1. What is netiquette?
2. What are some basic rules to remember in my online interactions?
3. What is good e-mail netiquette?
4. What is good netiquette for posting to mailing lists and Usenet?
5. What is good netiquette for real time interactive services, such as chat?

Netiquette is a contraction of `Internet etiquette', the etiquette guidelines for the Internet. These rules are a guideline to the customs of the Internet. In general, rules of common courtesy should apply whenever interacting with people, but these rules are particularly important on the Internet where, for example, body language and tone must be inferred and misunderstandings arise easily.

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• Remember that even though all you see is a computer screen, you are interacting with another human being.
• Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.
• Know where you are.
• Respect other people's time.
• Make yourself look good online.
• Share expert knowledge.
• Help keep flame wars under control.
• Respect the privacy of others.
• Don't abuse your power.
• Be forgiving of other people's mistakes.

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• Assume your e-mail isn't private. Never write anything in an e-mail message that you wouldn't write on a postcard.
• If you forward a message, quote the relevant parts and give proper attribution, but don't change the wording. If you're forwarding a personal message, ask permission first.
• Don't send heated messages (flames) and don't respond if you are flamed. It's a good idea to wait overnight to send emotional messages.
• Use mixed case. NO NEED TO SHOUT.
• It's okay to use smileys to indicate tone of voice, but use them sparingly and don't assume that including one will make the recipient happy with what you say or excuse an otherwise insulting comment.
• Include a subject heading which reflects the content of the message.
• Remember that many people pay for Internet access by the minute, so the longer your e-mail message is, the more they pay.
• Avoid sending large attachments -- a good rule of thumb is 50Kb. Large attachments can clog up your recipient's mailbox and make it impossible for them to receive any e-mail until an administrator clears the clog.

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• Read both mailing lists and newsgroups for awhile before you post anything so you have an understanding of the culture of the group.
• Remember that a large audience will see your posts -- one that may include your present or next boss and be careful in what you write. Newsgroups and mailing lists may be archived which means your words may come back to haunt you.
• Messages and postings should be brief and to the point. In particular, avoid wandering off-topic. Off-topic posting to Usenet groups is considered spamming.
• Only post commercial messages to commercial newsgroups on Usenet. Posting commercial messages to non-commercial groups is considered spamming.
• If you are replying to a posting on a newsgroup, be sure to summarize the original or to give enough text of the original to provide context. The distribution of news varies from host to host, so it's possible to see a response to a posting before seeing the original. Even though providing context helps everyone, be sure not to quote the entire message.
• Be careful when you reply to messages or postings. Frequently replies are sent back to the address which originated the post -- which in some cases is the address of a list or group. It's better not to send a personal response to a large group of people. If you slip up and send a personal message to a group, send an apology to the person and to the group.
• Delivery receipts and vacations programs are considered invasive when sent to mailing lists. Don't use them.
• If you find yourself in disagreement with one person, make your responses to each other via personal e-mail rather than continuing the debate via the mailing list or group.
• Don't get involved in flame wars.
• Avoid sending "me too" messages.
• Mailing lists and newsgroups discuss a wide variety of interests and represent a diversity of lifestyles, religions, and cultures. Posting messages to a group simply to tell them that their point of view is offensive to you is not acceptable. Sexually and racially harassing messages may have legal implications.

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• Listen first to get to know the culture of the group.
• You don't need to greet everyone individually -- one hello to the room is plenty.
• Warn before you send large quantities of information. Sending unwanted information without a warning is considered spamming.
• Don't assume that people you don't know will want to talk to you.
• Respect the guidelines of the group.
• Don't ask other users for personal information such as sex, age, or location.
• If a user is using an alias or handle, respect that user's desire for anonymity. Don't use that person's real name online without permission.

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