discussion.

Consider the Group
The most important rule of netiquette is “Think before you post”. (Another good rule might be “Don’t drink and post”, but that’s a whole other issue…) If what you intend to post will not make a positive contribution to the subject, don’t post it. Personal messages to one or two individuals should not be posted to the group. For example “Hey Joe, I found a recipe for fried alligator for you” would certainly not be approved by the Town Hall Moderators.

English, yes. Chat speak, lolspeak, no
These may be cute and interesting in casual conversation but the purpose here is to discuss Robert’s music in a manner that all the readers are conversant with. The purpose here is to allow people to find out more about Robert’s music. It’s worth the effort to write in standard English. ManicNirvana.com is conducted entirely in English. If you require a site in another language, an internet search will find you one. Heck, you can probably find one in lolspeak.

Why Comments Might Not be Approved
Here are some reasons why a comment might not be approved:

Spam, Advertising: No advertising will be allowed except by prior arrangement with the HiBob. Ads aren’t likely to be approved unless they are for something like a Robert-endorsed charity. And of course nobody likes spam. Unless maybe fried. Or in a good plate of spam, spam, sausage and spam.

Grousing and Complaining: If you’re just grousing and complaining about the way things are run, or grousing and complaining because Robert isn’t doing the kind of thing YOU happen to like right now, it’s not really constructive. This topic explains more.

Off Topic, Off Tone: Sort of obvious. If your comment has nothing to do with the topic at hand, or nothing to do with Robert then off it goes. If it is contrary to what the board is all about (again, read the SSS&Q category) then off it goes.

Ditto, Me Too, Couldn’t have said it better, Well said: A post containing one of these phrases and nothing else just won’t get by.

What the Moderators Will and Won’t Do
There are some things the Moderators might do to make a comment more readable. Some things they won’t do, and as a result it might keep your comment from being posted.

WON’T fix ALL CAPS
WON’T fix chatspeak
WILL check links for accuracy
WILL fix and pretty up links if necessary
MIGHT remove an inflammatory or derogatory statement if the remainder of the post is informative.
MIGHT fix grammar if necessary for clarity.

Think of the Town Hall as a magazine and the Moderators as the editors.