◊ Boethius

This is a general discussion forum with a heavy slant towards WoW-related topics, with a typical focus on endgame raiding as well as number-crunching game mechanics. Think of it as a cross between R&D, your class forum, and an off-topic forum, with moderation that is stricter in most ways, and more permissive in others.

This is a private, guild-run forum. I want this to be, above all, a forum I enjoy reading. Thus far, that has been the case, and I've learned a lot by reading posts here, and the caliber of posters here is better than pretty much anywhere else I've seen. I'm grateful for that, and would like to keep it that way.

Some pointers to keep in mind before you post (subject to revision/addition):

• Put some effort into your posts. Don't spam, don't type mindless drivel and hit Post without hesitating — this isn't a chat room. Do take a moment to look over your post before you hit post. I recognize that many posters here don't speak English as their first language, and that's obviously understood and respected. Usually those posters make more comprehensible and well-constructed posts than so-called native speakers. If your post is riddled with typos and grammatical errors, we're going to assume you're an idiot with nothing worthwhile to contribute, so you're wasting your time by posting. You will be warned and banned if your posts, by virtue of their incoherence, consistently contribute nothing to discussions in which they appear.
• Don't post blind speculation or pure theorycraft without any support. Whether it's "I've never been to AQ40 but it's obvious to me that C'Thun is ______" or "feral druid DPS is worthless, they can't outdamage anyone" or "X skill sucks, Y is much better," if you don't have some real thought, analysis, or data to support your claim, don't make it. If I want to wade through bullshit presented as fact, I can browse the official forums instead. If some numbers-intensive discussion is over your head, sit back and wait for the conclusions to emerge, or just read something else. Resist the temptation to pipe up and say "I think ____" if you're just speculating.
• If you "sign" your posts, you will be mocked. You have a profile in which you can and should put all relevant information such that it already appears next to every post. Personally I think the mockery itself and the herd mentality that gives rise to it are as stupid as the thing being mocked, but nevertheless, you don't want to type your name or your initials or some fancy symbol at the bottom of every post. People here will probably ignore what you posted and just make fun of you. It's like being a fat kid.
• Most people on these forums are from servers other than Mal'Ganis. No one cares about the latest server drama. Save the "lol I just owned you in Searing Gorge" posts for the official Realm Forums where intelligent people will never see them.
• Fill out your profile. Click the "Profile" link at the top of your screen, then "World of Warcraft." Enter all relevant details, including a link to your character's WoW armory profile. Users without complete forum profiles will be banned.
• Above all, treat members of this community like you would a group of your peers and you will have an enjoyable and long stay.

In short:

• Fill out your profile. - If the space under your forum name is blank, you're not ready to post.
• Have something to contribute. - Occasional derails are OK. Occasional "quick" replies are OK. But if that's all you have to say, go post somewhere else. And guessing about something you haven't personally tested and then passing it off as fact? That will shorten your stay here real quick.
• Type in English. - You're not exactly typing out a master's thesis, but you are expected to express your thoughts in a way that shows you've been educated past the 5th grade. Save the "ur" and "u" and lack of punctuation for your MySpace page.
• Don't troll. - If all you're doing is trying to irk someone's taters, you're going to get banned lickety split. Trust me.
• Don't sign your freaking posts. - We know who you are, so stop it.

Thanks for joining the discussion!

P.S. If you are new, spending some time reading The Banhammer and The Dung Heap to see what has been deemed unacceptable would be a favor to yourself and everyone else in the community. Also, please use your judgment when using the report feature: just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they are trolling, and just because a post is only composed of a dozen words doesn't mean it is useless. Filing a lot of useless reports is a good way to pick up an infraction.