Business
News
Business Roundups
Australia
Canada
Europe
United States
Careers
Classified
Feature Article
Information Technology
New Technology
Education News
World Facts
Book Reviews
Archives/Research
Tell
your friends about this page
Receive articles in your mailbox
Privacy Policy
|
|
|
|
Netiquette
By: Mario Cacciottolo
A diverse group of people learning how to browse the Internet
A quick guide to some of the do's and don'ts of online communication
Raise your profile with associates across the world
There are distinct advantages to E-mail and the phenomenon of electronic communication. A large amount of paper is saved on a global scale, with reduced amounts of paperwork flying between businesses and internal departments. Speed of delivery is an undisputed plus, as your message can be delivered in minutes to anywhere around the world. It can be easier to get to 'the top', as E-mail addresses of those executives friendly enough to open their Inboxes to the masses are often available. In addition, E-mail is perceived by many to be less intrusive than a phone call, as it offers the luxury of being dealt with whenever the recipient has the time, although that obviously favours the person being contacted, and not anyone who needs an immediate response.
A diverse group of people learning how to browse the Internet
However, as use of this medium increases, with a diverse group of people of various religions, nationalities, genders, age groups and experiences learning how to browse the Internet, the question of netiquette arises. This term is described as 'prescribed social behaviour and manners on computer networks via an electronic medium' by Arlene Rinaldi, whose extensive guidelines on netiquette can be found on the Florida Atlantic University's Web site www.fau.edu/netiquette/net/index.html .
A quick guide to some of the do's and don'ts of
online communication
|
- When it comes to E-mails, it is a good idea to know your mailbox's
limit. You should even choose them according to their capacity
if you think you will be getting big files that could clog up
your Inbox. Rinaldi suggests that you check E-mail daily, delete
unwanted or used messages immediately, keep stored messages to
a minimum, and remember that you can download or copy text to
a word processing package, or even to a floppy disk, for storage
there. This will reduce the pressure on your account's storage
space, and generally make your Inbox easier to use.
- Form a habit of frequently virus-checking your system, especially
after a bout of downloading from other systems or over the Internet.
- Do remember that your files may be accessible to others, so
refrain from maintaining anything personal on your hard disk.
- An argumentative or belligerent E-mail message is called a 'flame',
and the general rule is that you should not send any, even if
you receive one yourself. Should this happen, go make a coffee
and calm down before replying.
- Be professional and careful what you say about other people.
E-mail is easily forwarded without your knowledge.
- Today, it is easy to copy, or 'cc', practically anyone on your
mail. And we sometimes find ourselves copying people almost out
of habit. In general, this is rude. People have less time than
ever today, precisely because they have so much information to
absorb. Before you copy people on your messages, ask yourself
whether they really need to know. If the answer is no, don't waste
their time.
- Consider the difference in time zones. If you require an immediate
response, remember that the person you are writing to might be
asleep while you're just finishing your lunch, so be patient and
log onto a time zone Web site such as www.timezoneconverter.com
to work out what time it is in Hong Kong.
- Ensure your E-mail messages are succinct. Because E-mail is
so easy to use, everybody's using it, and your message will certainly
be one of many that day. When replying to previous correspondence,
include relevant information from the original text but no more.
Do not return the whole message back to its creator, simply select
the appropriate parts in order to clarify the emphasis of your
response.
- Your mail should have a concise subject title that reflects
the content, that way the user can locate the message quickly
and easily. However, look out for the tricks that Spammers use,
as they will often put subject titles such as 'The Information
You Requested' or 'My Reply' to engage your curiosity.
- Smileys :) and emoticons @---;--, so long as you're
on relaxed terms with the recipient, can add a little personality
to your words.
- Asterisks surrounding a word denote *emphasis* and underscores
should be used for underlining, when referring to _Book Titles_,
for example.
- If you TYPE AN ENTIRE SENTENCE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, you are
'SHOUTING!' It is not proper netiquette to SHOUT, in fact, it's
utterly annoying. Capitalize words only when it is necessary to
highlight an important point.
- A signature is a good idea, as it renders you credible and accessible.
Around four lines is a reasonable length. Your signature footer
should include your name, position, affiliation and Internet address.
- Should you receive an important E-mail that warrants a considered
response, send a short reply to indicate that you have received
the message and will reply shortly. This is professional and most
useful to the individual biting their nails at the other end.
|
Raise your profile with associates across the world
There are a plethora of do's and don'ts to consider when writing and managing e-mails, but the important thing to remember is that none of this is enforceable, merely desirable. Arlene Rinaldi writes that "netiquette is just a set of guidelines," to be ignored or followed as people see fit. Following the guidelines, however, can prevent you from annoying people and raise your profile with associates across the world with whom the only contact you might ever have is an E-mail. At the very least, following netiquette can make your messages be welcomed, treated with a higher priority and above all, more enjoyable to read.
Each organization on the Internet should provide and inform its users on expected standards of conduct when using its network and when accessing other networks while using Internet resources. The punitive measures for not adhering to the organizations policies should also be provided.
© Copyright 2001. Galt Western Personnel Ltd.
Unless otherwise specified, you may reprint this article, quote from it,
use it in research or projects, duplicate it or distribute it. Credit
of authorship and source MUST be given to galtglobalreview.com. Ownership
of Copyright remains with Galt Western Personnel Ltd.
Return to Top
|
