# If there's only one sticky on a forum, you should probably read it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 17, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571 "2004-07-17T12:48:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571/1 "2004-07-17T12:48:40Z")
Mini Rant #1 To all you who post new threads in the Comments on Cecil’s Columns and the Comments on Staff Reports forums, 50% of you are ok, but the other 50% seem to miss the **ONLY** sticky in either forum, you know the one that tells you to [**link to the column or staff report**?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=103596) Is it really so hard? > [@Arnold Winkelried](#): > > please include a link/mention of the straight dope column Does not mean just mention it. It means, if there’s a link, link it. Only if there isn’t a link, mention it. But by mentioning it, he means: > [@](#): > > If the column is not online, please mention where you read it - e.g. your local newspaper, or one of the Straight Dope books. > If from a newspaper, please mention the newspaper and date. > If from a book, please mention the title / page number. About 50% of the OP’s over there neglect to include a link or any other referencing to the article. It’s not so much of a rant on my behalf, but a rant for all the people who have to/do change it. Mini Rant #2 vB tags do not work in thread titles! I don’t even know what you’re trying to bold, all thread titles are bolded already! Preview people! Preview! ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571/2 "2004-07-17T13:01:39Z")
Regarding [this rant](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=266924) by **Go You Big Red Fire Engine** , I agree completely. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571/3 "2004-07-17T13:05:13Z")
Not trying to be harsh or anything here, but the people you’re pitting are probably people that get dumped into an unfamiliar forum after they’ve read and tried to comment on a Straight Dope column. If they didn’t read the sticky, they certainly ain’t gonna read or take notice of you pitting them. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eada6e/32.png) [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571/4 "2004-07-17T13:24:28Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > Regarding [this rant](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=266924) by **Go You Big Red Fire Engine** , I agree completely. I can’t believe I clicked on that. :smack: So dumb. > [@Demostylus](#): > > Not trying to be harsh or anything here, but the people you’re pitting are probably people that get dumped into an unfamiliar forum after they’ve read and tried to comment on a Straight Dope column. If they didn’t read the sticky, they certainly ain’t gonna read or take notice of you pitting them. That crossed my mind. But for the percentage that do continue to use the Straight Dope, I hope they learnt their lesson. And something I forgot to add onto the bottom of Mini Rant #1, perhaps they should **write the sticky at the top like this.** To perhaps curtail the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571/5 "2004-07-17T13:26:37Z")
**Desmo** has a point, **GYBRFE**! The Straight Dope’s tolerance towards newbies who do not yet know our ways is legendary – provided you use the apocryphal definition of “legendary” as “half true and half fictional.” 😉 Your rant, however, is definitely directed at the members in good standing with a few hundred posts in IMHO or MPSIMS to their credit who wander into CCC or CSR (will they do a spinoff forum based in Miami?;)) and commit the single most egregious peccadillo of this entire board – “Cite?!” – with reference not to having omitted any old cite but in particular to not referencing the Canonical Works of the Perfect Master. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571/6 "2004-07-17T13:49:03Z")
> [@Go You Big Red Fire Engine](#): > > Mini Rant #1 > To all you who post new threads in the Comments on Cecil’s Columns and the Comments on Staff Reports forums, 50% of you are ok, but the other 50% seem to miss the **ONLY** sticky in either forum, you know the one that tells you to [**link to the column or staff report**?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=103596) > Is it really so hard? I believe you’re missing something : the “comment on this topic” button on the report directly bring you to the “Comments” forum and opens a thread. So, you can’t expect casual readers of the columns to have read the sticky, since they aren’t even aware they’re about to post on a message board. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-theres-only-one-sticky-on-a-forum-you-should-probably-read-it/255571/7 "2004-07-17T13:59:45Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > I believe you’re missing something : the “comment on this topic” button on the report directly bring you to the “Comments” forum and opens a thread. So, you can’t expect casual readers of the columns to have read the sticky, since they aren’t even aware they’re about to post on a message board. That’s not correct. If you click on the “comment on this answer” it takes you to the forum, and doesn’t open a new thread. Try it. I’ve copied the code below: [Comment on this answer](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=1)