I have to say I enjoy reading here, posting much less so, I think the Dope has an existing culture where many expect others to fight to earn respect or some absurd thing. That’s cool. In doing so however I don’t see how new blood is welcome. The people I find most decent and well mannered are the mods. Or maybe I just don’t appreciate the different forums. I am happy to be here as I pick up the odd interesting thing, speaking here is much less appealing. Just some feedback, no bitching.
I think people are mostly tolerant and accepting here, especially in GQ, Cafe Society, IMHO, and MPSIMS. Great Debates can get heated and the Pit is definitely not for the faint-hearted. But I think most posters are polite and respectful, not just because the rules say we have to be, but because we are for the most part. People can get quite frank in IMHO, but even then, good manners mostly reign there.
Yup Cochrane, I suppose I am not thick skinned enough for the pit which often is akin to watching volcanos venting and debates, people can be frigging aggressive, I pop in here for a quick read when I have a few minutes, I certainly don’t come here for the negative. All groovy, I’ll find my place.
I joined in 2007 but did not post for many years (I also had been reading it since the ’ 90s). Like you, I got a lot of value just from reading the SDMB and found doing so well worth the yearly fee. Eventually I got tired of just reading and used some outrage of mine at a Jeopardy! final answer to start posting. Some posters are irascible but the vast majority are kind and polite. Please continue posting and if you think replies are too rough, contact a mod to check it out.
Yes. ppl are tolarant heer unless u do txt spk oar hav trobl spkjelling words rite.
In all fairness, I think this is one of the most “diversity friendly” places on the internet.
I’m proud of my peers here in that regard.
I think the board has a culture that weeds out posters who write a large volume of content that is “junk”. You start to appreciate this more the longer you stay.
Yes I would say that was my original mistake, I posted to soon, I should have sat on the sidelines longer, no going back now:-) silly rabbit.
That makes sense actually, time will tell.
Here’s to hoping I make it through the rest of boot camp, without the jackboots.
I don’t know how true that is, actually. I do think that the culture frowns on people who come in guns blazing, or people who come in thinking that they’re Gods Greatest Gift to Messageboards; instead, board culture smiles on newbies who come in thoughtfully and respectful of existing board culture.
With any social group, I think it’s wise, when you first join, to spend much more time listening than speaking, so you can pick up on group norms. A lot of groups will just shun people who break norms; this board calls you out (whether you’re a veteran or a newbie) for breaking norms. That might make it seem especially hostile to newbies, but I don’t think that’s true.
Edit: interestingly, of the three posters who are the subjects of Pit threads on the first page of the Pit right now, none of them have been here less than 11 years. Our worst vitriol is reserved for our oldest acquaintances :).
However, we will give our friend Morgenstern a pass in this case because he used some punctuation marks and one capital letter, and no apostrophe errors.
But there are also 2 newbie OPs whose pit threads turned against them immediately. Guess why?
Defiantly!
A few years ago I asked the most basic math question in GQ, while trying to help my daughter with her homework. This has to be the only board where I could post something so stupid, and not be attacked by my fellow posters.
You should post more often. You might be pleasantly surprised. 
Be careful about what “most basic math question” you ask around here.
Ask what 2 + 2 is, or worse, what 0.999 is, and you may never hear the end of it!
(On preview, it appears that the second link above is mangled, for no good reason that I can see. It’s supposed to be this:
[noparse]http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=32760[/noparse]
Be careful. If you’re not mocked here, you might be mocked on a certain long necked MB with many of the same posters. 
You do realize that homework questions are not allowed?
<d&r>
Hell, if you’re not mocked there you’re doing something wrong.
I’m obviously doing something wrong. I’m mostly just ignored.
I always have my pinkies raised whenever I type posts for this Board.