Newbies Survival Guide

I liked to repost Transonic opinion. He wrote it out of frustration over 2 years ago. Most of that stuff still holds true today. So let's all have a good read.

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Let's face it, everybody's been a n00b at some point in their lives but we all don't want to be a n00b forever. So let's go over some methods of breaking out of this pathetic state and evolving into a well refined, knowledgable being. Let's start with what you'll need in order to accomplish this task.

Requirements:

• Computer with internet access. If you're on the forum you already have one of these.
• A Brain. We all have one, so start using it!
• Common Sense. Some have it, some don't.... find some!

Once you have your materials in order then it's time to start using that muscle you call a brain.

Methods:

• Learning the language. My buddy spookedjunglist started an excellent thread titled "Overclocking Acronyms for Dummies" Read it, you'll learn something. Some n00bs might be too embarassed to ask what a BFH stands for... look it up and find out.
  
• Searching. Probably the most important tool in any forum. Reading old posts by way of the SEARCH button will answer many questions that you might have floating around in your heads. There's no need to address the same topic over and over again when all you had to do was look down a few threads and see the same topic already answered.
  
• PMing (private messaging). You might've stumbled upon an old thread with some valuable information but you didn't quite catch the whole story. Try PMing the person for a quick answer. You should also PM when negotiating purchases in the For Sale / Wanted section.
  
• Using the button. If someone posted information that was valuable to you and/or contributed to the greater good of the forum then it's generally a good idea to add to their rep:
  
  
  1. Remember to include your name in the "comments" section so the person knows where the rep is coming from.
  2. Questions about reps please refer to the thread admin made titled Reputation Defined.
  
  
• Spell check. The last thing you want people to think is that you're illiterate. Take your time while posting and check your spelling. MS word is a good way or check SpellJax if you're unsure. If english isn't your first language don't sweat it.
  
• Edit button. That button on the bottom right corner of your post is there for a reason. We all make mistakes that we might not notice right away. Click the button and fix your post. Tip:
  
  
  
  • Posting several times in a row without other people posting in between aka "string posting" is annoying!!! If you have something that you forgot to mention in your previous post from 30 seconds ago just go back and add it to your previous post.
  
  
• Using common sense. This goes hand in hand with using your brain, and gets better with practice. Hypothetical: If someone wrote a thread 6 months ago asking "What is a better PSU? Mine just blew and I need a new one fast." Please don't respond to it, chances are the person isn't still looking for a PSU 6 months later... use common sense!
  
• Be observant. There have been many instances where someone from Canada, The UK, Australia etc wants to buy parts and asks for someone to recommend a store. Don't give him a store like Newegg that only ships to the US. If you don't know of any shops that ship to wherever then don't confuse the guy anymore by giving his useless information.
  
• Descriptive Titles. Admin made an announcement in the thread titled Descriptive Titles Now Mandatory. It simply states that when you start a new thread you MUST put a title with some depth in it. No more threads titled "uh help," "n00b here," or "Aaaaaah." Use your brain and give your titles some detail. This will help us help you.