Welcome to Gaia! ::

*Closed 8/11/04 6AM EST*

*Reopened 10/16/13 5PM EST*

So, ten years is a long time. In ten years Gaia went from a small forum with simple paper doll avatars to this... very corporate cash cow. All things change. (I myself have gotten older and fatter.) And even though I do not use this site very often, I have been known to check in every now again and lurk for the memories. I figured, in celebration of the ten years since I first made an account, I would dig this old thread up and see who I could find and just spend the next few days reminiscing about them good old days.

Below is the original, only barely modified, H2BaQ&Fer post. Man, what a run. It didn't last a long time, but it had over three thousand pages, and for a time, was home to many people who populated the old Questions and Feedback Forum. (Back when that was a thing.) Of course, not everyone liked the thread, but we were the loudest, the biggest and hopefully the most helpful people around, so for a long time, H2 was constantly floating on the first page. At some point I hope to peruse through the thread, and anyone who would bother reading this, I hope you will too. There's like a year of memories in here, and if I recall they're awesome. biggrin

So huzzah, lets begin some partying, or something... assuming I can find people I know who still log in. xp

Oh and hey, when my account was compromised a few years ago, I lost everyone on my friendslist. If we're friends, re-add me, its easier than me trying to chase down a bajillion people.

(Q&F and AT peeps both welcome of course.)



The H2 is closing. Details are here. (Look for my post. Post linking is busted on large threads.)

The Q&F has always been a loose, fun forum for Gaians who want to help others. Lately there has been a rash of people giving wrong info, or being rude. I'd like to put an end to that. biggrin Since there are so many new people in the Q&F these days, I thought I'd put together a few of notes for answering questions. biggrin

Note: Let it be said here and now that if you want to be a mod, hanging out and helping people in the Q&F will probably not help you get there. Mods are chosen for the forums which they know about. The Q&F has enough mods, and the last mod update featured no Q&F 'regulars'. biggrin

Note: This is actually not guild spawned. I am a member of Teh Q&Fer guild, but this has only a bit to do with that. This is a tool for the Questions and Feedback forum, and it's regulars. biggrin

The Guidelines. (These are not rules.)
0. Hide in the shadows.Before jumping into the chaos that is the Q&F, lurk a bit. See what the commonly asked questions are, and what the answers to them are. That way, when you start to answer questions, you already have a good feel for the place. biggrin

1. Always be courteous. Many people who come into the Q&F to ask questions, have never been here before. They don't necessarily know that their question has been asked a thousand time before. Just because it's the third time this week, doesn't mean that their question is any less valid. Same applies to 'read the stickies'. Be nice with them, we don't want them to leave thinking the Q&F is an unfriendly place.

Note: Some people do seem to deserve a mean answer. Don't give them one. Two wrongs don't make a right. biggrin

Note2: If some one asks a question in a language that isn't english, for the love of Pete, don't yell at them. And don't tell them to speak english. Someone will be able to help them, it just takes a translater.

2. Always point the people in the right direction. Rather than just saying, 'Item Suggestion Thread', tell them that it belongs in the 'Official Item Suggestion Thread stickied at the top of this forum. Even better, provide a link as well. Also, this applies to when people are posting in the wrong forum. Don't just say Chatterbox, throw them a link. wink

Note: Not everything goes in the Chatterbox. A lot of times, their thread could go to General Discussion or Extended Discussion. Perhaps even another forum such as Entertainment, Writers, or Anime/Manga/Comics

Note2: If there is a misplaced thread in the Q&F, kindly inform the person of their misplacement, then PM an online moderator to have it moved. Informing the poster is good, but chances are, they don't know how to get a thread moved. So take the extra step. biggrin

3. Never start your own answer threads. By this I mean, threads titled: 'You've got questions? I've got answers!.' I know it seems like a good idea, but that is what the Q&F main forum is for. We work as a community here. Just try and help out others in their threads. biggrin

4. Don't try too hard. At first, it seems easy to go and answer all of the questions. However, the Q&F is a group effort. Being the first to answer a question isn't important. What's important, is giving a full and concise answer. If you're not sure what the correct answer to a question is, let someone else answer it. That way you can learn yourself. Chances are, there are always going to be a bevy of other Q&Fers about. biggrin

Note: If you ever feel like the Q&F is driving you nuts, take a break. It never helps to answer a question angry. Let others do the work. wink

5. Don't raise the dead. If a question has been suitably answered, and an hour has passed, chances are the author is gone. Any additional information that you'd like to provide, should probably be sent to the author via PM. No need to bump up a dead thread. biggrin

6. Don't overreact. People have opinions. Occasionally, they'll go against yours. Try to remain reasonable. The Q&F is not for debate. If you disagree with their idea, stay silent. Constructive criticism is one thing, but there's no room for fighting. Also, just because someone doesn't like something the admins or mods have done, that doesn't mean you should jump down their throats. Be civil.

Note: Should you encounter a spammer, be civil. Chances are, twelve people are gonna say something, so hold off. If you feel the need to inform them of their actions, please do so kindly. biggrin

7. Watch out for Trolls Trolling is when someone starts a topic to infuriate others. Do not be drawn in. By responding negatively to their post(s), you are doing just what they want you to do. Please be calm and nice with them. It's the best way to fight a troll.

Note: Despite common belief, inflammatory responses cause them to regenerate, not perish.
(That's a dork joke. blaugh )

8. Respect your local mod. Remember that there are dedicated mods for a reason. If one asks you to stop a discussion you're having in the Q&F, please stop. Moderators do things for a reason. Love them or hate them, they have a job to do, and as a productive Q&F regular you should try not to make that job harder. biggrin

9. Use Emoticons Wisely. Emotes provide the abillity to show your emotion. Just make sure that you use them appropriately. Posting only a single emoticon is generally considered spam, so please refrain from doing such. Some emotes are considered negative. ( stare scream stressed domokun xp rolleyes evil mad ) So be sure that you're not accidentally angering or offending someone. biggrin

Note: Sometimes statement can be read in a number of ways. Using ~> biggrin is a good way to show that you're being friendly.

10. Please have something to add. If a question has already recieved a suitable answer, don't just reply with, 'What (s)he said,' or quote an answer and post 3nodding . This seems like a good idea, but it just tends to be redundant, and tick people off. biggrin

Note: as always, there may be times when this is apropriate, but usually, there is no reason to do so. Discretion is the better part of valor. biggrin

11. Give people the benefit of the doubt. If someone start's a thread saying they've been banned, scammed, hacked, etc, and you don't believe them, do not call them a liar. Just point them in the right direction for help. If they are lying, the won't get far. (See entry #1)

12. Always maintain a sense of humor. Sometimes, you may see questions in here that are just plain absurd. Sometimes, you might be flooded with nine hundred threads on one thing (especially during events). Don't take everything to heart; it'll save your sanity later.

13. Try to stay current. Always read the answers others have given. You may find out about something new. As a good Q&Fer, you need to keep yourself as updated as possible.

Important note: Don't be afraid to ask questions yourself. Just because you're a frequent answerer, doesn't mean you have to seem to have all the answers. Just make sure there isn't a thread already covering the subject. blaugh

Note: And don't spend all of your time in the Q&F. Go out and see the rest of Gaia. The knowledge that can be gleamed from the other forums, is invaluable. (I recently have begun doing this. xd )

14. And most of all, be patient. During events and catastrophies, it may seem like the Q&F is going to burst, due to the thirty plus threads regarding one topic. Just have a bit of patience. The people who post are looking for help. Help them. (See entry #1 and the note on #4, for more info. biggrin )

15. In regards to bumping. Generally speaking, there is no need to bump in the Q&F, but most people don't know this. Many forums on Gaia require constant bumping to keep a thread at the top. So if someone bumps in the Q&F, please let them know that it's not required, in a friendly manner. biggrin

Note: Some things can be bumped. Guides are a good example. But generally question threads do not need it. biggrin

Those are the main things. If any Q&Fer thinks I should add anything, let me know. biggrin

Other Notes
* About Oversize Sigs: Many Q&Fers take it upon themselves to inform others if their sigs are too big, either in pixels or kb. If you choose to do this, please be polite. Chances are people are not going to want to part with their favorite pics. If by chance they give you a negative response, don't let that faze you. And definitely do not respond in kind. Remember that you're trying to help.

First tell them that their sig is over the specs in the ToS. If they do not comply, remind them that if a mod sees it, that they'll ask the same thing you would, and failure could result in the loss of sig privileges. If they still do not comply, leave them alone don't hound them. If it's really bad, just contact a mod. biggrin

Useful Links
Here's a list of Guides/Tutorials that may be helpful. Check 'em out. ninja
arrow About Gaia (FAQ)
arrow Gold, Rares, and More (FAQ)
arrow THE ULTIMATE STICKY
arrow The Rumor Patrol 2.0
arrow Gaia Tutorial/Guide Thingie
arrow A List of Servers
arrow The Complete Moderator List
arrow !Buglist!
arrow The Gaian Worst Case Scenario Handbook
arrow Welcome to Gaia!: Stuff You Need to Know
arrow How to PM a Moderator
arrow A Resource For Macintosh Users
arrow A Guide to Lost Events
arrow A Newbie's Guide to Being Anti-Flame
arrow How to PROTECT Your ACCOUNT
arrow A Guide to Uploading Images
arrow :: Complete Store Item List ::

Utilty Links
Here are some links you might just find useful as well. biggrin
arrow Terms of Service
arrow Rules & Guidelines.
arrow Feedback Form
arrow Price Guides in the Exchange
arrow Item List
arrow The Bank
arrow How to Become a Mod
arrow Photobucket
arrow TinyURL
arrow SnipURL
arrow Adware Detectors And Pop-Up Blockers List

Shameless Plug
And here's a fledgling guild devoted to preserving the good nature of Gaia
arrow The Gaian Nicety Association

Sig Banners!
If you would like to support this thread, please feel free to use a banner located here. Please host them yourself. I may use Photobucket but I'd like to avoid problems down the road. If you for some reason cannot host it, but would like to use it, PM me. biggrin

Here's a compact one from =-Elensar-=.


Here's one with a catchy tagline from awexy.


Here's a silly one from Mekara Beamu.


Here's a straight and simple one from Mahjqa.


Here's a great Q&F style banner from Benisato.


Here's a nice official looking one from Putret.


Here's a err, simpe one one from Bolt3.


Here's an animated anti-flame one from Vaelen.


Here's a long awaited one from Phoenix Goliathane.


Here's an animated one from MadBoyV1


Here's another animated one from MadBoyV1, this one featuring Sevi Rais.


And everyone, thank MadBoy for this. If you'd like a random banner displayed when a page loads, use this:


Contributors
This is a list of people who have taken the time to help me makes this a better thread. This list may not be complete, so if I've forgotton you, please do not take it as though I've slighted you. Just PM me. I'll fix it. biggrin
Syrena
Mekara Beamu
Sky Render
Wilhemina
Leyna
Choggo
Putret
Sajhiri
Arqueete
Benisato
Sevi Rais.
Billious
Dorg Endo
Phoenix Goliathane
Mahjqa
Tomatoman
Terance
Ninina
MadBoyV1
=-Elensar-=
Vaelen
awexy
nihonFF4ever
bolt3
Chayla Tobrenne
Mekairinek

Hmm, makes me want to make a: 'How to: Ask a question' xd

You only say that, because you're in the link list. xd