Language on the forum

The posts in German are spam.

Yep, it's spam. Been reported for deletion.

AFAIK the only rule about language concerns swearing.
There is nothing to stop you posting in German, French or any other language, but you will not get a very good response. :-)

Yes, that's spam; but to answer the question, I don't think that there is anything in the Community Guidelines stating that only English is permitted.

In fact, quite often original language is used in quoting notices or printouts and then people here who can understand provide guidance. There was even a short conversation in German here not long ago.

Other than the spam, do you think it should be against the rules to not speak English?

If I write a post I want it to be read. If I write it in some other language very few people would read it. Example: tak jak se vam libi co jsem napsal? Nelibi. Hned jsem si to myslel. Radsi budu psat anglicky. See? I told you. It is better to write in English.

Dobře.

Honi soit qui mal y pense
Dieu et mon Droit
It says that on the front of my passport! You cannot avoid foreign languages if travelling.

Nigel, kde ses naucil tak dobre cesky? Dokonce pouzivas diakritiku, coz ja na tomto keyboardu neumim.

"cesky" - I know what language it is now :-)
Nigel - Ich wusste nicht dass Du Tschechish sprach!

Ok..

These days devices have so many virtual keyboards, both national and emoji, even dog emoji, that getting the accents and diacriticals isn't particularly difficult.

Herr Chris F
I think that that is the first time I have been addressed in the informal in either German or Italian without first meeting somebody. Maybe it is the Swiss influence, or the British.

I think that that is the first time I have been addressed in the
informal in either German or Italian without first meeting somebody.
Maybe it is the Swiss influence, or the British.

Actually since you're both fellow hobbyists on an internet forum, using the informal is completely appropriate in Germany (and the German-speaking internet). Indeed using the formal forms of address in this circumstance could be interpreted as a kind of icy civility ("I can't stand him, but don't want to make a fuzz out of it.")...

Danke sehr. Now it feels even more like a family.

I think that that is the first time I have been addressed in the
informal in either German or Italian without first meeting somebody.
Maybe it is the Swiss influence, or the British.

Funny enough I was listening to two old ladies on the train this evening complaining about how young people of today switched to Du to fast etc...

Recall Steve Martin's warning on his first album --
If you go to France, keep in mind that 'chapeau' means hat
and 'oeuf' means egg.
It's like those French people have a different word for everything.

I have the opposite problem. When I studied German in high school (1962), I never thought I would know anyone in Germany well enough to use the familiar form, so I learn it very well. Now I have met relatives in Germany, and when I visit them I use the formal (Sie) form, because it is what I know, and they are constantly telling me I can use the 'du' form.

On the other hand, in the late eighties I was working for a company with an office in Munich, and when we visited them everyone was on a first name basis. I suspect, however, that as soon as we were out the door it was back to Herr and Sie.