Where forums fall down is often due to the utter lack of body language, facial expression and voice inflection in everything we type, which robs us of most of the potential meaning underlying the words we type.
As such, apparently innocuous (subjective) comments can often be misunderstood, while others may be understood only too well.
An often quoted example of how the English language in written form fails utterly to be clear:
"I didn't say she was his wife"
Which could be any of the following:
I didn't say she was his wife
I didn't say she was his wife
I didn't say she was his wife
I didn't say she was his wife
I didn't say she was his wife
I didn't say she was his wife
I didn't say she was his wife
You can also combined several of the above examples where more than one word ends up being emphasised in such a small phrase.
To cut a long story short there are well over a dozen ways of reading/interpreting the above phrase/sentence of only seven words, so while someone might think they are being witty and clever while others might not agree. Someone else might think they are being clear and concise while others are left thinking "Eh ?"
On the one hand anyone who asks for feedback on a forum is, by definition, opening themselves up to everything from outright ridicule to supportive advice while, on the other, those offering commentary can go a long way to self-police and moderate their own responses and keep them relevant and (hopefully) helpful. Even concentrating on the negatives can help define and highlight the positives.
I am a great believer in a 'if you wouldn't say it to their face, don't type it in a forum from the relative comfort and protection that the anonymity of membership affords' philosophy.
The above is not directed at anyone in particular - I'm just always surprised at how things sometimes take a downturn and drift wildly off-topic for (often) all the wrong reasons.
I'm actually surprised this thread is still running given some of the posts in it.
I'll get my coat.
