Try to answer questions in a timely manor. Answering year old questions generally does not help, unless an unsolved problem has suddenly been solved by an update, new information, a newly discovered utility that does just what was wanted. Otherwise, focus on the new questions.
If you want to get in early and often to new posts for a specific forum, then subscribe to the forum. Just browsing, or using an RSS reader will have delays and many times someone else will have provided an answer.
DO NOT ASSUME the OP (Original Post) knows what you know. If there is a web page that will help, provide the web page. If a Google search will help, provide the "search string" that will give them the results you are telling them they can find.
If providing a solution, actually do the steps yourself while writing your reply, and use the words from the screen, not the words as you remember them or how you think of them. The actual words are better. If you have to do something from memory (because you are not able to test right now, then do your best; for example, answering from your iPhone while away from your Mac).
If appropriate post annotated images. The free Skitch utility from Evernote is very useful for taking screen shots, and adding annotations. There are versions of Skitch for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
NEVER speak down to the OP. Do not get into a ******* contest with the OP or other people posting. It is not worth it (and could get you banned if you step over the line). If a posting thread turns negative, just walk away. If it bothers you, unsubscribe from the thread so you do not see updates.
When providing an answer, if you can try to educate (without doing that "Speaking Down"), so that the OP and anyone else reading the post will understand the "Why" so they can adapt your answer to other situations.
DO NOT do it for the "Points". You may provide the perfect answer, and the OP may love it, but then not award any points, or give the points to someone else, or waste the points by clicking on one of the OP's own replies. If you are doing this for the points, you are going to be disappointed. Most of the people with lots of points have been at this for years, and many of the questions they answer do not get awarded points. They still keep answering questions.
Answer questions that you enjoy. Because enjoying the process is a much bigger reward than "Points".
Create "Canned" answers for repeated questions. Over time "Refine" you canned answers, using the feedback you get from previous postings.
Always pay attention to feedback from your posts. Use that feedback to improve your question answering style.
Re-read your answers the next day. You will be surprised at how often you see things you think you should have said differently. You will also notice all the spelling and grammer mistakes.
Try to read what you are about to post before clicking "Add Reply". But I know from experience, that since the reply is still fresh in my mind I will not see something, which is why I frequently re-read some of my posts the next day, or when a new reply is added to the thread and I get an email notification.
Always give credit to other replies if they have provided the bulk of the answer and you are just adding a clarification, or addition that builds on what the other reply started. If giving that credit results in the other person getting the "Points", then you did a good thing, and should sleep better at night. Also the other people replying will think better of you.
