List Etiquette - For the SCA
If you're reading this, then its probably with good reason:
Doubtless you've all heard this before but I'm going to put it out there again. My own version, at least. If you think this is aimed at you, it probably is. And if you don't think you need to change, then suck it up, because you probably do.
I'm not trying to tell anyone to bite their tongues, or turn the other cheek. Just to try and be better human beings.
The rules are quite simple. And there are four:
1) No one likes reading your flowery crap. Its bad enough when you love the sound of your own voice in person. On the internet we all just wish you'd get to the point. Succinctness and simplicity are virtues here. So keep it short and sweet. Anything else and we may start to suspect that you're just trying to bore us into agreeing with you to make you shut up.
2) If you're going to argue, attack the argument and not the person. Mudslinging is for lowlives. If that's your style and you won't change, then go and run for parliament.
3) If you think someone is having a go at you, just, for argument's sake, assume they're actually obeying Rule #2. Try and clarify with them off list if they mean what you understood them to mean. Don't assume the worst, circle the wagons, call out the troops and start marching to war. I can't tell you how sick I am of seeing this happen time and time again.
4) No Crusading. There used to be a time when people would lead by example. Or they would lead by painting a glorious vision of what could be. They would plant the seeds of greatness in our hearts and nurture them till they grew. Oh! Those were grand old days! Now we seem to have a variety who lead by cracking whips and putting babies on pitch forks. If people have to be "convinced" and not inspired, you're doing it wrong.
5) Okay, we have four... no FIVE... main rules. The last is "Have a sense of humour". Learn to laugh at yourself. This *is* a game. A game we all would like to be able to have fun at. If you think that it being a game allows you to be an asshat, then this isn't the game for you. This one has rules and they can be summed up as "...acting in a Courteous and Chivalrous manner...".
Regards
Sir Andre de Montsegur
Doubtless you've all heard this before but I'm going to put it out there again. My own version, at least. If you think this is aimed at you, it probably is. And if you don't think you need to change, then suck it up, because you probably do.
I'm not trying to tell anyone to bite their tongues, or turn the other cheek. Just to try and be better human beings.
The rules are quite simple. And there are four:
1) No one likes reading your flowery crap. Its bad enough when you love the sound of your own voice in person. On the internet we all just wish you'd get to the point. Succinctness and simplicity are virtues here. So keep it short and sweet. Anything else and we may start to suspect that you're just trying to bore us into agreeing with you to make you shut up.
2) If you're going to argue, attack the argument and not the person. Mudslinging is for lowlives. If that's your style and you won't change, then go and run for parliament.
3) If you think someone is having a go at you, just, for argument's sake, assume they're actually obeying Rule #2. Try and clarify with them off list if they mean what you understood them to mean. Don't assume the worst, circle the wagons, call out the troops and start marching to war. I can't tell you how sick I am of seeing this happen time and time again.
4) No Crusading. There used to be a time when people would lead by example. Or they would lead by painting a glorious vision of what could be. They would plant the seeds of greatness in our hearts and nurture them till they grew. Oh! Those were grand old days! Now we seem to have a variety who lead by cracking whips and putting babies on pitch forks. If people have to be "convinced" and not inspired, you're doing it wrong.
5) Okay, we have four... no FIVE... main rules. The last is "Have a sense of humour". Learn to laugh at yourself. This *is* a game. A game we all would like to be able to have fun at. If you think that it being a game allows you to be an asshat, then this isn't the game for you. This one has rules and they can be summed up as "...acting in a Courteous and Chivalrous manner...".
Regards
Sir Andre de Montsegur