Netiquette

To better define netiquette, it would probably be best if we start by briefly defining the Internet. The Internet is a community of people, linked together by a worldwide network of computers, and often these networks are made up of smaller networks. Netiquette is the term used to describe a code of social behavior, and is derived from (yes, you guessed it) the word etiquette.

Everyone on the Internet holds a personal responsibility for how it will evolve as it becomes commonplace in all our lives. While on line, we each have the option to be considerate and thoughtful about how we communicate with the world. We do not have the added luxury of facial expression or body language to make our point, so it will be the words we type and upload for the world to view that are going to create the impression on the person viewing them. The mood of the message will be based primarily on literal (or sometimes graphical) impression.

Place your comments and postings in the appropriate places. For example, do not post a network marketing announcement in the newsgroup "comp.dcom.modems." Although there is much room for commercial use of the net, many areas are not suitable for this.

Netiquette Guidelines

The discussion of netiquette is most relevant to the services that individuals use to communicate with other people whether through e-mail, newsgroups or Web page. The following are two key definitions to understanding the basics of netiquette on the Internet:

  • Flame - Violent verbal expressions of disapproval, can result in a "flame war". Don't underestimate the power of an apology should you make a mistake while you are learning.
  • Spam - Cross posting of inappropriate messages to multiple newsgroups. This can result in the cancellation of your account in addition to flaming recriminations from your fellow netizens (net citizens).

    • E-mail Specific Guidelines

    Electronic mail is a communication medium that represents a cross between making a phone call and writing a letter. You can e-mail a message to anyone with an e-mail address anywhere in the world providing unparalleled communication access and response. The following are general netiquette guidelines for e-mail, newsgroups and IRC:

  • Mass unsolicited e-mailing is extremely inappropriate and may result in the cancellation of your account.
  • ALL CAPITAL LETTERS is considered the equivalent of yelling and is bad form. Users are encouraged to utilize *asterisks* or _underlines_ to emphasize specific segments of text.
  • Re-read your message carefully prior to sending it. Similar to using the phone or "snail mail" (the postal service), in e-mail you lack the ability to use gestures or facial expressions to support your message. In addition, monitor how you use sarcasm or humor because your message may not be received in the spirit that it was sent.
  • Check your spelling. A misspelled word can change the mood of the message. For example, "Does anyone know how to send an e-mail massage?".
  • Observe grammar and rules of punctuation to the best of your ability. Use of non-standard writing will hamper the ability and desire of others to receive the information you are sharing.
  • Keep paragraphs short and succinct.
  • Focus on one subject per message.
  • Cite all quotes and references.
  • Do not send lines with more than 70 characters. Observation of this rule will assist terminal-based news readers and mail editors. In addition, some mail gateways truncate extra characters, turning your prose into gibberish.
  • Do not include the entire contents of a previous posting or mail message in your reply. MindSpring's news server, like many others, is set to refuse posts that include more quoted text than new text.
  • Be conscious of the fact that the Internet is an international medium. This means that North American expressions, values, and laws are not dominant. For example, a user from Sweden may not have a great deal of interest in learning about your First Amendment rights, as they may have never heard of the First Amendment.
  • Do not re-distribute e-mail that you have received privately from anyone by forwarding it to anyone else, posting it on a newsgroup or web page unless you have specific permission from the author to do so.
  • Include your signature at the bottom of e-mail and Usenet messages. This signature should include your name and e-mail address and should not exceed four lines.
  • The following are symbols and anachronisms that are frequently used in e-mail, newsgroup postings or chat text. Make sure to turn your head sideways to best view the first five:

    • Symbols Meaning

    :-) or :) Smile

    :-( or ;( Frown

    >:[ Anger

    :-o Surprise

    ;-) Wink

    <g> Grin

    IMHO In my humble/honest opinion

    FYI For your information

    BTW By the way

    Newsreader Specific Guidelines

    Newsfeed, such as Usenet, is a group of servers that exchange "articles" that are categorized by topic and tagged by commonly known labels that designate the source or forum from where the articles originated. All of the netiquette suggestions and guidelines listed above for e-mail are pertinent to posting messages in the newsgroups. The following are specific guidelines for newsgroups:

  • Post messages only within the appropriate newsgroups. Posting of a message to multiple or inappropriate newsgroups is called spamming. The penalties arising from spamming can result in the cancellation of your account.
  • Posting personal messages. If you mail to a person and the mail does not make it through, do not post the message to the person. The person will most likely post another message, at which time you can copy their address for your use.
  • It is considered poor netiquette to post any e-mail that someone may have individually sent you, unless you get their permission first. This is the equivalent of posting a personal letter at the town square public notice board.
  • If you should decide to test your message posting ability, use one of the many test groups that are found on Usenet (e.g., mindspring.test). You are encouraged to test before you start posting messages, just do it in its proper place.
  • Before you post to a newsgroup, wait and be an observer (lurk) for a couple of weeks. Most groups post a FAQ (frequently asked questions) that tells you what the group is about. Read news.newusers or news.newusers.questions for more tips.

    • FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Guidelines

  • Check for copyright and licensing agreements on all the files that you download. If the software is useful to you, pay any author's or developer's registration fee. If there is any doubt about whether it is shareware or freeware, don't copy it.
  • In addition, do not use the disk space that you have available through your service plan on the MindSpring server for files that cannot be freely distributed due to copyright or licensing restrictions.

    • Web Page Guidelines

  • Do not put anything on your web pages that does not belong to you. That means no copyrighted graphics, lyrics to your favorite songs, sound files of others' recordings, and so forth.
  • Do not put pictures of anyone on your web pages without their express permission.
  • It is polite to request permission before linking to anyone else's site from your web page.
  • If your pages contain any adult material, post a notice near the beginning to warn off those who might be offended.

    • The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

    Compiled and published by the Computer Ethics Institute, the following Ten Commandments provide the most succinct guidelines for activities on the Internet.

    1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
    2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
    3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's files.
    4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
    5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
    6. Thou shalt not use or copy software for which you have not paid.
    7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization.
    8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
    9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you write.
    10. Thou shalt use a computer in ways that show consideration and respect.

    Additional Netiquette Information

    MindSpring would like to thank Anne Rinaldi for putting so much Netiquette information in one place. Visit her Netiquette page on the World Wide Web at http://rs6000.adm.fau.edu/rinaldi/netiquette.html .

    For updates on netiquette via the newsgroups, please refer frequently to:

  • news.newusers.questions
  • news.announce.newusers