Internet

Etiquette

Because e-mail is such a new way to communicate, new rules have evolved. This is the Internet form of etiquette called Netiquette.

Rules of the Road

As we expect other drivers to observe the rules of the road, the same is true as we travel through cyberspace. E-mail has its own set of rules called Netiquette. Here are a few pointers to help you out:

Except for emphasis, avoid using all caps or bold letters:

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING!

Be careful what you write. Your mail can easily be forwarded to anyone.

Keep your message short. Text is harder to read on a computer screen.

Keep your sentences and paragraphs short. Because e-mail is like a telephone conversation, your readers will likely tune out a long speech.

Make your subject line descriptive. Some people get more than a hundred e-mail messages every day. A good description on the subject line helps prioritize their mail.

When you forward mail, put your comments at the top of the message.

Before you forward an e-mail message, be sure to consider whether the original author of the message would object if you sent it to others.

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