Support :: Novice

Etiquette

As with all other social encounters, there is an etiquette associated with the Internet. Although people are separated by computer interfaces, we must continue to treat each other with a bit of common decency and respect.

Rule 1
The Golden Rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated.

Rule 2
Think before you write. If you are upset, wait to respond to your email. If you are new to a mailing list, read the list for a while before you write to it, in order to know what the list is about. If someone else is new to the list, be kind if they make a mistake, as you were once the newbie and surely you made some mistakes as well.

Rule 3
Learn Netiquette. A polite person is always more respected than an ignorant person. Here are some pointers:

• Remember that email is all written so avoid sarcasm. It usually does not come across well.
• Don't use all capital letters. It looks like you are SHOUTING. Instead, try using _underscores_ or *asterisks* for emphasis.
• *Don't* flame. A flame is an excessively rude email. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
• *Don't* spam. Spamming is the act of sending lots of copies of a message - usually selling something - to as many people as possible. It's annoying and usually damages your reputation on the Net. Also, you will receive many displeased responses and could have your account revoked. This is a serious Net offense.
• Edit your messages. Poor grammar and spelling may give you an image you prefer not to have.
• Keep it private. If someone on a mailing list or newsgroup posts an off-topic message or makes some other kind of mistake that gets sent out to the whole group, don't compound it by sending your response to the whole group. Either ignore it or send an email directly to the person, giving them a suggestion on where to look for that type of information, etc.

Most importantly, the Internet is a place to learn and a place to have fun. We make it more enjoyable for ourselves and our fellow Netizens (InterNet citizens) by being courteous. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the NetNet staff or your fellow users.