The Rules

Read them. Especially Rule 4.

1. Make it interesting

• Use Google first - if you're after a factual answer, using a search engine is going to be quicker for you, and less irritating for us. Should your Google-fu fail you, however, I'm sure people would be willing to help out.
• Check the tags and recent posts to see if your question has been asked (and answered) recently.
• Original questions please - many obvious questions have been done to death already, so we all know how many people everyone's slept with and how much everyone pays for gasoline.
• You aren't as interesting as you think - we don't care about your amazing blog/website/self-absorbed life story. Keep that in your personal journal where people who actually pretend to like you might see it and give a crap.
• Life isn't always serious - frivolous questions and games can be fun too.

2. Ask it properly

• One question per post - unless it's a couple of related questions on the same subject.
• Use English - by which I mean not "Txt spk" or other variations on a theme. Making your text smaller or larger, all bold, a different colour, blink, etc., may have its place in your journal, but not here. No need fixing something which isn't broken.
• On the subject of language - While users of a variety of languages are welcome and encouraged to participate, we ask that your questions and comments be written in English. If English is not your first language, do your best and we can help you along the way!
• Be socially responsible - e.g using an lj-cut for large posts, NSFW content, big pictures, or video.
• Don't delete / screen comments on your post without the agreement of one of the community maintainers (see below for list)
• Deleting your post is generally a bad idea, especially if you do it because you're getting answers you don't like. This also goes for deleting replies. Also, just because it's answered doesn't mean other people won't benefit from the question and its answers. Leave it alone. If you really want a post gone, talk to a community maintainer either by LJ message or in IRC

3. Can't we all just… get along?

• Lurk first - When you first join, get a feel for the 'unwritten rules' of how to go about asking questions before posting.
• Try not to be an arse - yes, contentious issues come up, but when you're debating them try to remember some common decency. Telling tma to STFU is probably going to get you suspended, just as a completely random example.
• If you're drunk - ama_offtopic is the place for you to share your inebriation with the world if you must.

4. And finally..

The maintainers of this community know what sort of environment we're after here. Bannable offences include being stupid, annoying, obnoxious, or just not fitting what we're looking for. If you get thrown out, or your post is deleted, it's likely for one of these reasons. If you feel you have been wronged by a mod decision please direct your questions here instead of in AMA proper. We promise to at least read them.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact the mods at moc.liamg|jl.gnihtynaemksa#moc.liamg|jl.gnihtynaemksa or hop onto the IRC channel for a chat.

Feel free to participate in the official community Picture Post, it's not mandatory, but it helps to see who you are.