As you seem to know about this "ping first" thing, how does one go about it?
Do you post a comment with just the word "ping" in it to the person you are going to speak about?
Or do you send the word "ping" followed by a statement that you are about to talk about them and/or be derogatory or snotty about a comment they made, or whatever?
Or do you send the word "ping" to the person immediately followed by the "gossip", "snide remark", "sarcastic crack" etc. in reply to whatever it was that they said in their post?
What is the protocol here? As I've never in the many years I've freeped seen anyone do this, and it seems to be a rare if not never used "unwritten rule", I'm wondering how one would go about it, if anyone ever does. And your response is, as you seem in the know?
Try this one on for size...If you cannot say something to someone to their face, don't say it at all. That's the whole premise of "pinging" someone to your post. Many posts are borne on gossip or character assassination, and oftentimes that person is not pinged to defend their character.