Advice for writing messages on CCM
Before starting a new thread, it is recommended that you use the search engine to see if a similar problem has already been discussed. If it has, and the thread only answers part of your question, simply reply to that thread. The discussion will be "bumped" and placed atop the list of recent threads.
When users reply to your message, you can reply in the same thread to continue the discussion. You can even respond to your own message after several hours to "bump" it to the top of the list again. However, don't demand an immediate response from other users; remember that people on the site are volunteers, not employees and that they might not have the solution to your problem
If no thread regarding your problem has been posted yet, you can post a new message by choosing the appropriate forum.
Writing Style
Bulletin board discussions are radically different from traditional ones, as the messages are posted as text and are often written quickly.
A message written in all capital letters may look like someone intends to shout and is often interpreted as a sign of irritation. The same goes for a message that ends in a long string of punctuation marks. It is therefore recommended to resist the urge to employ such a style. Here's an example of what not to type:
CAN YOU GIVE ME AN ANSWER?!?!?!???
Users are also asked to take great care to check their spelling and minimize the use of text-message-style abbreviations. A message written in shorthand, or one which is hard to read due to the number of spelling errors, may be deleted to make the forum easier to read.
Since messages posted on the bulletin board are not always able to reflect the poster's state of mind, you are allowed (and are generally advised) to use smileys, which are symbols that let you indicate your tone to those reading your message.
Thread Title
The title of the thread is the first thing that users see on the forum. A thread with a well-written title will have a better chance of being read and responded to. Therefore, thread titles must contain keywords that introduce your problem and, of course, they should not be written in all capital letters.
Here are a few examples of good thread titles:
looking for GeForce3 driver epson printer problem Looking for SCSI info Windows Vista won't shut down
You should not enter a title that, instead of referring directly to the subject of your request, includes only words like these:
Need help Heeeelp! PLEAASE! SOS Urgent Help me
Describing the Problem
When a user posts a message about his or her problem, he or she usually knows its context. Forum readers can't help unless they know what software is affected, what operating system, and possibly what hardware is used.
Therefore, it is essential to describe the error as completely as possible and specify the software and hardware used.
Respect for others
CCM's online forums bring together people from different walks of life who share a common goal: helping one another in the field of information technology. Everybody who contributes toward this goal is a volunteer and should have positive intentions.
Politeness
Users should treat one another with mutual respect. A polite introduction should ideally accompany every new message.
Here's an example of what not to type:
GIVE ME DRIVERS FOR MY AGFA1230/XP
The following is a much better way to ask:
Hello, I am looking for drivers for my AGFA1230 scanner that will work in Windows XP. Thanks in advance for your answer! Steven L.
Thanking Users
To encourage users to contribute, it is generally a good idea to thank people who help you. If you find a solution to your problem some other way, feel free to post it in the thread — it might be useful to someone else!
Humility
Sometimes, users may send messages that don't directly address your question or suggest solutions that don't seem appropriate to you. If this happens, it is wise to give your opinion on the matter without rebuking those users for their replies. In general, it is recommended that forum-goers act with courtesy.
Before beginning a new thread, it is recommended to use the search engine to see if a similar issue has already been discussed. If it has been, and the thread only answers part of your question, choose an appropriate forum to start your topic. When users reply to your message, you can respond in the same thread to continue the discussion. You can even respond to your message after a few hours to "bump" it to the top of the list again.
However, don't demand an immediate response from other users. Keep in mind that people on the site are volunteers, not employees, and they may not have the solution to your problem.
Also, for the sake of both the users looking for answers on a forum and those who want to help solve whatever problems you've encountered, it is recommended that you don't post your message several times in one forum. The contributors will do their best to answer your messages within a reasonable length of time. However, if 24 hours have gone by without an answer, you can "bump" your initial thread to the top of the recent threads list by responding to your message.
You should also avoid disrupting someone else's ongoing discussion, such as by saying, "Help me, I have the same problem, but nobody's answering."
How to report a message on CCM?
Reporting messages that don't comply with the terms of CCM.net, spam, containing inappropriate or abusive content, is easy! The CCM.net community has hundreds of thousands of members who can help keep the forum "clean", by reporting inappropriate posts. This is achieved by clicking on the Report button at the top of each post.
Why was my message deleted?
You have published a message (discussion, commentary, opinion) on CCM and validated it. Upon returning to the page, you noticed that the message was no longer there.
There are two possible explanations:
- Moderators of CCM.net are assisted by a robot that automatically deletes messages considered off-charter.
- The list of forbidden words is not published, and there is no moderation email to prevent filter dodge.
- The "bot" may sometime improperly remove a message.
- In this case, you can report the issue by clicking Report and politely explaining the problem.
- Moderation will then decide if the message can be restored.