How to welcome new posters, new poster ettiquette.

This subject comes up over and over, especially when a new poster starts a thread about a perticular restaurant or product, or asks a very general question. They do not usually get a warm welcome from most folks here. Many times, their first post is their last. An exception might be a new poster who asks a specfic question about where to eat, or about a recipe. There have been some good threads started by folks who asked a weird question but never posted again. Was it because of the way they were treated, or were they trolls to start with?

I have no answers, only questions. I would like this be a polite and logical discussion that could be helpfull to new posters, and other folks here.
Joe

Papajoe8, the way a person is treated in the beginning is always and formost the number one priority.

I moderate three other forums, we always greet newbies with a thread devoted to them. sometimes newbies just don't know where to post a certain thread. and as I have seen in the past, been riduclued as to why is this thread here and not there.

My suggestion to the forum is have a general category for rules on posting, stick in an announcement form., this might help.... second work the moderators more to help newbies in thier posts if possible, praise is 100% more acceptible than a derogatory statement.

There is a wealth of information here within this forum. I as a newbie here enjoy it. And any new ideas to make it even better would always be appreciated.

Phil, thanks for your response. I always try to welcome new posters and make them feel at ease here. Everyone has always been extremly nice to me at this site and I try to pass that along to new posters. Hey, this is a great site with much to learn!

There is a "sticky" in the news forum called "rules of conduct".

Most of the, maybe not so nice, responses to new posters has to do with starting a new thread that apears to be an advertisement for a restaurant or product. Sometimes it is in response to starting a thread with a real general question like "how do you like your hot dog?" by a 1st. time poster.

I just thought it might be good to have a place to talk about this stuff other than on the threads in the regular forum.
Joe

Quite true !

quote:

Originally posted by PapaJoe8

There is a "sticky" in the news forum called "rules of conduct".

I've been a member here for...what...three years? I dunno, I'll have to click on my name and look.

But my point is I have literally never been in the news forum, unless I clicked it by accident. And I would never have dreamed there would be a list of rules for the board contained therein. Never. Still can't quite wrap my head around WHY it would have been placed there and not somewhere else on the boards. Of course, there isn't really anywhere to put such a thing, since there's no forum for announcements or anything else. Unless that's what "Roadfood News" is supposed to be? I figured it was something to do with a newsletter or something, and since that didn't interest me I never looked.

I shall now, though. Right after I click on my name to find out how long I've been here.

The rules of conduct has been there for many years. I know the reason why they were put there but it is no longer applicable. Not because the rules do not apply but because the reason of the rules left.

Most posters behave themselves and those who do not exit quickly.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I have always welcomed new member posts when I encounter them. I think most of us here do the same. Ignoring the few "sour grape" replies to new members occasionally from certain posters to a newbie; we have a great forum here. My cudos go to the moderators here, folks. They have quite a job to do. I know, for I am at times the
"Agitator".
Oops, Did I say THAT??? ... Well, you know...

--JDK--

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7


The rules of conduct has been there for many years.

Which doesn't mean that anyone new would go into that particular forum to read them, which was my point. I wouldn't, and I've been moderating various message boards for about five years.

I actually kind of assumed no concrete rules had been posted here (some sites don't), since they weren't anywhere obvious I ever ran across.

Could just be me, I suppose...

The rules as posted are really more 'general guidelines of normal courtesy. If a new person violates them (or an old guy too) many times it is related to a troll or an advertising effort for a specific product or location. What we usually do is delete the post, and send a warning note via email making reference to the 'read the rules' comment.
If the violation is really gross and I am sure many of you have seen a few of them, we do a lock out after the deletion and then discuss it with the person if they inquire about it. Most usually just disappear.
For the vast majority of the membership the rules never are an issue.
I am sure, Felix, that there are lots of folks who, like you, have never considered the 'structure' of the website, you just enjoy what you like . Thats the way it should be. I wish that a few of the really nasty folks who show up now and then would do the same. This is a nice place with a lot of information flowing in all directions. Let's All try to keep it that way.
AL

Folks that are new are the lifeblood of any forum. The rules are there for those who read. This forum needs new blood all the time and they interject new facts and opinions and places to visit.

We certainly need them and appreciate them.

Negative post are few but are certainly there. I am sure that those few rarely read or care about the rules.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

"Most of the, maybe not so nice, responses to new posters has to do with starting a new thread that apears to be an advertisement for a restaurant or product. Sometimes it is in response to starting a thread with a real general question like "how do you like your hot dog?" by a 1st. time poster. "

I think PapaJoe has summed it up very well. These people either tend to be advertising, or are simple pot-stirrers.

If a new person comes online and their very first post heaps loads of praise on a particular eatery and encourages others to try it, I think it is legitimate to ask "do you work for, own, co-own, or supply this eatery?"

It's not rude, it is a request for disclosure.

It would probably be rude to then also add any additional assertions, such as "I think you must own this place and it is not nice to self-promote", but asking for the disclosure without any additional comment is well within the boundaries of what is socially acceptable.

all of the above is purely IMHO

Then there is this type of first post...

quote:

Hi,

Up till about 10 years ago I lived in Clarks Summit, PA which was somewhere in the vicinity of Wilkes Barre/The Victory Pig.
I happen to be coming to visit and staying in Wilkes Barre. Is the Victory Pig still open? Could someone possibly provide an address and it's wacky hours?
I also recall a place that was very similar to the pig called pizza loven or oven loven something along those lines.
Any help or other recommendations are appreciated, fellow pizza aficionados!

Where someone comes in and asks other folks to do the searching for them. Regardless, there are only a couple folks from NEPA here regularly and neither of us saw it... followed a month later by

quote:

found it... no thanks to you guys.

Folks like this, I don't care about nor need.


Tom

My gripe are the trolls who deliberately make a feeble attempt to try to "make fools" out of others. The sad thing is that there are a few people on the forum who will actually come to the defense of these trolls as if the the comments these trolls are making or the questions they are asking are legitimate.

Unless a new user has a taste for Chili Dogs, well... Why talk to them... :)

Just kiddin.. If I see someone with entry level posts, I always greet them. Met some great folks, even if they only posted a couple times... Nice hearing someone elses opinion, either good or bad. Just wish some of them good ones would stick around. Nice playing email tag with them, but would better appreciate their input here in the forums. (My shoulder is getting sore).

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

Then there is this type of first post...

quote:

Hi,

Up till about 10 years ago I lived in Clarks Summit, PA which was somewhere in the vicinity of Wilkes Barre/The Victory Pig.
I happen to be coming to visit and staying in Wilkes Barre. Is the Victory Pig still open? Could someone possibly provide an address and it's wacky hours?
I also recall a place that was very similar to the pig called pizza loven or oven loven something along those lines.
Any help or other recommendations are appreciated, fellow pizza aficionados!

Where someone comes in and asks other folks to do the searching for them. Regardless, there are only a couple folks from NEPA here regularly and neither of us saw it... followed a month later by

quote:

found it... no thanks to you guys.

Folks like this, I don't care about nor need.


Tom

Maybe Hi, and a heads up regarding the search function?

quote:

Originally posted by MacTAC
Maybe Hi, and a heads up regarding the search function?

How about a heads up regarding Google, and a reminder that it's only one click away.



Tom

ADJ, yes, cudos to the Mods!

Felix, yes those rules are kinda hard to find.

Paul, you are right of coarse, those folks don't care.

Thanks Pwings! I was trying to sum it up.

Of coarse Vic, folks who do not like chili dogs are not to be trusted!

Well said Al!

TJ, I thought your question, made on a kinda questionable new thread, was tactfull and clever. That thread gave me the idea for this thread.

Mac and Mosca, yes, suggesting the search here, and on google, in a tactfull way is good to do. The search here is kinda hit and miss though. Mostly hit with just a few misses. I started a thread about that also. How bout the guy who admited he was to lazy to do the search? He started a good thread though, and come back with more posts.

Yep Mosca, the follow up post was not very nice.

Wanderer, I like to lead he trolls along, kinda fun I think. Maybe I shouldn't though? Weird but some good info has come from some troll started threads. One question though, do trolls live under bridges?

Yes Vic, good to be nice to the new folks. Most of the nice new posters make posts, but do not start threads right off the bat. There are some exceptions to this I'm sure, like a lagit question.
Joe

Here's another recent first post to check out and eval......

quote:

Originally posted by Dagas

I have been to Di Fara's many times, its by far the best Pizza EVER. I am a native New Yorker and a Pizza connoisseur. Yesterday I wanted to bring my girlfriend for the first time and have her try it. It was gone another Pizza place was there in its place, it was closed but its was definately a new sign, it was a kosher pizzeria instead. It was the sadest moment I was dumbfounded....I felt like I can never ever find a pizza that comes close... Did they move? If so, where? Spread the word!!! After 40 years in operation, gone just like that, no notice.... Dust in the wind.... I can't believe that

I am a relatively new poster and tho I have been made to feel very welcome at this site I have to admit that there are times that i think some people are a bit to harsh about things. Such as the post about the pizza place that closed down but it turned out it hadn't. I mean I am new to this forum thing but it seems to me like there are some cynics out there that are especially wary of trolls. It could have just been a guy that made an honest mistake. I do think that there are sopme posters that are just too lazy to do a search but I have to say that there have been times I haven't fund what i was looking for by googling it.

I made a thread a couple weeks back I think it was about recipes for the freezer. I could have just been told to google it, which I had, but I wanted ideas that peopel had actually tried and liked. I am sorry if I offended anyone by not just googling it or making people think I that I am just lazy and don't want to search it myself. As far as that goes a lot of things on the recipes forum especially could be found just by googling it.

I am sure that there are some buttheads out there tha only post on here to start something or try to make people look stupid but I am sorry really is it that big of a deal? Who really cares if some random goober on the internet gets their jollies from thinking they are having people search for soemthing they could search for themselves or making comments about something that can be found out 2 minutes later isn't true.

To be quite honest I would rather help 100 people that don't really need it then to turn away someone who has a genuine question because I think they are 'trolling'.

Just my humble opinion of course

Callie

Callie,

I would answer a question about recipes; that is an open ended question with multiple possibilities, and it is also a social question (implying, "what do YOU like?"). But when someone asks a question that has a specific answer, that gets me; if I can Google it, then so can they. It's like asking someone to look something up in the phone book for you, when you have a phone book right next to you. It is a directing question rather than a curious, social question.

This forum has a long history of destructive trolls. The mods have done a GREAT job over the last year or so in quelling them. Believe me, it was completely out of control, with trolls looking for information about restaurants that were mayonnaise-free; stuff like that.


Tom

Callie:

I think it would be valuable to give you some additional perspective on the pizza post, as quoted above. I do not say this to denigrate you in any way, rather I think it might help to understand what occurred

Added to the fact that this was the posters very first post here ever was the fact that he was posting about arguably the very best pizzeria in the country, or at least one of the top 5, as viewed by many experts on the matter.

Add to this fact that the poster also signed up for an account on Chowhound specifically to make this exact same post there (http://www.chowhound.com/topics/238334), in a thread that was 4 years old, one that a newbie (and I mean no offense here, it takes time to learn how to navigate around, especially on Chowhound) would not have easily found. Note the "yeah right" and "about gave me heart failure" responses there.

Add to that the fact that the poster has never bothered to post again

With all that said, the post had the strong appearance of someone who was trying to stir up a bit of a panic among pizza fans, roadfooders and chowhounds alike. For all i know, he posted on sliceny and/or other sites as well.

All in all, a little too much going on here for this to have been a true newbie simply concerned about a random pizza place he liked and missed.

All of the above - imho. Others may well disagree.

This forum has always been very respectful, yet free, which is a hard balance to keep. These are the issues I see with new posters:

1.They post something like, Where do I eat in Memphis?

They then get a nasty reply to use the search function.

I think the search needs to be larger, with a box for typing in the search words on the main page. People often miss it. We get tired of having the same conversation again, so people get snappy.

2.They ask for a recipe, or opinions on pie, and someone links them to google. Well, I don't want google's recipe. I know you guys know good food and I want your grandmother's recipe. I want to know how you fix a cracked pie crust, not how Martha Stewart does it. There is a wealth of info to share here.


3. They may post something praising some place they love, and are immediately treated as an advertiser. Sometimes these guys don't know etiquette is to comment on a few other posts before posting a new post. It doesn;t occur to them that there are professional advertising internet posters. Some people have been harsh to people they saw as hawkers who may not have been.

Maybe when they sign up, we need a "welcome to roadfood" email (Is one sent out already?) Explaining to please search before posting a query. To please leave a few other comments before heavily promoting their fave. Then all that other stuff in the rules about respect.

Suspicion of lurkers and annoyance at repeated topics seem to be the biggest problems here.

When I first saw Dude111 I thought he was paid to hawk on sites. But now I see he just likes tests and posting vids and games. It's all about variety.

If my favorite pizza place closed down, I too, would be clanking my chains, wandering the night, crying into the wildernes, WHHHHHYYYYYYYY???

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Callie:

I think it would be valuable to give you some additional perspective on the pizza post, as quoted above. I do not say this to denigrate you in any way, rather I think it might help to understand what occurred

Added to the fact that this was the posters very first post here ever was the fact that he was posting about arguably the very best pizzeria in the country, or at least one of the top 5, as viewed by many experts on the matter.

Add to this fact that the poster also signed up for an account on Chowhound specifically to make this exact same post there (http://www.chowhound.com/topics/238334), in a thread that was 4 years old, one that a newbie (and I mean no offense here, it takes time to learn how to navigate around, especially on Chowhound) would not have easily found. Note the "yeah right" and "about gave me heart failure" responses there.

Add to that the fact that the poster has never bothered to post again

With all that said, the post had the strong appearance of someone who was trying to stir up a bit of a panic among pizza fans, roadfooders and chowhounds alike. For all i know, he posted on sliceny and/or other sites as well.

All in all, a little too much going on here for this to have been a true newbie simply concerned about a random pizza place he liked and missed.

All of the above - imho. Others may well disagree.

Well, guess I'll put in my two cents worth. Didn't feel worthy to comment. Checked, I've been a member for a little over two years........ So I'm gonna comment.
Papajoe, thanks for raising the issue, its definitely worthy of discussion. I'm aware you posted the topic in early January but your concern is timeless.
"Roadfood" has become a wonderful place for this retiree to hang out. My wife just smiles, shakes her head concerning the time I spend on this website. I hasten to add, she certainly has enjoyed several meals inspired by you my friends!
I certainly am not an accomplished techie, nor a decent typist. You should see which two fingers I use to post a message!
I've made a few mistakes, mostly early on(my opinion), hopefully not(many) in the future. Good advice has been given. As for me, here's an example as to how I deal with suspicious posts. If you go to "where to eat" you'll find a recent post touting a restaurant in Roswell, New Mexico. Being a New Mexican, I responded with enthusiasm. Poster's name sounded familiar, so checked his only other post. The message I sent reasonably mirrored Al the Mayors response to his first post concerning another restaurant.As of about an hour ago,remember I type slowly, the individual had only one response to each of the two posts. Point is, I'm not gonna get upset or suspicious about devious intentions which may or may not be occuring. I suggest we be curteous. So what if we get taken for a ride occasionally?
I believe our moderators are on top of maintaining proper behavior. Hats off to our members, I sense we are able to do a good job of dealing with the rare but occasional bad apple.
Long talk I put before you, thanks for listening.
Pot of Gumbo tonight, smoked baby back ribs tomorrow night!
Ole Rouxdog

MY BIG BAD! The post I mentioned is under PRIME CUTS! Spank me with a wet dish towel, I deserve it!
Ole rouxdog

Hmmmm. Spankings with a wet dishtowel...maybe we should consider new poster hazing???

Elise T, hazing can be a good thing done properly. The wet dishtowel experience is priceless!
(revised my name just for you)
Dirty Ole Rouxdog
PS.. Be kind to me, I'm old, sensitive and have several bodily malfunctions!
My philosophical statement for the day, "people have more fun than anybody".

Don't believe my comments have diddly squat to do with roadfood!
Good night my friends!

We could do that thing where we make them jump on "broken glass" that is really Doritos.

Make them eat at Applebees - no, I think that is forbidden by the Geneva convention.

Rouxdog...anyone with roux in their name has nothing to fear from me. Much respect.