See also the AIGA position on spec work. And a thread illustrating an excellent example of how asking for spec work can blow up in your face: Suggest the perfect font for a logo and receive $200 (or £125 / 20AC150) if chosen ;-).

...but what prompted this and why is this posted here, in the design section?

David, there was a recent thread in 'design' that prompted this new post. I could have posted it in 'general discusssions' but think this is a better place as there is already a thread in the main area for posting guidelines. Do you think it is unnecessary?

I, for one, think it’s a well placed, timely and well written reminder.

>Do you think it is unnecessary?

Not at all. I'm just curious, and must have missed the thread in question.

Thanks Tiffany.

@Tiffany: What recent thread?

What recent thread?

One which the original poster asked to remove (I haven’t checked if it indeed was deleted, but it was about small caps and a gallery’s logo).

Yes, the thread was removed and it made me think that we just needed some reminders. That's all.

I agree with this reminder. it's disheartening to be told this or that is sloppy or your curves are bad and not be given specific points.

Gary:
1) I don't think that's the thread in question. The one I think triggered this was problematic because the author was making her employer look bad.
2) You can't improve if you can't handle candid criticism (even if it could be more specific).

hhp

Constructive criticism is welcomed along with insights as to why something in particular may be a problem. Insults and degrading language not only do not help the target of the post but make the author appear petty and rude.
The point of the critique areas is to help our fellow Typophiles, not to ridicule them.

To me candor > cajoling.

hhp

I didn't mean my thread particularly. The reaction so far has been very encouraging. But your comments have been noted.

For me there's an important distinction between criticism and critique.

With anything being better than vapid encouragement.
May Typophile never become the typographic Flickr.

hhp

No I don't think there is any fear of that

Is there a method to measure if something is related to the nature of Typophile while avoiding the issue of censorship? Put simply, how can we avoid people making irrelevant posts and cluttering the forums without over-moderating and discouraging discourse? Perhaps a separate section for “anything about anything goes” or a way to re-position threads? A very slippery slope. I’ll almost certainly take some heat for this one, but I fail to see how a thread about Teen Pregnancy is suited to this environment.

Christopher, It seems as though Typophile has become the hot place to go for kids wanting to get quick help with their homework. They don't seem to care if it has anything to do with typography or not. We are well known suckers :-)

how can we avoid people making irrelevant posts and cluttering the forums

Not replying?

We are well known suckers :-)

Especially when it comes to non profit organizations ;-)

@ Miss Tiffany you shared good info for a professional employee.

A somewhat related thread: Help cure “Do My Homework Syndrome”

@all. This thread certainly bring benefits. Thanks.

Good thread. Firearm safety teaches “never aim a gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot”. Internet safety could be summed up in as many words.

This has been a long time coming. It’s old, but much of it still applies, and I am truly amazed at how people are still making the same mistakes we made a decade ago. Taken from Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, October 3, 2005: Top Ten Web Design Mistakes of 2005.

————
2. Non-Standard Links Following are the five main guidelines for links:

• Make obvious what’s clickable: for text links, use colored, underlined text (and don't underline non-link text).

• Differentiate visited and unvisited links.

• Explain what users will find at the other end of the link, and include some of the key information-carrying terms in the anchor text itself to enhance scannability and search engine optimization (SEO). Don’t use “click here” or other non-descriptive link text.

• Avoid JavaScript or other fancy techniques that break standard interaction techniques for dealing with links.

In particular, don’t open pages in new windows (except for PDF files and such). Links are the Web's number one interaction element. Violating common expectations for how links work is a sure way to confuse and delay users, and might prevent them from being able to use your site.
————

For example, instead of linking “I just came across an interesting Kickstarter project. For more information, click here” (which provides the user with no information as to where they are going to end up without additionally reading the words around the ambiguous word “here,” try:

“I was doing a bit of reading, and I came across an interesting Kickstarter project: Gremolata & Cancellaresca Milanese. A graphic design project in new York, NY, by Russell Maret.”

And remember: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
~ George Santayana. The Life of Reason.

Well, this is a good suggestion!

Dear Sir

I want to develop a new Urdu font by using Calligraphic Samples of one of famous Calligrapher . Can anyone help me and infom Step by Step detail how I can achieve this goal.

I shall be very thankful to him or her.

With best regards

Rashid Shaikh

Hi Rashid. Can you post this request in a new thread?

It would also be easier to help you if you add images of the calligraphy you want to base your typeface on.

OK I will send some samples of Calligraphy but please inform how I will copy and paste the sample in this box.

Thanks

Rashid Shiakh

hi.......

nice.......

3dyantram.info/rendering_india.com

Is this a FAQ or a discussion board? If it tries to be both, it will be a crappy one of each. If it truly is a FAQ, perhaps it should be locked. If someone has a point to make, or suggestion, such as good writing style, they can simply contact an admin and the FAQ can be modified accordingly. That would avoid the problem of people asking questions here, when they should be using other boards.

Shoot - I just posted a new post with the name of the company in it and this was posted immediately afterward. I can't go in and edit it and I do NOT want it showing up in a Google Thread. HELP!!

Please email me the url of the thread and your requested edits — typographer@gmail.com

Dear Miss Tiffany, You offer very sound advice not just for this website, but for overall internet etiquette. I have found an even greater appreciation of this platform.

Thanks. Great community. I agree MerlinZ said that: Dear Miss Tiffany, your advice not only for this website, but should be a standard for overall internet etiquette.
Thanks.

Thanks so much Tiffany ! you said pretty good : "If you don't have anything nice to say , don't say anything at all."

"If you don't have anything nice to say , don't say anything at all."

I don't think that is what was intended. If you don't have something "constructive to say" then don't be mean and abusive.

"Nice to say" implies only compliments are offered. A true critique may point out possible faults in the design as presented but presents these comments in a way that can help the person improve while not making them seem like a fool.

Thanks so much Tiffany ! this is a good suggestion!

I am not sure how to participate in this but wayyyy back in 2003 Jimmy in Design posted a question about how to change the underline in InDesign so that it was a different weight, color, etc. There was no solution listed, and I just figured it out and came upon you when i was doing my search. How do I go about posting the step by step solution? It may well have been that in 2003 there was no solution but there is now.
Also one of the folks in the group giving 'oh well' answers said, well, since typography is much more than typewriters now, we don't need underlines anymore. Not so. There continue to be studies going on in the direct marketing world about how people read, comprehend and respond to messaging in various typographic styles, and for some messaging, you want it to look as much like a typewriter as possible, or at least use less of our 'new-fangled' font versions and include underlines. People read more, and they buy more. And folks, that is how we get paid and get new jobs from former clients; when we know how to help them make money.

Anyway if anyone wants a step by step i can try to set it up. It is easy once you know how. Cheers!

There was actually a talk at TypeCon this year where they explained how they spent gobs of time and money getting underlines to work just right!

hhp

Thank you very much for this info :)