In addition to the Welcome email, there are many admin- and mod-created posts that give the official rules of the Blue Board. But we wanted to open up a general thread to members, listing various things they have learned about the Boards over the years. Do you have a favorite thread you frequently refer to? A hint about formatting posts or using polls? Or a thought on board etiquette? (Remember to play nice!) We especially want to hear from long-time members. What do you wish you'd known about when you first started to use the Board?
Here's my first thought:
One thing I love about the Blue Board is the levels of privacy it offers. There are some boards you can only see if you are logged in, and some that are viewable to the public--including Google and bots. If you want some privacy, be sure to post in one of the boards that you can only see when you are logged in. (If you're not sure, log out before you post and visit the site to see which boards are now hidden.) The ultimate in privacy is the Anonymous persona. But be careful, even when you use Anonymous. The kidlit world is a small one, and you never know who is logged in and reading your posts. If you post anonymously, be vague--people may be able to put together the details and figure out who you are or who you're talking about.