The Way of the Forum

Thread Development
Threads and posts are the building blocks of any forum foundation. Without proper thought, a thread's development will cease . Detail, quality, and clarity are of the essence in such a fast paced environment. There are a few guidelines to maximise the chance of a successful thread.

Identify a Pre-determined Purpose for the Thread
As obvious as it may seem, there are people who create threads with no real purpose. Not only does this guarantee the lockage of said thread, but it also reflects on the OP (original poster). By having a solid reason for creating a thread (such as humour, assistance, topic discussion, etc.), users are more likely to reply with precise on-topic posts.

Use Unobscured Titles
Titles which are vague tend to render search facilities useless. Making a pun of topic titles is commonplace, nonetheless it can cause duplication issues when multiple users attempt to report items such as news articles. For instance, if the title “President shot by extremists” is written as “Headshot!” it’s harder to search for the latter without knowing the exact title.

Odd or generic titles can also be off-putting to regular users who desire some sort of detail, particularly in technical sections. E.g. “I need help” is too generic, whereas “Printer won’t connect to network” provides some detail.

Have a Detailed OP
Having a brilliant thread idea and title is one thing; having sufficient content is another ball game altogether. News based articles should have personal comments attached, and a link to any sources used. Threads seeking assistance must have a list of solutions tried, any related specifications, and a detailed description of the issue. Every thread requires content that fulfils the purpose of the thread, and a foundation of which users can respond to.

Use Fact and Opinion Appropriately
Opinion can assist users who seek recommendations on a topic or product, likewise, so can fact. It can become an issue when a user bases everything on opinion or experience without considering fact, and vice versa. Getting credible sources for information presented is a necessity when proving a point or offering a solution. Always distinguish information as fact or opinion when posting to avoid confusion.

Avoid Useless Posts
Useless posts are those which offer no content to the thread in question. A useless post often stems from one of the following:

• Submitting non-related, non-helpful or vague posts e.g. Replying in a ‘Want to buy’ thread with “I used to have one, sorry” or “I have one but it’s not for sale”
• Commenting without reading prior posts
• Trolling/spam

Creating posts such as these quickly runs the thread into multiple pages, meaning more crap to shift through for other readers.

Avoid Provocative Threads
It’s not uncommon to find “AMD vs Intel” threads plastered across popular Internet forums. It’s also common to find the result as a flame war of epic proportions. ‘VS’ threads generally summon brand loyal fanboys into action, defending their corporate throne like a ‘capture the flag’ match. In the case that a comparison must be made between differing brands, avoid generalisation such as “Gigabyte vs ASUS”. It’s best to be specific, i.e. “Gigabyte EP45-DS3L vs ASUS P5Q-SE/R”.

Touchy topics such as political and religious threads can also lead to arguments if not executed properly. It helps to have facts on offer rather than outright opinion for these threads.

All in all tolerance and maturity are the key to an enjoyable online experience. At the very least, you’re now equipped with forum etiquette; a flame retardant suit, of sorts.