Guidelines for the Business & Enterprise Computing Forum

[Ma Baker]

Welcome to the Business and Enterprise Computing forum. This forum is provided so that people ‎can discuss business computing systems of all sizes, from small business to enterprise level and ‎everything in-between.‎

Guidelines and etiquette for this forum
This forum on OCAU is no different to any other forum, and the forum-wide rules apply here. The ‎broad nature of this forum means that the posters and thread starters will have a wide range of ‎abilities and skills, ranging from beginner to guru. Please bear this in mind when you post; ‎remember that when everyone started out, they started at the beginning and were not an expert ‎immediately. So, if you think a particular topic is not worthy of a reply from you, the solution is ‎simply to not reply to it. Unhelpful, rude, snide, or impolite comments will be deleted (like they are ‎in other forums on OCAU) and people that persist in posting such comments will be banned.‎

Please ensure your posts are civil, polite and helpful, and remember that not everyone knows the ‎systems, specialities or acronyms you do. What may be a really obvious question to you might be ‎difficult for someone else to find the answer to if they're not sure what search terms or acronyms ‎to use. ‎

Do also keep in mind that people are replying to your thread or answering your questions of their ‎own volition and usually in their own time. Be patient and try and phrase your questions and posts ‎so that you provide as much information as possible. It is a real disincentive to help someone when ‎they won't provide useful information when someone requests it. ‎

Please do not post here expecting people to do your job for you (an extension of our 'no ‎homework' rule, which exists so the forums don't become inundated by "Can you do my ‎assignment for me?" type threads). People are quite accommodating and will generally help out ‎when they can, but there is an expectation that you will at least try and come up with a solution to ‎a problem. For this reason, threads asking others to critique or give their thoughts on something ‎you've already suggested will generally go down better than threads which ask "Can you fix this ‎problem or situation for me?"‎

If you post a thread here about a problem or situation and posters advise you that the best solution might be to bring in outside, expert help, please take their comments on-board and not personally. We each have differing levels of experience and different strengths and weaknesses, so if you are advised in this way, it might be wise to give the idea some consideration.

Topics which are suited to this forum
Discussions about the computing systems used in any business, irrespective of its size, are ‎welcome here. This includes Small Business Server or SBS equivalents which run on other operating ‎systems.‎

Topics which are not suited to this forum
There are some topics which are more suited to other forums. They include threads about home computer setups (even fully networked homes with servers), general questions about operating systems (including Windows desktop and server products), general questions about software, and basic networking questions. Threads on these topics should be posted in a more appropriate forum, like Windows Operating Systems, Other Operating ‎Systems, General Software, or the Networking, Telephony and Internet forum.

Many thanks to gords for his work on these rules.