rsa, I wasn’t sure whether to be slightly irritated until I realized what your username is. I’m still considering changing mine though, and not only for that reason.
My experience is that it depends on the subject and the forum. For GQ’s on specialist subjects such as law and medicine you should thread carefully: if you are not a professional in those subjects you’d better know what you are talking about. For more mundane questions in GQ (such as: how to remove stains from laundry), you can often contribute with some personal experiences, educated guesses and follow-up questions to point out the real question.
In GD you only need to provide cites if you are stating that so-and-so is factually true (i.e. stuff like ‘X people die of guns every year’). For your own opinion you naturally do not need a cite. Same goes for other fora, including the Pit: if you are going to state ‘facts’ that may seem dubious to others, be prepared to back them up or quickly retract your statement.
Given the above, I’ve become a bit wary of venturing in GQ since for every subject there is some expert around, while I know bits and pieces but not much precise info. OTOH I don’t really understand the apprehension here (and with other Dopers) for GD. I’ve read and participated in some nice debates. As long as you are willing to consider other’s viewpoints, try to take a charitable view of other posts, and refrain from personal insults, you may learn a lot.
Hello, I’m CJ, and I’m a Straight Dope Addict. One who doesn’t want to recover!
It was over a year before I started posting regularly, and at one point I was certain I was Queen of the Thread Killers. I’ve also had a few threads which have sunk like stones, and I’ve tried to convince myself it’s a merciful thing they did so! :o
lurker anonymous, you haven’t broken anything, although capital letters are appreciated by us old geezers. It may take a while for some of us to get to know you; on the other hand, that’s a lot better than some posters who immediately get known by getting Pitted.
hopefool, I wasn’t sure people around here would like me when I started, and I was incredibly flattered when someone complimented me on something I’ve said. One of my first posts was a proposal of marriage to Polycarp. If you’d told me then that this man who’s posts I admired so much (and still do!) would become a good friend, I wouldn’t have thought such a thing could happen. There are a great many people on this board who, even though I’ve never met them face to face, I like them a great deal and like reading what they have to say. From what I’ve seen of you so far, you’re getting into that category. Heck, I’m another person who’s giving you points for your user name alone!
I’m so thrilled that I’ve gotten so many responses from others in the same position as me. Us new folks have got to stick together and form some sort of voting block or something. That way we can trade in all these toasters for bigger, better Doper prizes!
Now for the specifics…
rsa~ It’s really good to actually “meet” someone else here on the board who’s from the same general area as me. I’m in Greenville, BTW, but born and raised in Dallas (near Balch Springs/Mesquite). Where are you? I’ll have to keep all these things memorized if I’m ever able to go to a DFW area Dopefest.
Siege~ So honored that you posted in my little thread! Unfortunately though, I can hardly get used to your new name. :::hangs head in shame::: However, I’ve been a long-time fan of yours because I really am impressed with your spiritual journey and sharing with all of us here. Of course, obviously, the same goes for my admiration of Poly too, for the exact same reason. If everyone truly does like my name, I’ll consider that one of my more luckily inspired choices in life. Thanks!!
Oh, and to enigmatic, I can most definitely relate. BT, DT. About citations… I think as long as you try to be as exact and truthful as possible, you should be all right. Let everyone know when you are uncertain and post back-up whenever you are to let them know where you got your information. As the somewhat old saying goes, “Google is your friend.” I think that’s a good philosophy to go by. More established posters can address that though if I’m way off base.
I’m a relative newbie, and I’ve posted a few times in Great Debates without ever getting flamed for it, so I wouldn’t worry too much. Most people here seem willing to listen to what you have to say, as long as you aren’t a jerk about it.
Carrollton actually. I hang out in Addison quite a bit. I’m from the Atlanta area originally.
There are quite a few DFW Dopefests although I haven’t been to one yet (check MPSIMS). Actually I did show up at one but the dopers weren’t wearing their dunce caps so I couldn’t find them.
Suck up. If you do {{{{hugs}}} one more time, I’m taking you to the Pit.
(that’s only my way of welcoming you and making you feel like one of the gang, honest!)
Seriously though, there are a lot of posters who won’t take you seriously at first, noticing every little flaw and taking gratuitous potshots. They’re mostly shut-ins with no real lives and very cursory learning in eristics. Be yourself, play by the rules, and membership in the Straight Dope Message Board Community can be a very fulfilling albeit colossal waste of time.
You know, I snickered when I read that, as there was a recent thread about whether Avril Lavigne was really punk and some of the comments sounded just like that.
Inanna–just to make sure you keep on hitting the “Submit Reply” button, I’ll add a few words…hmmm… Well, guess I’m a bit lost for words right now (merely because I’m tired), but at least I don’t have to feel too stupid 'cause no one knows me.
(Also hides under desk, hits “Submit Reply” and mumbles “no one knows me…no one knows me…no one knows me…”)
Hi, guys. Nice to meet you. You should come out to play more often. We don’t bite, unless you ask us nicely.
Inanna summed up the lurker/newbie dilemma perfectly. All I can say to you guys is that it’s just a message board, and you can’t really screw anything up. Why not post and join the party?
Another newbie here! I’ve made a couple of mistakes since joining, the first was pointed out politely and the second I got called an idiot - oh well, you live and learn lol! I’m enjoying it though and not taking it personally - seems that’s the way to do it. Good luck hopefool! Have fun
Note my date of registration as compared to my post count. I lurked here a good year or so before registering, and I barely post – just bursts of blather every so often and then I shut up again.
I certainly don’t feel experienced enough to have the right to say “Welcome Newbies”, but then again, I’ve been around longer than a lot of folks, so… well, welcome newbies.
A coupla milestones, huh? My 100th post (yippee!) and a two-page thread. Whoda thunk it? I’m so excited.
Anyways, just for eunoia… I really appreciate all those warm fuzzies, making me feel like one of the gang. Guess I now need to say “come 'ere” and lemme give ya a big ol’ {{{hug}}}. What can I say? You knew it was coming.
Inanna and The Great One~ Y’all get out from under your desks. Unless, of course, there’s something fun going on down there.
Exgineer~ Glad you like the thread. I think I’m feeling a little proud right about now too. So I’m thinking my next one should be titled “Newbie Pride/Power, is it a Good Thing?” or is that too premature?
And to all the other newbies (in post count if not in registration date) who’ve checked in here thus far… good luck to us all. We’ll do fine, I’m sure, as long as we adhere to that “don’t be a jerk” policy and lurk less. There must be something to be said, right?
Another good argument for newbies, they stir the cage and upset the sacred cows. Without them SDMB just stagnates unter the ponderous weight of pompous dross.
I’m in a similar boat–lurker afraid to open her mouth.
More intimidating to me than saying something idiotic, though, is the sense of close friendship I can see with some posters here. I become just a tiny bit jealous and then frustrated with my shyness.
I go through phases. I’ll post like crazy for a week or two, then get sick of the place and leave for a few months, then come back and lurk for months, then gradually start posting again.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
I often think that I must be the most anonymous, innocuous person with a 1999 registration…
This is so intriguing. Here’s how paranoid I am - I was afraid to open this thread b/c I thought it was dedicated to showing instances where newbies had unknowingly embarrassed themselves w/their idiocy, & that I’d be listed on it somewhere!
I’ll just go ahead and submit this one without my usual 15 minutes of pondering & fussing over word choices ;).
