Yet another newbie arrives through the doors
In reply to Daza (msg # 1):
1) You could find some D&D games, either in progress or completed, and ask to be a lurker. You would probably have less resistance to looking at games that have finished or go on hiatus.
2) I don't think there is a list of common abbreviations or acronyms here, but that is something we could put together. You can always ask, too. Many are relatively easy to figure out, but some are a bit arcane or obscure.
3) It comes down to how well the GM can keep the players interested in the game. Bringing in new players when regular players drop out. Keeping it fresh and exciting. It is usually a crapshoot as to how long a game will last, given the vagaries of life.
4) For me, as a GM, in face to face tabletop games, I prefer 4-5. Here on RPoL, I've run games with 30 player or so. As I have compared the experiences before, face to face tabletop is the Red Bull of roleplaying, while RPoL is the IV drip of roleplaying. Being an IV drip means you can usually manage a larger group of people as things are slower paced.
5) There is no such list kept, at least not publicly. It's on you to keep track of your experiences, and choose your games based on these experiences.
6) Everything is done here. Though this doesn't prevent you from exchanging information and meeting people elsewhere to play.