How do I format my comments?
Instructions are provided from the "Help" link under each comment box. The usual things are as follows:
Quick aside: if your link URL has parentheses in them, you will need to "escape" the close-paren. Insert a backslash character ("\") into the URL in front of the close-paren.
More information about the Markdown syntax can be found at daringfireball.net.
I suggest adding that link to the help sheet or the about page-- I had no idea there were formatting options beyond what was on the help sheet.
Less Wrong is extremely intimidating to newcomers and as pointed out by Academian something that would help is a document in FAQ form intended for newcomers. Later we can decide how to best deliver that document to new Less Wrongers, but for now we can edit the existing (narrow) FAQ to make the site less scary and the standards more evident.
Go ahead and make bold edits to the FAQ wiki page or use this post to discuss possible FAQs and answers in agonizing detail.