I've recently seen a lot of responses to announcements (posts in the Announcements forum) that aren't productive to the announcement, update, etc and just create spam. Some examples of these kinds of posts are:



Block testing, trying out emojis, etc don't belong in replies to announcements. For block tests, you can use this topic, and for any other kinds of “test posts,” using your signature works really well.

Here are some things to think about when replying to announcements:

1. Is it about the announcement?
Before hitting that submit button, ask yourself “Is it about the announcement?” Let's say the post is about the Sound Editor Update.
A bad post for the topic would be:

Bad Example wrote:

OK GUYS CHECK OUT ALL MY PROJECTS HERE PLZ!!!!!!!!

A good post for this topic would be:

Good Example wrote:

That's super exciting! I can't wait to try out this new update! What does “Fade in” mean?

2. For Questions: Is it clear and productive?
Questions about the announcement are encouraged as long as they are productive. Odds are, if you have a question, someone else probably has it too. If you have a question about the announcement, or someone else has a question about the announcement that you are helping to answer, be pro-active and make it easy to understand so that you can give/get the best possible answers. Any questions that aren't about the announcement itself, should go in the Questions about Scratch forum. An example of a bad question/answer for A Wiki Wednesday Post would be:

Bad Question wrote:

WIKI WEDNESDAY STUPID MAKE IT NO EXIST! AND IT DOESNT EVEN HAPPEN EVERY WEDSDAY????

Bad Answer wrote:

Nuh uh wiki wendsay very good CUZ it gimme good reeeeeeding and it happen on LAST WESNAY!

A good example would be:

Good Question wrote:

I don’t get what is a Wiki Wednesday and what’s it for. Also, does it happen every Wednesday or some?

Good Answer wrote:

It highlights a specific Wiki Article to be given a little “shoutout.” It also helps increase activity on the Scratch Wikis. It happens on the last Wednesday of every month.

3. Is it kind?
For some announcement topics, there have been a few hateful replies (mainly if the user doesn't like the update). This is both against the Community Guidelines and is simply rude. The Scratch Team are only trying to improve Scratch. If there is a certain update that you think should be changed or something of the sort, say it kindly.
A bad example would be:

Rude Example wrote:

THIS IDEA SUX!!! BAD SCRATCH TEAM

A good example would be:

Kind Example wrote:

I think there is an issue in this update. Perhaps do … instead?

Note: This is still WIP, but feel free to suggest additions.

I think this may be a helpful topic, since there's a TON of spam in the Announcements forum. I'd like some opinions on additions and such. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

I like the guide! Also, I think that you should link to this when you mentioned the use of the signature for testing.

WindOctahedron wrote:

I like the guide! Also, I think that you should link to this when you mentioned the use of the signature for testing.

Good idea! Added!

Side note: Do you know where this would be placed? I felt like New Scratchers would be pretty good, but they have a strict “No More Guides” policy. I just put it here until I could figure out a better forum.

54329 wrote:

using your signature works really well.

Did you get that idea off me or did you just come up with it? I have suggested it before.

DipLeChip wrote:

54329 wrote:

using your signature works really well.

Did you get that idea off me or did you just come up with it? I have suggested it before.

I typically use my signature for testing, so that was more on my own. Great minds think alike!

Do you have any ideas/suggestions for this guide?

54329 wrote:

A bad post for the topic would be:

Bad Example wrote:

OK GUYS CHECK OUT ALL MY PROJECTS HERE PLZ!!!!!!!!

A good post for this topic would be:

Good Example wrote:

That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!

Actually, both of these are bad, just the first one more so. Which is why several of the forum features were made.

Computer_Fizz wrote:

54329 wrote:

A bad post for the topic would be:

Bad Example wrote:

OK GUYS CHECK OUT ALL MY PROJECTS HERE PLZ!!!!!!!!

A good post for this topic would be:

Good Example wrote:

That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!

Actually, both of these are bad, just the first one more so. Which is why several of the forum features were made.

Why would you say the second one is bad?

54329 wrote:

Computer_Fizz wrote:

54329 wrote:

A bad post for the topic would be:

Bad Example wrote:

OK GUYS CHECK OUT ALL MY PROJECTS HERE PLZ!!!!!!!!

A good post for this topic would be:

Good Example wrote:

That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!

Actually, both of these are bad, just the first one more so. Which is why several of the forum features were made.

Why would you say the second one is bad?

Because “That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!” adds nothing to the discussion. I try to make sure all of my posts contain new information that isn't put. I also believe that is more important than the date of the last post. Because if a problem does not have a solution posted, it should be.

Computer_Fizz wrote:

-snip-
Because “That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!” adds nothing to the discussion. I try to make sure all of my posts contain new information that isn't put. I also believe that is more important than the date of the last post. Because if a problem does not have a solution posted, it should be.

I see what you're saying. Look better?

54329 wrote:

DipLeChip wrote:

54329 wrote:

using your signature works really well.

Did you get that idea off me or did you just come up with it? I have suggested it before.

I typically use my signature for testing, so that was more on my own. Great minds think alike!

Do you have any ideas/suggestions for this guide?

Indeed they do.

bump

54329 wrote:

Computer_Fizz wrote:

-snip-
Because “That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!” adds nothing to the discussion. I try to make sure all of my posts contain new information that isn't put. I also believe that is more important than the date of the last post. Because if a problem does not have a solution posted, it should be.

I see what you're saying. Look better?

I think it's good now. Some might say only the last sentence should be there, but it may also be good to add politeness. Thanks for listening to my feeedback about post! You might want to put this in a different forum than Collaboration though, seems like a weird place for it.

Computer_Fizz wrote:

54329 wrote:

Computer_Fizz wrote:

-snip-
Because “That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!” adds nothing to the discussion. I try to make sure all of my posts contain new information that isn't put. I also believe that is more important than the date of the last post. Because if a problem does not have a solution posted, it should be.

I see what you're saying. Look better?

I think it's good now. Some might say only the last sentence should be there, but it may also be good to add politeness. Thanks for listening to my feeedback about post! You might want to put this in a different forum than Collaboration though, seems like a weird place for it.

Yeah, I just put it here for the time being while I waited to see where it should go. What board could I put it in to make it more fitting?

54329 wrote:

Computer_Fizz wrote:

54329 wrote:

Computer_Fizz wrote:

-snip-
Because “That's super exciting! I can't wait to try it out!” adds nothing to the discussion. I try to make sure all of my posts contain new information that isn't put. I also believe that is more important than the date of the last post. Because if a problem does not have a solution posted, it should be.

I see what you're saying. Look better?

I think it's good now. Some might say only the last sentence should be there, but it may also be good to add politeness. Thanks for listening to my feeedback about post! You might want to put this in a different forum than Collaboration though, seems like a weird place for it.

Yeah, I just put it here for the time being while I waited to see where it should go. What board could I put it in to make it more fitting?

Usually meta-posts about specific forums are put in those forums, but you probably wouldn't get them to put it in announcements. Maybe suggestions? There are already a lot of meta-posts there.

54329 wrote:

Side note: Do you know where this would be placed? I felt like New Scratchers would be pretty good, but they have a strict “No More Guides” policy. I just put it here until I could figure out a better forum.

I think that it would fit best in Announcements, but I think that people would spam if it was there.

Responding to both of you: I agree it would best fit in Announcements, but I don't think it'll be moved there. The guide is made to prevent spam in announcements, but if it gets spammed on itself, I could close it.

Btw, for those who ask why it isn't every Wednesday, it's the last Wednesday of each month.

DipLeChip wrote:

Btw, for those who ask why it isn't every Wednesday, it's the last Wednesday of each month.

Oh lol. I just used that as an example because someone actually asked that question. The good example Q&A was another user's question and my answer just copied and pasted.

Wiki Wednesday is on the 27th, let's hope we don't get the spam like all the other times.