PDA

View Full Version : Please proofread your posts before submitting them!



Joe Blow
29th-June-2005, 12:49 PM
There are some members whose posts are littered with constant spelling mistakes and bad grammar and sentence structure. Much of this, I'm sure, is accidental.

To avoid this, please take a moment to proofread your posts before submitting them! I realize that not everyone is an expert in the English language but please try and make your posts as readable as possible for the benefit of all the other members.

Also, please make your thread titles as accurate and concise as possible. Thread titles that make no sense or are blatant ramps will be edited.

That is all! :D

tech/a
29th-June-2005, 12:58 PM
aw Cum onn snot that badd!!!!

Fleeta
29th-June-2005, 01:08 PM
Hey Joe, maybe you should punish them by changing their profile - instead of 'newbie' or 'junior member', make them 'illiterate member' or 'dud speller'.....which leads me to my next question, why does 1,000+ posts make you an 'elite member'. Elite sounds like they are above everybody else and sounds condescending....

krisbarry
29th-June-2005, 01:14 PM
I agree with you Joe, but in defence, the English language is extremely difficult to master.

I am a gradute of University (Visual Arts) and a partial I.T. degee. While studying at Uni, I attended a "Professional English" course and was shocked at how hard the language is to understand, considering that only 17% of it follows the rules...for example i b4 e except after c. Yeah right!

We should be adopting a universal english language that spell words the way they sound. Words like Colour, should be spelt "color" etc

Another problem is the "Dopey Dick" who desined the keyboard. The keys are set out in a very akward manner. I have studied professional typing in a Dental Assistant traineeship, and even now I still struggle to type accurately. The reason the keys are set out in this manner goes way back to the old days of type writers. Typists were continually jamming the keys of common used letters, hence the reason they split the keys.

The advent of sms' is also impacting on the use of the english language and many young people will be unable to spell correctly due to short-hand.

OK.... that is my defence anyone got anything else to add.

Joe Blow
29th-June-2005, 01:17 PM
Hey Joe, maybe you should punish them by changing their profile - instead of 'newbie' or 'junior member', make them 'illiterate member' or 'dud speller'.....

...or I could just change their avatar for a week or so to something like this:

http://www.cientifica.com/archives/dunce.gif

As for the Elite Member status, I was just trying to think of the next step up from Senior Member and Elite came to mind... it was either that or Aussie Stock Forums God! :D

However, I am willing to consider other suggestions if someone can come up with something more appropriate.

Knobby22
29th-June-2005, 01:39 PM
Well it goes - Junior
- Senior
Obviously the next one is - geriatric!

tech/a
29th-June-2005, 01:40 PM
Hey Joe, maybe you should punish them by changing their profile - instead of 'newbie' or 'junior member', make them 'illiterate member' or 'dud speller'.....which leads me to my next question, why does 1,000+ posts make you an 'elite member'. Elite sounds like they are above everybody else and sounds condescending....


I agree can you get rid of it??

How about
"Major Contributor" (no Major is not meant to be military)

or with 1000+ posts----Gossip!

RichKid
29th-June-2005, 01:46 PM
Elite sounds like they are above everybody else and sounds condescending....

Agree there! I feel a bit self-conscious with it since I'm just a beginner in stocks but have 1000+ posts. There are posters like WayneL for example who have far fewer posts but the quality and depth of his posts are far superior to mine, same goes for TechA and quite a few others. Perhaps we need to look at what it signifies, perhaps Newbie, Junior, Senior, Grandpa/ma/OldTimer, or something like that may be better to indicate the level of posting and participation (as opposed to skill and expertise/proficiency)?? Any views? using colours like 'gold member' etc doesn't always help as it's a bit boring.
Maybe those who regularly help out the less experienced (eg Tech/Wayne) can be given a special symbol next to their name or something???

ice
29th-June-2005, 03:56 PM
If it's purely about the number of posts why not Centurion member for 100+ posts and Millenium member for 1000+.

A good stock forum anyway and I'll contribute to the standard by posting as little as possible.

ice

RichKid
29th-June-2005, 04:37 PM
If it's purely about the number of posts why not Centurion member for 100+ posts and Millenium member for 1000+.

A good stock forum anyway and I'll contribute to the standard by posting as little as possible.

ice

Hi ice,
Thanks for the suggestion, I guess we need to figure out what the status is supposed to represent, as long as we don't complicate it too much.

Like your sense of humour so why not bite the bullet and contribute? Maybe you'll have some jokes that you can share in our joke thread: http://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1202

Joe Blow
29th-June-2005, 04:52 PM
Thanks for all your feedback. I will give the 1000 post designation a bit of thought and see what I can come up with!

Jesse Livermore
29th-June-2005, 05:53 PM
Hi Joe!

I have an Idea on "member status titles". Maybe you should take from the schools / universities in their way of describing your level of education.

0 - 10 Posts = Newbie (Pre - School / Kinder / Primary / Secondary)
10 - 100 Posts = Junior Member (Undergraduate)
100 - 1000 = Senior Member (Postgraduate)
1000+ Posts = Master Forum Member or PhD of Aussie Stock Forums!

I hope you take some of my ideas onboard!

Jesse Livermore

Joe Blow
29th-June-2005, 06:54 PM
I have changed the 1000 post designation from Elite Member to Veteran Member.

I would like to stress that these titles - post count in general in fact - are obviously in no way connected to the quality of a person's posts. They are merely a way of measuring a members activity on the forums.

I think that's important to keep in mind! :D

krisbarry
14th-August-2005, 11:10 AM
For the record, even professionals get it wrong...

Quite often, almost on a weekly basis, breaking news stories feature spelling mistakes or gramatical errors.

Take a look at todays

60,000 to run in City2Surf

20:24 (ACST) TNE old, the young, the fit and the not so fit will gather in their thousands tomorrow for one of Sydney's most famous events – the City2Surf.

hmmmm who is proof reading here...

It should read "The old", not "Tne old"

source: http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,16252800%255E1702,00.html

excalibur
14th-August-2005, 06:54 PM
...or I could just change their avatar for a week or so to something like this:

http://fsweb.wm.edu/amst370/2003/sp4/bart%20dunce%20cap.gif

As for the Elite Member status, I was just trying to think of the next step up from Senior Member and Elite came to mind... it was either that or Aussie Stock Forums God! :D

However, I am willing to consider other suggestions if someone can come up with something more appropriate.

Hi Joe,

A long, long time ago in schools, naughty pupils, who didn`t behave in school or didn`t do their homework, became a sort of a "donky-hat" on their head. They were put in the corner for the day, with their head turned around.
I thought that maybe you could trade their avatar with this hat for a week.
It may sound ridiculous, but very effective.

Regards,
EX

Joe Blow
19th-August-2005, 05:42 PM
Also, can everyone be particularly vigilant about capitalising the first letter of every sentence, people's names and ASX codes. Not capitalising when you should makes me cranky and appropriate punishments will be metered out to offenders.

:twak: :axt:

And don't forget to keep proofreading your posts because I am still noticing a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. Please make your posts as readable and as easy to follow as possible.

Remember that people may be reading them in 20 years from now because I don't prune either threads or posts.

Thanks! :D

Alpaca
19th-August-2005, 06:55 PM
Also, can everyone be particularly vigilant about capitalising the first letter of every sentence, people's names and ASX codes. Not capitalising when you should makes me cranky and appropriate punishments will be metered out to offenders.

:twak: :axt:

And don't forget to keep proofreading your posts because I am still noticing a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. Please make your posts as readable and as easy to follow as possible.

Remember that people may be reading them in 20 years from now because I don't prune either threads or posts.

Thanks! :D

NoFukinWorries Mate! CanBloodyDo!

BTW, you sure people will be reading these in 20 yrs? I mean, like, are you psyicic, or somthin?

Joe Blow
19th-August-2005, 07:25 PM
BTW, you sure people will be reading these in 20 yrs? I mean, like, are you psyicic, or somthin?

I said 'may'... not 'will'.

Don't tell me we need reading comprehension lessons too! :rolleyes:

Warren Buffet II
19th-August-2005, 08:33 PM
Also, can everyone be particularly vigilant about capitalising the first letter of every sentence, people's names and ASX codes. Not capitalising when you should makes me cranky and appropriate punishments will be metered out to offenders.

:twak: :axt:

And don't forget to keep proofreading your posts because I am still noticing a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. Please make your posts as readable and as easy to follow as possible.

Remember that people may be reading them in 20 years from now because I don't prune either threads or posts.

Thanks! :D

Hi Joe,

I disagree with what you are asking here for. This is a forum, this is no an English class to be worried about grammar and spelling. I think people try to do their best to write in the best and clearest possible way, but sometimes is hard for a lot of people to do it including myself.

If you want good spelling why don't you try to install a spelling checker on this website and if there is a restriction for grammar here I'll personally think twice before posting something.

Just my thoughts.

WBII

Joe Blow
19th-August-2005, 08:44 PM
If you want good spelling why do't you try to install a spelling checker on this website and if there is a restriction for grammar here I'll personally think twice before posting something.

Warren,

Thanks for your feedback.

I guess I'm trying to get people to stop and read through what they have written before pressing the submit button. It only takes a minute and I'm sure it will prevent many unintended errors.

Most spelling and grammatical errors on forums are accidental and I think it will benefit everyone if we make our posts as readable as possible. As someone who has posted on forums for many years, I can tell you that proofreading definitely does help.

I was just kidding about the punishments. :D


If you want good spelling why don't you try to install a spelling checker on this website

Unfortunately, I don't think there is one.

Warren Buffet II
19th-August-2005, 09:10 PM
I was just kidding about the punishments. :D



Hi Joe,

Thanks for your comment. I come from a non-english speaking country and I always try really hard to avoid spelling and grammar mistakes. I think I am one of the heaviest users of the Edit Button here because even when I check my posts I could find a mistake later on, or I could find a better way to express myself.

I agree with you about simple posting tips like ASX codes (NAB, AWC, ZFX, etc), names (Joe, John, etc), those tips indeed improve the the readability of the posts.

Regards,

WBII

Battman64
19th-August-2005, 09:19 PM
Joe is right as far as I am concerned.
It is all to do with standards.
If you are happy to post showing the world
that you can not spell or have bad grammar then
that is up to the individual.
My English is not the best, I am more of a
mathematician (had to look that up).
Until we have "Spell-check" available I will keep an
Oxford Dictionary next to my computer.

Joe Blow
19th-August-2005, 09:38 PM
I don't want to alienate anyone over this issue and I certainly don't want to discourage anyone from posting. I started this thread simply to raise awareness of the importance of briefly checking our posts before consigning them to posterity.

It only takes a moment and I think it will make Aussie Stock Forums a more effective online resource.

GreatPig
19th-August-2005, 11:41 PM
Just to help folks write good posts, here are some guidelines:

1. Avoid alliteration. Always.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid clichés like the plague.
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8. Contractions aren't necessary.
9. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10. One should never generalize.
11. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
12. Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
13. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
14. Be more or less specific.
15. Understatement is always best.
16. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
17. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
18. The passive voice is to be avoided.
19. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
20. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
21. Who needs rhetorical questions?
22. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

And a test of English comprehension. What does this perfectly good English sentence mean:

Buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Cheers,
GP

doctorj
20th-August-2005, 12:32 AM
Love ya work.



Buffalo.
"Engage in bamboozlement."

Buffalo buffalo.
"American bison are characteristically given to engaging in bambloozlement."

Buffalo buffalo buffalo.
"American bison are characteristically given to bamboozling other members of their species."

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.
"American bison habitually bamboozled by members of their own species (that is, buffalo whom other buffalo regularly buffalo) characteristically engage in bamboozlement."

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.
"American bison habitually bamboozled by members of their own species (that is, buffalo whom other buffalo regularly buffalo) tend to return the compliment by bamboozling in turn yet other members of the species."

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.
"American bison habitually bamboozled by members of their own species that have themselves been bamboozled by others of their ilk (that is, buffalo whom other buffalo who have themselves been buffaloed by buffalo regularly buffalo) tend to engage in bamboozlement."

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.
...

Alpaca
20th-August-2005, 09:46 AM
The post you removed, if you are as adept with the English language as you maintain, was something known as satire.

I can see that this forum will not be a suitable place to post, and ask for comment on some of the models I have been developing, now I am no longer in full time employment. Mathematics is a passion, and my hobby, as well as a means of income. My short foray into trading using the first of my models was very successful, but required comment and further testing.

I will now limit that comment and testing to my peers.

Bye

Alpaca

Joe Blow
20th-August-2005, 10:01 AM
The post you removed, if you are as adept with the English language as you maintain, was something known as satire.

I can see that this forum will not be a suitable place to post, and ask for comment on some of the models I have been developing, now I am no longer in full time employment. Mathematics is a passion, and my hobby, as well as a means of income. My short foray into trading using the first of my models was very successful, but required comment and further testing.

I will now limit that comment and testing to my peers.

Bye

Alpaca

Alpaca,

I put a lot of work into this site. This thread was not intended as criticism of anyone but simply a reminder for everyone to check their posts before submitting them.

Sorry if I'm not happy when I wake up in the morning to see that I have been called a wanker. I guess I didn't see the humour at the time.

tech/a
20th-August-2005, 10:23 AM
Just to help folks write good posts, here are some guidelines:

1. Avoid alliteration. Always.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid clichés like the plague.
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8. Contractions aren't necessary.
9. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10. One should never generalize.
11. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
12. Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
13. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
14. Be more or less specific.
15. Understatement is always best.
16. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
17. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
18. The passive voice is to be avoided.
19. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
20. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
21. Who needs rhetorical questions?
22. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

And a test of English comprehension. What does this perfectly good English sentence mean:

Buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Cheers,
GP

Clearly I'm stuffed.

GreatPig
20th-August-2005, 10:01 PM
Doctorj,

That's a good explanation, although a little different to the one I had in mind.

My interpretation is:

Buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Buffalo (the animals) that other buffalo from the city of Buffalo buffalo (bamboozle), they buffalo (bamboozle) other buffalo (the animals) also from the city of Buffalo.

The explanation you quoted is perhaps better in that it doesn't need to use any capitalised words, which tend to make the meaning easier to figure out.

Cheers,
GP