Netiquette

Cardinal Rules

1. Always remember there's a human on the other end of email.
2. Always assume your message will go far beyond its original recipient.
   
   (Never send or keep anything that you would mind seeing on the evening news.)

Important Thoughts from http://wise.fau.edu/netiquette/net/elec.html

• Keep paragraphs and messages short and to the point.
• When quoting another person, edit out whatever isn't directly applicable to your reply. Take the time to edit any quotations down to the minimum necessary to provide context. Nobody likes reading a long message only to be followed by a one line response: "Yeah, me too."
• Capitalize words only to highlight an important point or to distinguish a title or heading. Capitalizing whole words that are not titles is generally termed as SHOUTING!
• *Asterisks* surrounding a word can be used to make a stronger point.
• Limit line length to approximately 65-70 characters and avoid control characters.
• Because of the International nature of the Internet and the fact that most of the world uses the following format for listing dates, i.e. MM DD YY, please be considerate and avoid misinterpretation of dates by listing dates including the spelled out month: Example: 24 JUN 96 or JUN 24 96
• Be careful when using sarcasm and humor. Without face to face communications your joke may be viewed as criticism.

The 10 commandments that rule e-mail etiquette (Seattle Times, 10-99)

1. Don't Send Jokes
   
   (We've heard them before. There is no way to say I've heard it before.)
2. Don't Send Unsolicited Attachments
   
   (Your dogs may be adorable, but not everyone wants to see them, especially if they take five minutes to download.)
3. Don't Open Attachments (without first scanning for viruses) (health)
4. Only Include Relevant Return Text
   
   (When responding, cut out everything that doesn't pertain to the response, or use simple declarative sentences.)
5. Check Your Addresses
6. Use the Spell Checker
7. Don't Answer Spam (health)
8. Simplify Your Sig File
   
   (Don't bog us down with cute sayings.)
9. Wait Before Sending a "Flame"
   
   (If you are still angry after an hour, consider sending it.)
10. Stop When It's Over
    
    (Act like it costs money to send a message. Thanks and you're welcome are not always necessary.)

Bonus Rule: Don't expect that every email will get a prompt, immediate, or courteous answer.

Corollary: You have the same privilege to ignore any message that doesn't motivate an answer.

Useful Links