> Brunnen-"constantly amazed by people who seem to think the normal rules of conversation don't apply online"G

Since somebody asked how to fit in... ahh, why not. Let's take a look at some of these normal rules of conversation. If people think they have trouble fitting in on the forum or chat, maybe this is why. If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, you undoubtedly are incapable of functioning in offline society as well.

1) Would you walk up to a group of strangers at a social event and, without introducing yourself or getting to know anything about them, launch into a long and incoherent rant on a topic of your own choosing?

2) Would you barge into an existing conversation and start talking loudly about a completely different topic?

3) Are you incapable of identifying the appropriate tone of a conversation you are involved in, and adjusting your manner of speech to suit the company and the situation?

4) Do you deliberately tell people your deeply held views on matters you know to be controversial, and then get outraged if they turn out to hold different views?

5) Do you make no effort to contribute anything to a social group, but still expect the other members to listen to what you say?

Being accepted in any social group has very little to do with whether or not you can tell a joke, and lots to do with how you treat other people. That's all there is to it, really.