A Guide to Internet Etiquette

While organizing my computer files, I ran across a paper that I had to write for an information systems class while studying abroad in France. Even though most of this was written a couple years ago, it still applies, and unless there is any great social change, these guidelines probably will still apply in the future. A lot of it is just common sense, but many people still have problems communicating electronically, which just boggles my mind in this day and age. So here it is:

Practicing Good "Netiquette"
The Internet is a community that spans social, political, and geographical lines. As a member of this community you'll interact with a wide range of characters—the good, the bad, and the despicable. The following guidelines are suggestions to ensure that your internet communications go smoothly.

Write Concise Messages
Some people receive hundreds of email messages a day. To help reduce the amount of traffic on the Internet and make life easier for the intended recipients of your correspondence, keep the length of your messages to a minimum. When replying to a message, only include the sections of the previous message that are relevant to your response.


Learn the Conventions of Communication
Even though you are free to express yourself in any way you wish, I would recommend that you learn some of the conventions of email communication. Abbreviations, like FYI (for your information), BTW (by the way), and emoticons like :-) (a smiley face) are used as shortcuts for conveying tone and feeling in messages.


Include Return Address Information
Any kind of correspondence, digital or analog, should include the proper return address information. You can accomplish this by properly configuring your email client to include the return email address you'd like to use. When signing a message, it is often appropriate to include alternate modes of communication, such as your telephone number or street address. Most email programs include the ability to create a "signature" file that automatically inserts your name and other pertinent information at the end of a message.


Make Subject Lines Descriptive
A message with a subject like "Help," or even worse, no subject line at all, will often be passed over by a recipient who gets a large volume of email messages. Better to come up with a short descriptive phrase that sums up the scope of your message: something like "BA5800 – Class Tonight 05/05/10" to describe a problem or concern you have with the class on the listed date.


When Replying, Reference the Original Message
If you are replying to a message, first edit out the unnecessary parts of the original, leaving the specific point(s) to which you intend to respond. Then insert your response after each related point. This makes it easier for others to follow the line of discussion.


Inquire About Compatibility of File Attachments
Don't send MS Word documents or other file formats without first making sure the recipient can handle them.


Acknowledge When You Have Received EmailBe diligent about notifying someone who has corresponded with you that you have received their message. Think of all the times you were wondering if a teacher or fellow student received your email, and you never find out if they did or not.


Check Your Email on a Regular Basis
Make a point to check your email account at a minimum of once a week, particularly after having sent a message to someone else. Others will expect that if you have sent them a message, you'll be awaiting a response.


Reply in A Timely Manner
You should get used to responding to messages immediately. Your mailbox will soon become unmanageable if you do not get in the habit of processing mail as you receive it. If you regularly receive a large load of email, you might want to consider a software product or add-on utility to help you manage it.


Don't Send Personal Messages via Newsgroup or Mailing Lists
If a message is meant for one individual only, do not send it to them via a newsgroup or list that goes to many recipients. Always look at the address line on the top of your message to make sure you are responding only to those person(s) you wish to receive the message. Avoid especially the dreaded Blind CC mistake, which will blast your email to everyone in your address book, or the Reply To All mistake.

Learn To Properly Convey Irony, Sarcasm, and Humor
Often, good-natured attempts to be witty are misconstrued. If you like to use a conversational tone in your messages, consider whether others who don't know you will understand your personal style of communication. There is no physical or verbal cues to indicate your mood when communicating electronically, so make sure you do so other ways.

Don't Publicly Criticize Other Users
Civil conversation usually yields more positive results than inflammatory or rude communication. If you have an issue to take up with another user that you feel requires a harsh response, consider communicating directly with that person, rather than starting a war of words on a public forum.

Learn To View and Process Your Mail On-Screen
Electronic communication offers the promise of reduced consumption of natural resources, yet the reality is that more paper often gets gobbled up, given the ease of printing from the computer. Learn to use the power of your computer to view, process, and archive electronic messages and files rather than relying on "hard" copies of all your correspondence.

General Tips
These last tips don't exactly fall under the category of etiquette, but they are good advice for network users anyway:
·    Educate yourself about computer viruses and take the necessary steps so you do not introduce them to your systems or to others' systems.
·    Observe standard copyright restrictions, which usually apply to electronic material in the same way they apply to printed material.
·    Do not upload or download pirated software or copywritten music or movies, it's a federal crime.