Tips for those new to MMOs

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one new to MMOs in general. A lot of terms, abbreviations, and tips for best use of macros mentioned in the new player area goes right over my head. So, in the interest of creating better players to help you experienced players, what easy-to-understand, lingo-free advice do you have for us? Links to pre-existing advice threads welcome! :D

In my case, I haven't even attempted any group events because I am still figuring out the controls for this game and am afraid of getting cussed out because I don't really know what to do yet. (That would just ruin the fun of the game for me and the newb hate that spews from some players on gaming forums has kept me from trying mmos before.) Also, I'm used to having a print manual at hand and the lack of one is leaving me confused over what to do with the hot bars, how to access actions, etc.

My first advice would be to join a Free Company (Guild). One that is either very friendly, or doesn't mind showing people around, and how the game works. There a lot of social guilds around for people that aren't too hard pressed to do end-game content. That way you'll be free to ask questions in game and have partners to run with to make things easier. I would just use /shout or /yell in the chat window and let people know what you're looking for. Don't worry, as many dicks as there are out in the MMO universe, there are an equal amount of nice, friendly people.

I would say to just go ahead and join guildhests or a dungeon, you won't get a feel for party play if you don't practice. You are very likely going to get fellow newbies and the dungeons are simple enough that everyone should be able to beat them. Just ask questions if you need anything, there's players that me that don't mind explaining things.

I guess the biggest advice I can give is for everyone to keep their gear up to date and to make sure it is repaired before entering a dungeon. This includes healers, as if your weapon breaks you are pretty much dead weight no matter what class you are. Consider carrying a spare weapon just in case.

Also anyone playing a damage class, everyone focusing on single enemies at a time to bring their numbers down quickly is extremely important as it is less damage dealt towards the party overall. The only exception is some boss fights which summon a lot of weak minion enemies, which is the ideal time to use Area attacks.

Have cordial manners, even though it's online.
Words hurt.
Oh and thank the damn healers when they heal you or raise you sometimes.
I mean seriously lol.

Read everything you can. A lot of it will be over your head, and a lot of it won't apply to you yet. But you'll remember reading something about it later on when it does apply, and you'll have a head start on finding the info again.

Don't let forums warp your perspective. Forums are where people come to complain. They offer a severely skewed view of any given community. Your average party experience is, well, average. You only see posts about the bad experiences people have, or the really good ones. Not the hundreds of perfectly normal experiences they have, not the so-so, nor the pretty good. Go have your own experiences.

Being a newbie to MMOs is a great experience. This is where you get all your nostalgia later. Enjoy it!

That being said, when you do encounter negativity, try to remember, it's not a lasting thing. That ornery DPS that seems SO MAD AT YOU is just sitting in a chair or on a couch somewhere, typing. Probably not half as upset as he seems, and if he is, he's clearly not someone whose opinion you should worry about. Just forget it and move on. They're not gonna remember you for long, and you shouldn't remember them, either. We've all had to learn, we've all been "yelled" at, we've all been newbies. Some people just have a hard time remembering that.