What is a flame? (quoted from RMXP.net)

Please sticky this somewhere. Thank you.

I've seen accusations saying different people are flaming, when they aren't so I decided to bring this topic over from RMXP.net

Quote from Erk, also known as Mimesong.

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I have received some important questions in my time as an administrator, but the one that has generated the most problems basically condenses to "what constitutes a flame?"

This is an ambiguity that, in a perfect world, would be left to common sense, but sadly we don't live in a perfect world. Some people just don't know how to be polite or nice, and here we are.

When communicating with other people in the world - on and off the forum - there is one simple and important factor to keep in mind: respect. You must respect other forum members no matter how much better than them you think or know you are. Yes, some people are downright stupid. Others are immature. Others still are simply boring. Nevertheless, all are worthy of respect.

There are many ways to tell if you are respecting another member or not. I find the easiest is simply to ask myself how I'd feel if someone said the same thing to me, in an identical situation. I learned that in kindergarten and it has served me in good stead since. However, if you have a particularly iron stomach for criticism, here's another good method. It's called the "sandwich method" and you will learn it if you are ever taught leadership skills in the Canadian military. And probably a lot of other places.

The Sandwich Method
Paraphrased and abridged by Erk of MimeSong
Every time you say a bad thing, follow it with a good thing. Even if the good thing is smaller and less important.

For example:
"Your boots are pathetic, it looks like you polished them with dog shit. Your brass is shiny, though. What the hell is wrong with your pants, did you sleep in them? Shaving's good." Et cetera.

In forum criticism, this translates more along the lines of:
"Honestly, pokemon fangames are unbelievably overdone. Your mapping is good though, you'd be far better off lending your services to someone else's project."

Another way this applies is to ensure that you do not criticise without suggesting how to improve the problem. "The shading on this sprite is, frankly, awful. You should check out this tutorial for some help, it takes a bit of work but everyone can learn "
[no that is not a real link. I am too lazy to find one at the moment.]

"BUT," I hear you ask, "what if I don't have anything nice to say, or don't know how the work can be improved?" To you I have one simple answer:
shut the fuck up and post somewhere else.
If you see someone flaming, no matter who, feel free to report them. That is what the button is for.

Thank you.

You know, we have kidda exhausted the topic of flamers. We have taken care of them, and little flaming happens now. So, you are kidda blowing of the ashes, don't you think? I mean, great, flammers should be ban, but we don't have to worry about they any more. So I say let's not post about it.

inaru , tsu is giving an example for what flaming is not, and i for once agree with that defining cus it simply means i never flame although some people think i do >>

flaming = saying nothing but bad
not flaming = saying bad but adding good or ways to improve

but more than enough people here can't seem to understand it
it should be stickied as it might reduce the amount of times certain people mistake flaming for not flaming

Yea Tsu, great "tutorial", let

I dont see much point in stickying, as it seems nobody reads announcements or stickies anyway  

I dont see much point in stickying, as it seems nobody reads announcements or stickies anyway  

Lol, guess you're right.