General courtesy guidelines when posting

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Northerner

Admin (Retired)
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Guidelines
Try to stick to the original topic and tone of a thread as a courtesy to the original poster and for clarity. If a new topic of discussion arises from within a thread, please aim to open a new thread with a relevant title or ask the moderators to split a thread if a digression becomes clear after several further responses.

Posters vary hugely in experience, knowledge and confidence. Especially in the introductions or general discussion sections, long and/or technical responses covering research or detailed medical matters, even if relevant, may interrupt the flow of support and seem daunting to the original poster.
Where you feel such a post would be useful, please consider responding with a brief summary of the main point (eg: "some researchers have found that x helps with y.") and create a new thread in the News sections where you can make the point in full detail. (You can note the link to the greater detail in the original thread.)
This also allows other members to respond to/debate the issues you have raised without dominating the original thread.

Readers should assume that no poster has an appropriate medical qualification to issue advice and they certainly can't carry out a proper medical assessment of your condition, so any changes to treatment should be carried out in discussion with, and with the approval of, your own diabetes medical team.

Posters should remember that individuals vary in their diabetes and its management. It is possible to share a personal experience or opinion, not provide an absolute truth for someone else.

Debate and differing opinions are healthy, but must always be conducted with respect and tolerance for others.

Without face-to-face contact, smilies are the way to convey less seriousness and avoid levity being misinterpreted. Feel free to use them as necessary. Appropriate humour, incidentally, is definitely welcome!


The forum does not allow:

•Any sort of abuse, flames, personal attacks, inappropriate language (including profanities or vulgarities) or responses to any such messages: if you find a post abusive, please use the "report" button at once to bring it to the attention of the moderators/administrators. This applies to text in Signatures, Avatars and Private Messages. Any inappropriate private messages received by a member should be forwarded to a Moderator.
•Advertisements. This includes homepage links to commercial sites which, in the opinion of the Moderators, are unsuitable e.g. Online pharmacies, pornography, alternative treatments (see below) etc. , or are purely intended as a vehicle for advertising or improving search engine optimisation. Any such homepage references will be removed. Members may be allowed to promote charitable ventures at the discretion of the Moderation team (explicit permission must be sought from a member of the Moderation Team prior to posting).
•Posts about "alternative" treatments or "cures" that, in the administrators' absolute judgement, are likely to be seen as misleading or to encourage others to pursue potentially dangerous changes to their treatment regime.
•Breach of Copyright - When quoting an article or written work that you did not author or do not have permission to reproduce, you may only quote a small portion of the article (usually no more than 1/5 or 1/6) and you must link to the source (if online) or provide the source (if offline).
•Crossposting. Cross-posting is posting the same content in two or more locations.
•Medical advice. In responding to a question, you should only relate your own experiences and not instruct another member to adjust medication without them first consulting a member of their healthcare team.
•'Farewell' posts from members deciding to leave the forum will be removed if they express a grievance - they only serve to create conflict
•Naming of individuals, such as healthcare professionals, whether in a complimentary or other context. Please avoid posting personally identifying information without the explicit permission of individuals concerned.



Just a short reminder about posting personal information: of course this is a public forum. Having a chosen username and putting no other personal details on view should provide anonymity. But when posting please exercise the same caution you would in any other very public place about revealing identifying personal details.
 
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