Posting Messages on the Forum

Things to Avoid

• Do not post the same message in multiple boards.
• Do not post simulation or CAD tool questions in the design boards.
• Do not solicit help from individual members through the private messaging system or through email addresses that are made available from this site. Instead, all requests for help should be made to the community through postings on the Forum.
• Create your own topic. Do not jump into another person's topic. This only creates confusion and makes the board harder to search. Even if the problem seems similar to you, more often than not, the answer to your request will be something different from the original posters.
• Do not attach copyrighted material to your posts unless you own the copyright. By posting copyrighted material to this website, you affirm that you own the copyright and you are giving The Designer's Guide Community perpetual license to share that material on the open web in accordance with its license agreement, as given on the Submissions page.
• Post job openings only on the Opportunities board. All other solicitations will be immediately removed.
• Do not send the same or similar unsolicited private messages to more than one or two members.
• Do not post commercial messages or advertisements. Posts can mention products, but the intent of the post should be to educate rather than promote. The converse is also true. Do not bash CAD tools or vendors. Constructive criticism is welcome, but not blanket criticism.
• Do not post links for purpose of advertising and do not include links that do not support the mission of the site, that of educating analog engineers. Doing so will result in your post and your account being deleted. Such links are forbidden everywhere, including in your profile.
• Do not use foul language or post graphic images.

Before Posting

• Check to see whether your question has been answered previously. When searching, search all appropriate boards and set the 'This post was made in the last...' field to '(all posts)'.
• Carefully consider the most appropriate board for your post. Post you message in only one board. In particular, ask simulation questions on the simulation boards, not on the design boards.

Posting

If you are unable to find your answers by searching the boards, or if the answer was incomplete or not quite correct for your situation, feel free to post your question on the forum. Please follow these guidelines:

• Limit a thread to a single topic, and preferably to a single question or small number of very closely related questions. Doing so makes the threads easier to follow.
• Try to ask specific and bounded questions. You are much more likely to get a response.
• Use a descriptive subject line, and format it properly.
• Make sure you include the relevant data in your help request. Usually, the more accurate information, the better we can help you. However, also try to be succinct. Fewer people read long posts.
• Acknowledge peoples responses to your posts and let them know how their suggestions worked out for you.
• Write carefully and clearly. Do not use instant messaging short hand. Define the meaning of obscure terms and acronyms. Remember that you are writing to a general audience. Using highly specialized terminology without explanation will greatly limit the number of people who can respond to your question.
• Please remember that this forum is a general resource for everyone. As such, you should try to ask your questions in a way that everyone benefits from the answer. In that spirit, if you have a question or comment about a model, you should include the model here or give a pointer to where it is publicly available. If you ask about proprietary models that many visitors do not have access to, then you limit the number of people that can answer your question and the number that benefit from a response. If you really need to ask a question about a proprietary model, try to develop an abstract or alternate version that exhibits the same behavior and use that to ask your question.
• If you are seeking help on a problem you are having with a particular tool, give specifics (netlists, models, outputs, error messages, etc.) so that others can identify, and perhaps even reproduce, the problem.
• If you are asking for help, describe what you have already tried. People are more likely to try to help those that are trying to help themselves.
• Be considerate and tolerant. Rudeness will not be tolerated.
• Use English.