Just think of it as internet hazing.
People tend to see how much a newcomer will "take" before they either tuck tail and run or stand feet wide apart and say "go ahead,give me your best shot".

Sadly it happens a lot in other forums I frequent much the same way you said.

Are you kidding? After more than a few thousand posts you really needed to ask? Man...

I think people assume that a newbie to a forum is also a newbie to the subject of the forum. Doesn't make sense but even I've caught myself thinking that. I don't blast newbies with sarcasm (I hope!) but have seen it happen.

I think some of that is being territorial and one reason I hate cliques. Forums can be really cliquey.

When somebody treats me like that I just always remember Dylan:

'...he just wants to get you down in the hole that he's in'.

Then I feel better.

I think it is just a group of people's way of trying to find out what the new ones are like.

Hey, a LOT of newbies come here and THEY are sarcastic or knowitalls in their VERY first post! My favorite are the two guys I know of that told ALLEN(the OWNER of this site) that he was doing it all wrong and that THEY could help him! They suggested that he move the forum to the main domain! Well, NOW it is on the main domain, but that is AFTER things became SO public that there was NO POINT. And he then started monetizing it. In fact, the WAR ROOM is now a subforum that he CHARGES for.

But, back then, it was supposed to be somewhat PRIVATE, and offered as a PREMIUM. He INTENTIONALLY put this in a subdirectory, and the main domain merely advertised it.

His original goal didn't seem to be to start a forum. It was a premium on all his products, and even provided support for a hosting company he was a partner in.

OTHERS promote illegal things, even OBVIOUS things like EMAIL SPAMMING, as if they are their original ideas.

If someone makes such a comment after 200 worthwhile posts they will likely get a better response than they would on their first.

Steve

Steve,
I think you'd be surprised how many are unaware that the forum started off as part of a paid membership site.

I think no matter who it is or for what subject it is about, there has to be an element of respect given to everyone.I am always looking for knowledge and realize that my perspective might not be the only way to look at things. To be part of a forum and function within that forum there has to be a person with an open mind, very analytical, and able to dissect the information to accomodate different beliefs and personalities. Not every section of the forums is for everyone as well. It is important to give a person time to fit into his niche in the forum.

IMO, it has nothing to do with the forum you're getting hazed in. But more to do with the fact that people are just naturally sarcastic and narcissistic these days. It's easier for them to display those traits when they're hiding behind their avatars and screen names. When someone new comes along who posts something they have already seen a million times it triggers those behaviors in them because they know you probably don't have a posse of other members backing you up. Once you get more posts people leave you be a bit more for that same reason. That's how I see it at least.

Yeah...

Cuz this really deserved a brand new thread for discussion, didn't it? :rolleyes:

When n00bs come in with a genuine need for help, I never treat them like they're stupid. When they come in and are obviously trying to game the forum, they get what they deserve.

Most of the messages that I see to well intentioned n00bs are polite and helpful. When it comes to honesty and transparency ... let's say a n00b is asking for opinions on his site. As politely as I can, I always give an honest opinion, even if that opinion is negative. But I do try to give him ideas on how to fix it. That's better for them than telling them everything is fine, when it is not.

The authority on Forum etiquette ... lol. Sorry, you reputation precedes this post.

Well Sadly but its true... you cant do to much about it

It is paul's way of saying you have 3 other accounts here. MOST forums allow ****ONE**** handle, and this is one of them. So it looks bad.

I have no idea HOW he is determining that. There are only about 6 ways to detect such an account. 5 of them DO have problems. The sixth could also be considered problematic. Of course, the 5 that are problematic ARE made more definite over time.

I WOULD be more detailed, but THEN people start trying to do things to defeat it. They will usually mess up though and get caught ANYWAY.

Steve

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Oh look. Someone's made Paul a flambe for his birthday. Unfortunately it looks about as appetizing as the skewered scorpions on offer in China...

Getting back to the original post, I don't hang around here all that much, but I don't think polite 'noobies' are particularly picked on here. Of course if you come in with a swagger or a chip on your shoulder you can be very sure that in a forum this size someone-- and probably many someones- is going to try and trip you up or knock that chip off.

I reported this almost an hour ago. The other mods must have gone home.

I also reported it a while ago. Maybe others did, too.

Ken

Being sarcastic, is just the way we are.

I do it quite a bit on the forums I frequent? Why? Because most of the questions "newbies" will ask have been explained to DEATH in the past and a simple search would provide them with hundreds of threads explaining the answer.

If you are too lazy to search or "lurk" before posting, you deserve to be hazed or whatever you may call it. Not everything in life will be handled to you on a silver platter, do a bit of self research first.

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Here's a perfect example ... or two perfect examples of why some newbies get flamed and fully deserve it.

http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...much-work.html

http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...-web2-0-a.html

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I usually attribute it to a call to arms in an epic battle of wits. Keep it positive, and if nothing else works, try this line:

Or a real stinger: