Net-Etiquette

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Net-Etiquette quite simply defines the rules for social conduct on the Internet. A commonly held set of guidelines for acceptable behavior makes the net a more pleasant place for all. While the following information will contain tips appropriate for specific areas of the Internet, the main thing to keep in mind is this: always remember that you are dealing with real people, not just text on a screen. In other words, if you attempt to stick to the same general rules of conduct and common courtesy that you do outside of cyberspace, then the rest will fall into place.

1. Email Do's and Don'ts
2. Don't Scream
3. Know Where You Are In Cyberspace
4. Be Concise
5. Avoid Flames
6. Respect The Privacy Of Others
7. Spam Is Evil
8. Avoid Repeat Messages
9. Be Careful When Using Humor

1. Newsgroup Do's and Don'ts
2. Don't Scream
3. Know Where You Are In Cyberspace
4. Be Concise
5. Avoid Flames
6. Use Threads
7. Read The FAQ
8. Share Expert Knowledge
9. Respect The Privacy Of Others
10. Be Forgiving Of Mistakes And Newbies
11. Spam Is Evil
12. Avoid Repeat Postings
13. Be Careful When Using Humor

1. Chat Room Do's and Don'ts
2. Don't Scream
3. Know Where You Are In Cyberspace
4. Share Expert Knowledge
5. Respect The Privacy Of Others
6. Be Forgiving Of Mistakes And Newbies
7. Be Careful When Using Humor

Don't Scream

You need to be aware that any time you type in all caps, it may be interpreted by many as SCREAMING instead of talking. If you want to emphasize a word or phrase, use asterisks instead of caps. This comes across as *much* more pleasant.

Know Where You Are In Cyberspace

If you are new to a chat channel, or a newsgroup, or a public mailing list, then you should take time to "lurk" for a while and see what is appropriate and what isn't in the particular forum you are in. If you just jump right in without learning the lay of the land, you risk offending others. Ignorance, unfortunately, is *not* accepted as an excuse by most other net citizens - the net does not suffer fools gladly. Also, reading the FAQ, if available, is a great way to learn more about the forum you are investigating.

Be Concise

This is merely a matter of respecting other people's time and bandwidth. One of the inherent luxuries of email is the ability to communicate thoughts in a quicker and more informal manner than letters or phone calls. Because people are used to that, their attention is more likely to drift if letters are too long. In regards to quoting others, if it is not necessary to reprint their entire message then don't do it. Just repeat the part(s) that are pertinent to what you are saying.

Avoid Flames

A flame is any kind of inflammatory email message newsgroup post. Any message sent with the intent of provoking an angry response from its recipient(s) is considered a flame and should be avoided. A flame war occurs when members of a newsgroup or public mailing list get involved in an online dispute and continuously send flames back and forth. Avoid getting caught up in them.

Respect The Privacy Of Others

This means that you should not repost private messages, either partial or in their entirety, without express permission from the person who originally wrote them. This is the online equivalent of gossip, and doing so is a really good way to get people to not trust you. On the flipside, you should be aware that anything you send over the Internet may not be as private as you might think. While we at Quick Serve Self Access make every effort to insure the integrity of our servers as well as the privacy of our customers, the rest of the Internet is not always as secure. An email rule of thumb that many follow is to not send anything via email that you wouldn't write on the back of a post card.

Spam Is Evil

Spam is the name most often given to any type of unsolicited commercial email. Think of spam as electronic garbage. In regards to email, it is junk mail, pure and simple. In regards to newsgroups, it is any message posted to an inappropriate group, or advertisements posted to any group. No one wants spam, and no one likes the people that send spam. Furthermore, sending spam is strictly prohibited by Quick Serve Self Access's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), so don't do it!. If you should find yourself a victim of spam, be sure to check our spam FAQ page, which discusses spam in greater detail.

Avoid Repeat Messages/Postings

If you have posted a message to a newsgroup and have not received a response, or emailed an individual or list and not received a response, just be patient. Many people will perceive multiple copies of the same message as pestering. Often people don't check their email as often as you might, so just give them time.

Be Careful When Using Humor

This is especially true of sarcasm. Without the benefit of face to face communication, your intent may be misconstrued, and may even come across as criticism or maliciousness. Be aware that the Internet is an international community, and your sense of humor is probably different from others.

Use Threads

Threads are a series of responses to an original newsgroup posting. It is helpful to continue with the existing threads by pressing "reply" to the posts until the communication is complete, rather than start an entirely new post as a response. Keeping the thread information together makes it easier for all participants to follow the chain of posts as a dialogue.

Read The FAQ

FAQs are compilations of information which are the result of certain questions constantly being asked in a newsgroup or public mailing list - hence the name FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). Before asking a question in a newsgroup or mailing list, check out the appropriate FAQs. If you can't find the answer to your question there, then you can post your question to the newsgroup. Frequently asked questions in a newsgroup tend to make the news hard to read, and annoy the regular patrons of the group who are forced to sift through the same information all the time.

Share Expert Knowledge

The Internet is a wealth of information precisely because so many are willing to share what they know. If you know the answer to a question someone is asking, answer it. Isn't that common courtesy? Who knows, that very same person may assist you someday!

Be Forgiving Of Mistakes And Newbies

Yes, it's true that the net in general is not very forgiving of "newbies" (those that are new to the net and find everything strange and unfamiliar). That does not mean that you have to treat them with disdain. After all, we all had to start learning at some point, right?