Message Board Courtesy

by Sunnysmile62 with help from her Chia, Azrian

Message board courtesy is something all Neopians need to learn. With over 8.5 million users, there’s simply no room for rudeness. In this article, I’m going to use real posts from the message boards to outline some simple dos and don’ts.

* I am a chic magnet! I can seduce any girl under my spell! This is a bad idea. This one may seem mild, but they definitely get worse. Please keep in mind that there are lots of children on this site. Besides, using obscene, explicit, or offensive language will get you reported and you may lose your account.

* WANNA WIN BIG???? COME QUICK BUY THE MOST GET A RARE ITEM!!!!!!!! This is more of a warning for others on the boards. There are legitimate contests, but most are scams to make money. For instance, could a shop selling items for 50 points really afford to give away a million to anyone? I think not. Be very careful before getting involved. Prices at shops like these are also very high, typically. And just because the item is displayed in their shop doesn’t mean they’re gonna give it to you.

* I only have 7 NPs...... This is a classic example of begging. This annoys those of us who have been here a while to no end. Trust me, you will get nowhere with this. We were all there once, and we’re doing fine. Play some games, visit the money tree, and please don’t beg. If you really want to help out someone who claims to be poor, check it out first. If they have 4 level 18 pets and a NeoHome with 16 rooms, chances are they aren’t really in need. This info is all in their user profile, which anyone can access. Here’s another example: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE JOIN MY GUILD ONLY 2 MEMBERS! PLEASE!!!

* Please Don't Click Here

* What is a ... Yet another bad idea. Though these may get attention, it’s more courteous to state your main point in the heading so no one wastes their time. It’s appreciated, trust me. Some people only click if they know what it’s really about. Here’s a good way to form a title that’s short, sweet, and informative: Why can't I update my shop!?!?!

* CUTE FUNNY ATHLETIC AND MUSICAL 13 YEAR OLD FEMALE LOOKING FOR A B/F

* MY NEOPETS NEED DATE!!!! Finding love for you or your pets is annoying to others. Keep in mind that as of yet, pets can’t be officially married through NeoPets. Some “married” pets’ owners create a joint account, which opens the door for some bad news.

Here are 10 other good tips:
1. Please and thank you go a long way.
2. Lots of icons, exclamation points, etc. are not cool.
3. Don't’t post the same massage 500 times in a row.
4. Post messages in the board where they are relevant; don’t advertise your shop in the guild board.
5. Don’t post ads for your shop, etc. as a reply to someone asking for help. Make your own board.
6. Watch out for any place that requires your password, or asks to exchange items. NEVER give out your password, and do all trades through the trading post. Unfortunately, not all Neopians are honest.
7. People promising rewards for answers are not always honest, either, but it’s still okay to help out if you’d like to.
8. Post honest shop ads. Don’t claim faeries for 500 if they’re really for 5,000. They won’t sell.
9. Begging on the boards is not going to get your pets more votes in the beauty contest.
10. If people don’t post replies, there’s a reason. Don’t post a message asking why.