I have a couple of questions pertaining to proper etiquette on this board. Since it varies, from board to board, one never knows.
First, if a Mod helps you out with something, is it appropriate to email them a thank you, or is that just adding to an already burdensome load? Of course, thanks are always appropriate, in themselves, but I know I sometimes wish people at work would just not send me those emails. They’re welcome, and I’m busy with other stuff. So, is there a rule of thumb?
Second, it’s been suggested to me that I should refrain from posting individual replies to people when there are multiple people whom I wish to address. Is this true? There are cases where I’m going to claim an exemption, should this be so, but I’d like to know, for general use.
Third, I have a question about responses. I recently started a thread that went disastrously awry (yes, that thread). When I saw that i couldn’t get it back on track, and that people were getting upset, I posted responses to their posts and then asked that the thread be closed. And, it was. But, now I feel guilty for not letting people have another crack at it, if they wanted one.
It was a highly emotional thread, although it wasn’t intended to be, and people were being extremely nice, even if half of them were ignoring the constraints I’d set (Dopers! :rolleyes: ). I asked for the thread to be closed so that other people wouldn’t become upset, for no reason (realizing, of course, that they might also be upset at not being allowed to post…but, at least then I wouldn’t have to comfort them). So, my question is a two-parter.
First, should I have given them the opportunity to continue? Second, and I’ll preface this by saying I’m not at all sure I’d want to, can a thread be reopened, if the OP changes their mind? I’m pretty sure it’s possible, technically, but I don’t know if it’s allowed.
Thanks!