Cyberspace, like the world around you, has its share of good, bad, and indifferent people. It's up to you where you choose to go on the web, but you have little control over those you share it with. Doing your part and remembering a few simple netiquette tips lets others know that you are net savvy and sets the stage for a pleasant experience.
* Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. It's a phrase most of us have heard since childhood and it is no less important on the web. If you want to be treated with respect and courtesy you need to treat those sharing the web with you in the same way you wish to be treated. Follow the same standards of behavior as you do in real life. If you are rude, arrogant or insulting, you can expect to be treated in a like manner.
* Keep your caps lock off. Typing a word or phrase in all upper-case letters is considered SHOUTING. People don't like to be shouted at regardless of where there are and it applies to your conversations with others in chat rooms or even in your messages on the forum.
* Snooping is a good thing unless you are invading the privacy of others by doing it. Before posting a message take a few minutes to become aware of what's being said and that it is appropriate for you to be there. If the thread is about Greek Mythology but you want to talk about shopping, do not post silly message just because you had to. Once you have determined it is where you want to be, join the conversation but don't try to dominate it.
* Quote appropriately. When replying to an existing post, include only as much of the original message as is necessary for clarity. Including the entire message is a waste of space, but not including any of the original post can be confusing
* Put out the Flame. Posting or saying rude or unkind things about others is called flaming. Don't get the reputation of being a "flame", "jerk", "snert", or "troll", by making and repeating malicious statements about others. A good rule of thumb is to not say things about others that you would not want to have said about you.
* Be forgiving of those who make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes of one kind or another. Spelling errors, stupid questions, and unnecessarily long answers are but a few. If it's a minor error, consider overlooking it. If you feel you need to point out an error, think twice before saying anything. If you decide that you do need to make a comment about a mistake, use your own good manners and point it out privately and politely, not in public.
...I got an email from a m8 about exactly the same thing a few weeks ago. Did you make that paragraph up or is that one of the examples used by the scientists who came up with it?
