WHY?

[shrinkmaster]

must we attack users via grammar, spelling, punctuation etc? These people are coming to us for help! We have no clue what they have been through, their education, if English is their primary language etc? I have seen some of us (me included and often) Misspell or the like we aren't perfect. Yes sometimes its hard to read but you know what thats what ask question to clear things up or just avoid the question. We are NOT better than anyone else and these people deserve our respect until they disrespect us. They come here with issues and seek answers NOT judgement! END RANT

 

[justblue]

In this day and age all of us have access to a dictionary. It wouldn't kill people to double check their post(s) and make sure they are legible.

With that said I, in general, don't ride people for poor spelling. I MAY tell them to use punctuation because it truly sucks to wade through a novella that has no periods.
I will also comment on idiots that text-talk. If you don't have enough brains to write "two", "to" or "too" as opposed to "2" then you need a teacher and a lawyer (in that order) and not a legal advice site.

Most people that VOLUNTEER on this site are pretty nice. IMO.

 

[mightymoose]

Agreed. It is usually still quite simple to understand what they are asking.
It is annoying to see the petty attacks and it surely leaves a poor impression upon the new user.
It is simple enough to not reply if unable to understand what is written.

 

[cbg]

To play devil's advocate for a minute, however, on another forum I ran across a post this morning where I truly had no idea what the poster was asking due to poor grammar and no punctuation. I could make something of a guess at one part of it but the remainder of it was completely unintelligible. And I'm not positive that I really got the question he was asking in the part I did sort of understand.

I do the poster no favors by guessing (and possibly getting it wrong) rather than asking for clarification.

 

[Tax Counsel]

must we attack users via grammar, spelling, punctuation etc?

Because apparently some feel the need to be grammar Nazis. Perhaps it gives them a feeling of superiority to do it. Too often the way it is done comes across as condescending and belittling of the poster and IMO reflects badly on the person making the criticisms. It's not necessary and I think members here should refrain from doing it. If you can understand what the person is asking then skip bashing the grammar and spelling. I generally don't mention a person's grammar or spelling unless the post is truly incomprehensible and then I'll suggest he or she rewrite it so it can be understood.

 

[Tax Counsel]

I do the poster no favors by guessing (and possibly getting it wrong) rather than asking for clarification.

Asking for clarification when something isn't clear is fine. But you know the kind of responses that are really at issue here — the ones where it is pretty clear what the person wants to know and the person replying takes a shot at the grammar and/or spelling anyway. There are a couple of members on various forums who are particularly known for such responses, and I have criticized those posts from time to time, with no apparent effect on the members as they continue to post the same way again.

 

[mightymoose]

I do the poster no favors by guessing (and possibly getting it wrong) rather than asking for clarification.

Asking questions for clarification is not the issue.
The matter here is routine rude comments attacking the intelligence of new users who come seeking help.

 

[cbg]

And that, I think, is what some posters need to remember; both of the above posts.

 

[leslie82]

must we attack users via grammar, spelling, punctuation etc? These people are coming to us for help! We have no clue what they have been through, their education, if English is their primary language etc? I have seen some of us (me included and often) Misspell or the like we aren't perfect. Yes sometimes its hard to read but you know what thats what ask question to clear things up or just avoid the question. We are NOT better than anyone else and these people deserve our respect until they disrespect us. They come here with issues and seek answers NOT judgement! END RANT

A typo or two is one thing - it's when people seem to have no apparent grasp of the English language at all. I get some people are ESL. But if you want legal help you have to convey it to a lawyer in person - right? So why not try to be clear online too?