# eBook on Forums/Message Boards now out! **URL:** \ **Category:** Marketplace\ **Created:** [July 28, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753 "2013-07-28T21:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753/1 "2013-07-28T21:07:13Z")
[http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3391/t7x2.png](http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/3391/t7x2.png) This is currently an eBook only, but I hope to have a print version available in about six weeks. The introductory price is $0.99 (with equivalents in other currencies) from Amazon, at: > **[Amazon.com: FORUM FINESSE: A Guide to Impact and Influence in Online Talk eBook...](https://www.amazon.com/FORUM-FINESSE-Impact-Influence-Online-ebook/dp/B00E5SH95W)** > > Amazon.com: FORUM FINESSE: A Guide to Impact and Influence in Online Talk eBook : Lowry, K. Sherrerd: Kindle Store This look at the activity of using forums is perfect for beginners, but even experienced Dopers may find some interesting tidbits in the book. The full treatment of argumentation (including fallacies and other conscious and unconscious tactics for “winning”) may be of use to many who enjoy a good debate. At 99 cents…why not give it a try? 🙂 By the way, for those who are interested but who don’t have Kindles: there are free downloads at Amazon called “Kindle for PC” and “Kindle for Mac.” These are useful to have on the desktop as there are hundreds of free books available for them. They are very attractive to deal with given the good Search, choice of font size, and other features contained in the free software. **TABLE of CONTENTS** ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Chapter 1: WHY HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE INTERNET? A Very Brief History of Online Talk What’s in This Book? Why No List? Why Converse with Strangers? Basic Terminology …Abbreviations and AcronymsChapter 2: CHOOSING YOUR FORUM – Looking Under the Hood Site Focus Access Ownership Size Traffic/Activity Moderation Level Diversity Atmosphere Features: The Rules; Navigability Features: Posting Conveniences Features: Personalization–Profiles; Post Mini-Profiles Features: Personal Contact Features: Social Media Sharing Features: Graphics Features: Advertising Features: Searchability Features: Post Count Ranking & Other “Pecking-Order” Systems The Mechanics of JoiningChapter 3: WHO ARE YOU? – Image, Influence, and Anonymity The Debate Choosing a Screen Name Gender, Age, Ethnicity, and Beyond: Online Identity Deception in Message BoardingChapter 4: ONLINE AGGRESSION and the SHREWD FORUM-USER Forums and Fundamental Human Needs “Trolls Are People, Too” Humans Hate Being Ignored Who Trolls? The Varieties of Trolling A Troll’s Best Friends: Those He’s Trolling Troll Self-Claims and Cultural Support for Trolling Commercially-Motivated Aggression "The Nasty Effect"Chapter 5: LAWS, “LAWS,” NETIQUETTE, and STATUS Laws “Laws” Netiquette STATUS --Reputation, Ranking, Up and Down Voting, Karma, and Other ‘Respect’ Features Early Rationales and Uses Rewarding Time Spent Rating, Respect, and Reputation: Voting on Posts Rating, Respect, and Reputation: Voting on People Rating, Respect, and Reputation: Feedback ButtonsChapter 6: ARGUMENTATION 101 – Identifying Fallacies and Other Non-Malicious Errors The Use of Fallacies Online: An Overview The Most Frequently Used Fallacies Other Common Non-Malicious TacticsChapter 7: ARGUMENTATION 201-- Dealing With Disreputable Tactics Often-Used Malicious Tactics SOCK PUPPETRY INTIMIDATION PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY HASTY, INACCURATE ACCUSATIONS --Overview Inaccurate ACCUSATIONS of Commission of “The Tone Argument” MOBBING What Can be Done? Dealing With It: Two Widely-Cited Views Why Go to the Trouble?Chapter 8: A SOCIAL SUGAR-HIGH and SUBSTANCE, TOO --Impact, Influence, and Advantage Forums as a Resource: Communication and Persuasion Skills Forums as a Resource: Sounding Board Forums as a Resource: Information Gathering Forums as a Resource: Recreation; Creativity; Fun A Few Final Forum FootnotesREFERENCES Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8ABOUT THE AUTHOR ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753/2 "2013-07-29T18:30:03Z")
Do you have a non-Amazon version available? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753/3 "2013-07-29T20:36:06Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:2, topic:664753”] Do you have a non-Amazon version available? [/QUOTE] Not yet. My project now is to format the ebook for printing. That will be through Amazon, also, as that’s the most economical option for me. However, I will eventually have copies available for sale at my publisher’s site at [www.duerpress.com](http://www.duerpress.com). This will probably take a couple of months. (Thanks for asking; I do realize that ebooks and/or Amazon are not to everyone’s taste. But a person has to start somewhere! ^\_^) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753/4 "2013-07-29T21:18:09Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Not yet. My project now is to format the ebook for printing. That will be through Amazon, also, as that’s the most economical option for me. Oh, ebooks are fine – I just don’t want the Amazon version. If I’m going to buy an ebook I want it in an open format. And I really like the reader on my iPad, so I don’t want to download the Kindle app for it. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753/5 "2013-07-30T00:01:23Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:4, topic:664753”] Oh, ebooks are fine – I just don’t want the Amazon version. If I’m going to buy an ebook I want it in an open format. And I really like the reader on my iPad, so I don’t want to download the Kindle app for it. [/QUOTE] That makes sense. Just as a general observation: The “Kindle for PC” or “Kindle for Mac” free downloads are nice to have because there are so many free books available. There are a couple of reference books I like to use on it, when working on my desktop, because the K-for-PC has a good search. I believe there are free videos that can be watched on it, too. It may not float everyone’s boat, but I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753/6 "2013-07-30T00:25:28Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Just as a general observation: The “Kindle for PC” or “Kindle for Mac” free downloads are nice to have because there are so many free books available. There are a couple of reference books I like to use on it, when working on my desktop, because the K-for-PC has a good search. Most of the free ones are available in open formats as well, which can be shared between devices. I just happen to like the iPad reader (it has all of those searching/bookmarking/note-taking/highlighting features, too) and I don’t want to split my ebook collection between two different reader applications. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ebook-on-forums-message-boards-now-out/664753/7 "2013-07-30T01:06:09Z")
Yeah, that would be confusing. It’s the old story: consumers lose out on some opportunities while competing formats battle for supremacy. ☹