NationStates Jolt Archive

ok, please read this if you're new here - it'll save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time & effort. there are some good FAQ's at the bottom of this post, too. of course you don't have to read all this, but you might find it helpful.

Here is a list of all the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) available at the end of this post:
1. What is "The Politcal Compass" and where can i find it?
alternativley: What is my political orientation?
2. What is the "Moral Compass" thing that i keep seeing round the place?
3. What can't I do?
4. Why isn't my nation growing or doing anything?
5. How do I do....?
6. What does "BUMP" or "TAG" mean?
7. What is a "fluffle"?
8. What does "- snip -" mean?
9. How do I post an image?
10. Where can I post a picture of myself?
11. How do i do Spolers?
12. What are these weird poll options I keep seeing like "Myrth", "Melkor", "Fris" and "Cog"?
13.How do I make a poll?
14. How do i review my posts or come back to topics i've posted on?







------------------------ Introduction to NationStates & the forums ------------------------

i'll assume you're playing the 'game' part already if you've made it here, so a few notes. i'll also assume, for the sake of completeness, that the reader - that's you ;) - knows nothing of the general ways of an internet forum or this game.

anyway, first, the game and forums are not directly linked/related. second, the forums have a number of different levels - to see what else there is click on the "NationStates" link at the top of this page (by where it says "Welcome yourname"). the roleplay (RP) element of the game held in NationStates (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1223), International Incidents (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1230), and The United Nations (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1225). questions & non-RP (out of character (OOC)) discussions regarding gameplay etc go in Gameplay (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1234).
now i'll admit that i don't RP (or visit those forums... ever) so please correct me if i'm wrong.

a seemingly useful guide to help you get started RPing can be found here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=400312)
and a friendly note from Fris (one of the helpful mods): "Regional recritment threads belong in Gameplay (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1234)" so don't post them here in General - it will be moved.

For RP rules, guides, and all that jazz, read this http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=414035

for a general (and much extended to the above) introduction to NS and forums, read this http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=357975 or this http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=398818

note that there are a number of moderators, as mentioned above, who keep tabs on everything that goes on here. if you post something in the wrong place (like RP stuff or gameplay questions in here), they will move it, or delete it. moderation help and questions can be found in the moderation forum (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1231). don't post overtly useless threads either (spam) as they will either get deleted or moved to the Jolt Spam Forum (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=29), and can also get your nation deleted, and even your IP address banned, if you are a repeat offender. the same goes for offensive posts/threads (flaming/flamebaiting) and looking to cause trouble (flamebaiting/trolling). a guide to the General Forum Rules can be found here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=410573). please, please read this - for a start it contains examples of the above big no-no's.



but all that aside, RP and rules aren't all that NationStates is all about. as you can see from the numbers (at the time of writing) this here General forum is the second largest part of NationStates...








------------------------ The General Forum ------------------------

this is where you're at now, and is where posters discuss & debate real life, important issues (like the seperation of church & state), discuss trivial crap ("what is your favourite sandwich?"), get to know each other, and even hold mini-RP's of our own (the NS General Election). all are welcome and you're welcome to talk about anything you like as long as it complies with the rules above.


Etiquette:

(note: please read through the Rules here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=410573), some of which are summarised below)

On The Prevention of Forum Fires

Hello, kids. Today I'm here to give you a few tips for avoiding forum fires.

1. Be Understanding.

-Sometimes people are joking or have not stated their position clearly. Take this into account when you feel like slamming someone for their posts. Carefully consider whether their current behavior is consistent with their past behavior, because an inconsistency may mean that they are joking or being unclear. Instead of jumping on them, ask them to clarify their position or ask them if they were joking.

2. Be Cool

-Whenever you feel like doing physical harm to another poster, it would be advisable to move away from your computer and do something else for a while so that you can come back and approach the situation more rationally. You can hit a punching bag, have a snack, do a small chore, or any number of other things.

3. Use Smilies

-The appropriate use of smilies is a very helpful tool in communicating your emotional state so that other posters do not take joke posts (or serious posts for that matter) as you being snarky.

These smilies are probably not good to use in joke posts, or posts of any kind for that matter, because many posters find them very annoying:

- snip -

And, as always...

Remember kids, only you can prevent forum fires.
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=8457463&postcount=9


General is considered the "Anything and Everything" home of NationStates, but that does not grant the right to post anything and everything anywhere and everywhere. All NationStates rules apply in General as much as anywhere else on the board. Threads need to have a topic and stay on it, spam and flaming are not allowed, and trolling must be carefully avoided.



* it is also advisable to type vaguely properly & attempt to spell with some accuracy as to not annoy other posters (ie. "l33t speak" & "msn/txt speak" are likely to piss others off, but its not against the rules)


* if posting an article, please always be sure to post what the source is as well.


* USE QUOTE TAGS! please, the number of newbies who don't use them is astounding - they make the whole forum gig a whole lot easier... but fair enough if you don't know - thats precisely what this thread is for :)

in the bottom-right hand corner of each post you will see a button marked "quote". to quote someone's text (rather than copy it yourself and put it in quotation marks (" ")) simply click this and edit out the bits you don't want to quote.
quoted text will look like this
if you want/need to quote something manually, type/paste the text you want to quote, select it all and then click the Quote button at the top-right hand corner of the reply/new post box. this wraps [ /quote] tags round your text.
to add a poster's name to the quote...
[QUOTE=poster's name]like this
... simply put "=poster's name" (minus the quotation marks) before the first end bracket ( "]" ) of the quote tag. like this:
[ QUOTE=poster's name ] quoted text [ /quote ]


* remember to be curtious and respectful to everyone here - assume trust/respect until proven otherwise is my rule. remember that on the other end of your keyboard is another living, breathing person, so be nice.


* always keep in mind that there are differences in politcal culture around the world - for example Liberal and Conservative, as specific definitions, both mean something quite different in america and europe... but don't let this stop your debates!


* links to other games (particularly web-based ones) are prohibited. as are links (of any sort, including images) to websites such as ebaumsworld, newgrounds, rotten, etc...


* don't over-use smilies. specifically, please don't pointlessly add the " :mp5: , :sniper: , or :gundge: " smilies at the end of posts - especially when not necessary or relavent


* The Mods: not a bunch of 1960s British alternative to Rockers who ride mopeds and have bad taste in music, but moderators...
Above all else be nice to them! The mods are, in fact, your friends, despite what some believe. There is not Mod Conspiracy, nor do they take sides. They do these forums a great service on their own time (& i don't believe they get paid), so please don't go nuts over mod decisions. Most of them are darn funny posters, too ;D (i'm looking at you, Cog, you poll-editing fiend you! lol)
If you have a problem with a mod's decision, take it up in the moderation forum (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1231)


* Read at least 2 to 5 pages into a serious topic in order to become more informed about your opponents' (and even proponents') arguements, when feasible


* With posts, quantity does not mean quality. Just because someone has a large number of posts does not necessarily mean they've said a single thing of great quality. Don't give into the temptation to simply replying to everything just to raise your post count. You'll be far more respected if you take your time to think about your post, and provide valid, logical points, rather than a single quick answer. Be careful not to make it too long, though. Most people lack an attention span to go through a thread full of insanely long points. Wait for your opponent to make a counterpoint, and respond in kind. (Post count +1 :P )








------------------------ General FAQs ------------------------

Here is a list of all the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) available below:
1. What is "The Politcal Compass" and where can i find it?
2. What is the "Moral Compass" thing that i keep seeing round the place?
3. What can't I do?
4. Why isn't my nation growing or doing anything?
5. How do I do....[insert nation/game based question here]?
6. What does "BUMP" or "TAG" mean?
7. What is a "fluffle"?
8. What does "- snip -" mean?
9. How do I post an image?
10. Where can I post a picture of myself?
11. How do i do Spolers?
12. What are these weird poll options I keep seeing like "Myrth", "Melkor", "Fris" and "Cog"?
13.How do I make a poll?



[I]1. What is "The Politcal Compass" and where can i find it?

The PC is a useful tool for gauging where you lie on the political spectrum. this is a politcal game after all, and most of the serious discussions that go on here are political/philisophical in nature. the test comprises six sections and takes around 5 to 10 minutes. at then end you are given an Economic Score and Social Score. the former indicates how right or left wing you are (negative numbers are left wing), and the latter how authoritarian or libertarian you are (read: big state vs little state respectively, with negative numbers being libertarian).
use this as a GUIDE only, as it says nothing about the specific beliefs of a poster. most NSers put their PC scores in their signatures (text displayed after each of your posts - go to your Profile control panel to change yours; must be less than 8 lines long & are moderated)

Swimmingpool did a great job a few months back with a grand NSers Political Compass Chart, but i'm too lazy to find it just now, so if anyone posts the link i'll edit it in :)

link: http://politicalcompass.org/




2. What is the "Moral Compass" thing that i keep seeing round the place?

same sort of thing as the Political Compass. http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9138673&postcount=3

link: http://www.moral-politics.com/




3. What can't I do?
The rules can be found here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=416023), compiled by our outstanding Law Enforcement Officer, Frisbeeteria. I quote:

Copycat threads: When somebody creates a popular thread, copycats and parodies quickly flood the forums. Like any other fad, a few can be fun, but once everyone starts to copycat them it becomes overbearing and spammish. Such threads may be locked or moved to Spam by any moderator who considers that thread to be a copycat or spam thread. Threads with genuine content may be left alone, but that probability increases dramatically when you don't use a fad title.

Chat threads: If you want to have a private conversation with one or two other people, this isn't the place to do it. One of the instant message clients (AIM, MSN) or an IRC /query is best. If you must chat on forums, use Jolt's Chat forum.

Cybersex chats: Illegal under the "obscene" clause of the TOS. Take it elsewhere

Social RP: In the wake of several out-of-control threads, standards were established for socializing threads. These sorts of threads are tolerated as long as a) there aren't too many of them, b) they attempt to maintain at least a façade of roleplaying behavior, and c) they are locked at approximately 1300 posts.

Tag Games: Carrying on with a conversation or chase game in unrelated threads is spamming and topic hijacking. Don't do it.

Word Games are banned. Period. It's not a matter of bandwidth, they're just not coming back. If you want to play word games, go start or join some in the spam forum. They're not welcome here.




4. Why isn't my nation growing or doing anything?

first, this belongs in Gameplay and would be moved by teh mods. second, NationStates is a long term game and you probably won't see any marked changes in your nation (certainly your "UN Category") for at least a couple of weeks, so hang on in there and entertain yourself here in General in the mean time!
similarly....




5. How do I do....[insert nation/game based question here]?

Don't come here, that's how. Go to Technical, Gameplay, or Moderation (see links above) to ask your question, so the mods can help you. How do you think they got their jobs?




6. What does "BUMP" or "TAG" mean?

bump is what posters often say when they simply want to 'bump' a thread up to the top of the list, without saying anything (other than bump of course).
"tag" is what many posters use to 'tag' a thread for later review. if you post on a thread you are automatically 'subscribed' to it, and you are notified of updates/new posts to that thread in your Jolt profile's control panel. tagging allows you to go back to threads when you have a chance to later.
don't just tag everything in sight though as this would count as spamming.

EDIT: IMPORTANT NOTE: do not tag.
Actually -- DON'T tag. It is spamming. We have a perfectly good subscribe to thread function.

something i never use, but damn well should :P
to subscribe to a thread to come back to it later, as described above, do not "tag" but instead scroll to the top of the page and select "subscribe to this thread" under the 'thread tools' drop-down box on the top right-hand side of the page.




7. What is a "fluffle"?

aha! we love fluffles here - especially TInk (FairyTInkArisen, one of our most active, friendly and hottest posters, Queen of NS ;)) of course!
this is a fluffle: :fluffle:
It basically refers to a friendly or "informal" expression of affection. Don't post too many of them. The same can go for the other smilies as well




8. What does "- snip -" mean?

when you've quoted some text but snipped/removed a portion of it. sometimes all of it if its a lengthy piece




9. How do I post an image?

get the URL (web address) of where your image is hosted and click the "insert image" button in the post reply box (yellow the one with a little mountain). you cannot post up images stored on your local machine (on your hard drive) - you must upload them to the internet first.

try www.imageshack.com, www.photobucket.com




10. Where can I post a picture of myself?

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=412572 there. bear in mind that there is a seperate comments thread. please use it!
please note that not all picutes have to be posted there, just player pictures. you are free to use/post whichever other pictures you like (as long as they don't break any rules, including 'image spam')



11. How do i do Spolers?

Well a spoiler is something used occasionally by posters - especially useful when posting jokes (but as word games are no longer allowed you see these used less and less)
Anyway, spolers look like this:

like this, see?

the text is hidden until you select it with your mouse, whereby it changes colour and you can read it. clever eh? ;)
to do a spoiler, simply type (without the space at the end, inside the square brackets), type your text, and then end the tag with [/spoiler ]
so it will look like this: [spoiler ] your text

note that relatively often posters will colour ordinary white to hide it instead.
to do this, select some text and select 'white' from the drop-down box in the reply/new post window.

[COLOR=White]like this. posters will often add a smilie with the white/hidden text, partly just to let others know its there :cool:
smilies also look kinda weird when they're highlighted like this lol


12. What are these weird poll options I keep seeing like "Myrth", "Melkor", "Fris" and "Cog"?

Don't let these bother you as they generally have nothing to do with the poll in question. Myrth, Melkor (Unchained), Fris(beeteria) and Cog(itation) are mods here, and its kind of customary to put them in some polls - on the whole not the serious polls, that is. Originally it was the mod Myrth who got all the poll options, but since he resigned and some posters got annoyed at the whole thing the other mods have been included in the more light-hearted polls




13. How do I make a poll?

There are two ways:

1. when you are making a new topic, scroll down the page and check the "Yes, post a poll with this thread" box. then click submit thread.
don't worry if you don't put enough options to begin with cos you can add more at the next (poll creation) page.
the new thread will appear as a normal thread minus the poll until you submit the poll on the following page (so other posters can read your thread before the poll is up... hence the occasional "in before the poll" post you'll see). there is nothing you can do about this other than do the poll really fast.

2. in a thread you've already started, go to the "thread tools" at the top right hand of the page, and from the drop down list select "add a poll to this thread". then go through the same procedure as above.

note that you can make a poll multiple choice, have it close at a certain date (relative to the time you posted it), and/or have it be a public poll (posters' usernames are displayed by the poll option they voted for). you can select these at the bottom of the poll creation page




14. How do i review my posts or come back to topics i've posted on?

go to the "profile" button at the top left hand of each page and you'll see all the threads you're subscribed to. click the little yellow downward facing arrow to go to the last post you read in that topic (doesn't always work properly, mind)
if you want to see your individual posts you'll have to go to search and search for your own username, making sure you select "view results as posts" rather than as topics.



-----------------------------------------



so i hope that helps some new people out. i know when i was new here i didn't know what the hell was going on, and the help files were all a little clinical - they assumed a level of knowledge i just didn't have. hopefully this plain-english guide will help some people ease into posting here

any additions would be most welcome & i'll edit them in


if you have found this useful at all please post and let me know, thanks!

also, feel free to post here and introduce yourself if you're new!

----
special thanks to Czardas and Lord-General Drache for contributions.

ok, please read this if you're new here - it'll save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time & effort.

O.K., Please, read this if you're new here. It will save you, us, and the poor servers a lot of time and effort.

I just love doing that. I am the true Grammar Nazi.



EDIT: Next time, I read more than one sentence of a thread. This isn't plain English! You took the language, n00bified it, and came out with some kinda Franco-Saxxon junk!


EDIT2: Good God, I can't correct all this! It's too much for me!

EDIT3: Uncle! Uncle!

I just love doing that. I am the true Grammar Nazi.



EDIT: Next time, I read more than one sentence of a thread. This isn't plain English! You took the language, n00bified it, and came out with some kinda Franco-Saxxon junk!


EDIT2: Good God, I can't correct all this! It's too much for me!

EDIT3: Uncle! Uncle!
correct it all!

I'm a Math Nazi.

*black robed figures appear behind Colodia and grab his shoulders*
Nobody expects the Inquisition!
*Colodia is dragged off, never to be seen from again until his next post...if his fingers still work*

Originally Posted by English Language
O.K., Please, read this if you're new here. It will save you, us, and the poor servers a lot of time and effort.

Okay, please read this if you're new here. It will save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time and effort.

Just a few comma errors, but other than that, much better. You only need to use the comma before "and" when joining two independent clauses, other than that, you need not use the comma before "and". :)

ok, please read this if you're new here - it'll save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time & effort... {snip}
*furiously takes notes... knowing there will be a test on this.*

Okay, please read this if you're new here. It will save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time and effort.

ok plz rd this if ur nu here itll save u, us n teh poor serv0rrz timen effort, innit

just be glad i didn't post it like that :D

Okay, please read this if you're new here. It will save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time and effort.

Just a few comma errors, but other than that, much better. You only need to use the comma before "and" when joining two independent clauses, other than that, you need not use the comma before "and". :)Oh, and to all NEWBIES and NEW PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM (incase you didn't know what a NEWBIE was.)

you will notice that there are alot of members of the Grammer/Spelling police here. so watch out.

*thwaps Colodia*You missed one! *points to the thread title*It's missing an "r".

Very nice article, Pure Metal. Did you get bored, tired of the n00bs, or both? Hopefully, it'll get stickied.

*thwaps Colodia*You missed one! *points to the thread title*It's missing an "r".

Very nice article, Pure Metal. Did you get bored, tired of the n00bs, or both? Hopefully, it'll get stickied.
it is missing an "r" as well :p
damn! i deserve some grammar nazis on my ass...



as for why... i got very bored, yes, but i have seen pretty much the same thread posted at least 3 or 4 times in the last week and figured this would help everyone out. plus, as i said, i remembered how it was when i started here & decided a plain english (though obviously not correct english ;) ) advice thread was what was needed :)

Maybe I should become a mod so I can edit out all of PM's grammar mistakes... ;)

If someone cleans it up, it should be stickied. I haven't seen too many newbie guides to General.

Also PM: Add "And please don't use the :sniper:, :mp5:, :gundge:, or :upyours: smilies, because they just annoy everyone."

And "How do I do--

Don't come here, that's how. Go to Technical, Gameplay, or Moderation to ask your question, so the mods can help you. How do you think they got their jobs?"

"What is a "fluffle"?

aha! we love fluffles here - especially TInk (FairyTInkArisen, one of our most active, friendly and hottest posters, Queen of NS ) of course!
this is a fluffle: :fluffle: It basically refers to a friendly or "informal" expression of affection. Don't post too many of them. The same can go for the other smilies as well."

"What can't I do?

The rules can be found here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=416023), compiled by our outstanding Law Enforcement Officer, Frisbeeteria. I quote:

Copycat threads: When somebody creates a popular thread, copycats and parodies quickly flood the forums. Like any other fad, a few can be fun, but once everyone starts to copycat them it becomes overbearing and spammish. Such threads may be locked or moved to Spam by any moderator who considers that thread to be a copycat or spam thread. Threads with genuine content may be left alone, but that probability increases dramatically when you don't use a fad title.

Chat threads: If you want to have a private conversation with one or two other people, this isn't the place to do it. One of the instant message clients (AIM, MSN) or an IRC /query is best. If you must chat on forums, use Jolt's Chat forum.

Cybersex chats: Illegal under the "obscene" clause of the TOS. Take it elsewhere

Social RP: In the wake of several out-of-control threads, standards were established for socializing threads. These sorts of threads are tolerated as long as a) there aren't too many of them, b) they attempt to maintain at least a façade of roleplaying behavior, and c) they are locked at approximately 1300 posts.

Tag Games: Carrying on with a conversation or chase game in unrelated threads is spamming and topic hijacking. Don't do it.

Word Games are banned. Period. It's not a matter of bandwidth, they're just not coming back. If you want to play word games, go start or join some in the spam forum. They're not welcome here.

Cite me! ;)

If someone cleans it up, it should be stickied. I haven't seen too many newbie guides to General.

Also PM: Add "And please don't use the :sniper:, :mp5:, :gundge:, or :upyours: smilies, because they just annoy everyone."

And "How do I do--

Don't come here, that's how. Go to Technical, Gameplay, or Moderation to ask your question, so the mods can help you. How do you think they got their jobs?"

"What is a "fluffle"?

aha! we love fluffles here - especially TInk (FairyTInkArisen, one of our most active, friendly and hottest posters, Queen of NS ) of course!
this is a fluffle: :fluffle: It basically refers to a friendly or "informal" expression of affection. Don't post too many of them. The same can go for the other smilies as well."

"What can't I do?

The rules can be found here (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=416023), compiled by our outstanding Law Enforcement Officer, Frisbeeteria. I quote:



Cite me! ;)
added. thanks :)



Maybe I should become a mod so I can edit out all of PM's grammar mistakes... ;)
nt if i n00k j00 1st

nt if i n00k j00 1stOh come on, I'm making a joke. Me becoming a mod is about as likely as...uh...Tink giving up fluffling. ;)

Oh come on, I'm making a joke. Me becoming a mod is about as likely as...uh...Tink giving up fluffling. ;)
heh i was kidding too... though typing like that was a whole lot easier than spelling out words in full...


thnk i mte type liek ths al teh time nw. like a total wnker ;)



edit: tink give up fluffling!? :eek: never!

it is missing an "r" as well :p
damn! i deserve some grammar nazis on my ass...



as for why... i got very bored, yes, but i have seen pretty much the same thread posted at least 3 or 4 times in the last week and figured this would help everyone out. plus, as i said, i remembered how it was when i started here & decided a plain english (though obviously not correct english ;) ) advice thread was what was needed :)

Hah! You see? We Grammar Nazis are useful! *grins*

I've noticed that trend to. Ever since last yearish when a lot of the more active Generalites disappeared, there's been much of the same debate...or is that just me?

Also, perhaps you should add a caveat about pissing off Automagfreek? Also, I'd suggest a "The mods are, in fact, your friends, despite what some believe. There is not Mod Conspiracy, nor do they take sides (From what I've seen).

Oh. And that it is not cool to participate in the Myrth option thread, and you should probably mention something about it being a bad idea to sign on drunk.

Oh come on, I'm making a joke. Me becoming a mod is about as likely as...uh...Tink giving up fluffling. ;)

Then you get my vote for next mod. *grins*

Hah! You see? We Grammar Nazis are useful! *grins*

I've noticed that trend to. Ever since last yearish when a lot of the more active Generalites disappeared, there's been much of the same debate...or is that just me?

Also, perhaps you should add a caveat about pissing off Automagfreek? Also, I'd suggest a "The mods are, in fact, your friends, despite what some believe. There is not Mod Conspiracy, nor do they take sides (From what I've seen).

Oh. And that it is not cool to participate in the Myrth option thread, and you should probably mention something about it being a bad idea to sign on drunk.
ok i'll add them (minus the Myrth option one... i'm one of the NSers you can blame for doing it ;))

but it'll be tomorrow. going to bed now. night all :)

ok i'll add them (minus the Myrth option one... i'm one of the NSers you can blame for doing it ;))

but it'll be tomorrow. going to bed now. night all :)

Sweet..now I'm famous. Just make sure to cite me. ;)

Oh..You just wait till the Karma catches up to you on that one. *shakes fist at you*

Then you get my vote for next mod. *grins*Mods aren't elected, sorry. :( And even if they were I wouldn't get in. I haven't done that much to help after all.

Sweet..now I'm famous. Just make sure to cite me. ;)

Oh..You just wait till the Karma catches up to you on that one. *shakes fist at you*I always thought Karmabaijan was rather a nice sort though...


Oh wait. Karma's a word. Damn NSaddiction. :headbang:

Mods aren't elected, sorry. :( And even if they were I wouldn't get in. I haven't done that much to help after all.

Shh.. Quiet. I've been here long enough to know that. I just was pretending otherwise, to have an innocent, evil genius dream..Is that so wrong?

Another newbie/n00b advice suggestion..Read at least 2 to 5 pages into a serious topic in order to become more informed about your opponents' (and even proponents') arguements, when feasible.

I always thought Karmabaijan was rather a nice sort though...

Oh wait. Karma's a word. Damn NSaddiction. :headbang:

LOL! I've done the same. Didn't you start an NS Addiction thread that I wound up contributing a large part of? Hell, you know you're addicted when you remember the Addiction Threads.

I wonder if I'm considered a n00b after being gone so long... hmm... then, posting with a puppet is likely to ensure that Im thought of that way. Sweet! :)

I wonder if I'm considered a n00b after being gone so long... hmm... then, posting with a puppet is likely to ensure that Im thought of that way. Sweet! :)

Not by me, jedoch. I always remember, and it helps that I know some Latin. ;)

Shh.. Quiet. I've been here long enough to know that. I just was pretending otherwise, to have an innocent, evil genius dream..Is that so wrong?Yes. (What did you expect me to say? :p)
LOL! I've done the same. Didn't you start an NS Addiction thread that I wound up contributing a large part of? Hell, you know you're addicted when you remember the Addiction Threads.Yes, I remember that... oh wait. :headbang:

Okay, please read this if you're new here. It will save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time and effort.

Just a few comma errors, but other than that, much better. You only need to use the comma before "and" when joining two independent clauses, other than that, you need not use the comma before "and". :)

As far as I know, this is a British rule.

Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things), including the last two. "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base." You may have learned that the comma before the "and" is unnecessary, which is fine if you're in control of things. However, there are situations in which, if you don't use this comma (especially when the list is complex or lengthy), these last two items in the list will try to glom together (like macaroni and cheese). Using a comma between all the items in a series, including the last two, avoids this problem. This last comma—the one between the word "and" and the preceding word—is often called the serial comma or the Oxford comma. In newspaper writing, incidentally, you will seldom find a serial comma, but that is not necessarily a sign that it should be omitted in academic prose.
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

Oh, and to all NEWBIES and NEW PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM (incase you didn't know what a NEWBIE was.)

you will notice that there are alot of members of the Grammer/Spelling police here. so watch out.
Don't be afraid, newbs. There really aren't alot of grammar police members here. Just your ordinary anal people.

i wish y'all could edit my post... it would save me having to edit it for all these supposed errors :headbang:

i'll add the new bits soon, and give credit where its due this time

ok, please read this if you're new here - it'll save you, us and the poor servers a lot of time & effort.


am i a newbie here?

am i a newbie here?
i guess not with 500+ posts. i'm specifically referring to, and making a guide for, people making their very first posts or starting out on internet forums

am i a newbie here?Well, I've never heard of you, so yeah, you are a newbie.

[/flawed TInkian logic]

Do you really think a newbie is going to read all that? I got lost around not putting too many smilies in a post. ;)

Well, I've never heard of you, so yeah, you are a newbie.

[/flawed TInkian logic]
lol "TInkian logic" :p

Also, perhaps you should add a caveat about pissing off Automagfreek?


LOL. Glad to see my name still pops up in General from time to time.

Thank you everyone for a very informative thread. This has given me more confidence so that I may contribute more to the forums in the future.

Thank you everyone for a very informative thread. This has given me more confidence so that I may contribute more to the forums in the future.
yay! :fluffle:

Thank you everyone for a very informative thread. This has given me more confidence so that I may contribute more to the forums in the future.

Here, have a dozen "happy" cookies. Those will do wonders for your confidence. ;) (Seriously, don't take anyone seriously here - except Lunatic Goofballs. Take LG most seriously of all, and you'll have lotsa fun. Jump right in - that waters fine.)

LOL. Glad to see my name still pops up in General from time to time.

In hushed whispers, do a few of us mention your name, with fear, hatred, love, or perhaps all three. ;)

'Sides, if I recall properly, you're allied with my region. Go us.

Here, have a dozen "happy" cookies. Those will do wonders for your confidence. ;) (Seriously, don't take anyone seriously here - except Lunatic Goofballs. Take LG most seriously of all, and you'll have lotsa fun. Jump right in - that waters fine.)

I dunno..Now that AMF's been in the thread, I'd watch out for the water, strange smells indicating gas leaks, sounds of boots, gunfire, and other things. ;)

Lesee...Oh.."With posts, quantity does not mean quality. Just because someone has a large number of posts does not necessarily mean they've said a single thing of great quality. Don't give into the temptation to simply replying to everything just to raise your post count. You'll be far more respected if you take your time to think about your post, and provide valid, logical points, rather than a single quick answer. Be careful not to make it too long, though. Most people lack an attention span to go through a thread full of insanely long points. Wait for your opponent to make a counterpoint, and respond in kind." Sound good?

(Post count +1 ;) )

What does "BUMP" or "TAG" mean?

bump is what posters often say when they simply want to 'bump' a thread up to the top of the list, without saying anything (other than bump of course).
"tag" is what many posters use to 'tag' a thread for later review. if you post on a thread you are automatically 'subscribed' to it, and you are notified of updates/new posts to that thread in your Jolt profile's control panel. tagging allows you to go back to threads when you have a chance to later.
don't just tag everything in sight though as this would count as spamming.

Actually -- DON'T tag. It is spamming. We have a perfectly good subscribe to thread function.

You forgot to mention that one rule (what's that rule's name again, I always forget...) where you cannot win an argument when you post something like:

"OMG! Grammar nazis and Math nazis! You are worse than H.... and then you've done it and said the bad word!" (Or was nazi bad already?)

This thread is fun to read (I wish it would have been around when I joined NS!)

bump

Goddammit, I cant read all this!

That's a good draft and a good idea for a guide, PM.

I doubt anyone will read it, but that never stopped me from writing a whole set of them for the UN. :D

lol "TInkian logic" :p
I refer to the point at which I first met the NS poster known only by the affectionate nickname of "FairyTInkArisen".

Er, sorry, "T3h F1uff13 M4573r". :D

Well, I've never heard of you, so yeah, you are a newbie.

I am BrandNew-bie Nation too...

please be nice to me.

:D :D :D :D

I am BrandNew-bie Nation too...

please be nice to me.

:D :D :D :D
smells something suspicious... ;)

bump. i'm thinking maybe this should be stickied... two noob questions in the last half hour that could have been answered with this thread...

then again who am i to say?

bump again, why not?

bumpedy bump

Bump.

PM, I'm submitting a revised version with more links and in better sticky format. I'll cite you for the idea. In small print. At the bottom.

Hope you're ok with this. :p

Bump.

PM, I'm submitting a revised version with more links and in better sticky format. I'll cite you for the idea. In small print. At the bottom.

Hope you're ok with this. :p

Better cite all contributors, Czardas, or else my people will find you. And you don't want us to find you. 'Cause we'll have to get maps and stuff, and by the time we figure out where you are, we'll be all pissed off and steal cookies, to start with.

I don't know if it's in the game FAQ or not, but did you state that it is illegal to name a nation fater a mod or admin? Are quote pyramid's covered?

I don't know if it's in the game FAQ or not, but did you state that it is illegal to name a nation fater a mod or admin? Are quote pyramid's covered?No, I'll add that.

PLEASE NOTE! It is in my siggy. Now if it doesn't get stickied by any chance (my revised version, I mean), it'll still be available for newbies wherever I happen to post. So don't worry anyone!