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Computer Services

Computing Use Policy: Netiquette

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Because the Internet is such a unique medium, people are having difficulty making rules for its use. Out of sheer necessity, the users of the Net have, over the period of time since the network was born, tended toward certain rules of network conduct. This code of network ethics has been given many names over the years—the one that has seemed to stick, however, is “netiquette”, a conjunction formed from “network etiquette.” The following guidelines were adapted from Netiquette by Virginia Shea, Albion Books, San Francisco, 1994.

Assume Publicity

Whether you are composing an e-mail message or writing your own HTML document, it is wise to assume that everyone in the world will read your words. Though e-mail is sent to only one person, it is very easy to forward an e-mail message to hundreds or thousands of people. Unless you have complete trust that the recipient of your mail will keep it confidential, assume complete exposure to the rest of the world.

Don’t Assume Emotion

One of the biggest drawbacks of communicating electronically is the difficult of communicating emotions through text. If someone sends you an e-mail that strikes you as just a little too critical, or you read a message in a newsgroup that seems a little too offensive, chances are that you’re misinterpreting the intent of the sender. It takes a little more verbal finesse to accurately relay emotion, mood, and tone.

Assume the Worst

Behave on-line as you would in person. Watch what you type and how you word potentially volatile statements. Assume that what you say will be take in the worst possible way, and that if someone is upset enough by it, it will come back to haunt you.

Freedom or License?

There is a plethora of information available on-line—way more than one person could ever read. You are in control of what you see and hear by choosing certain pathways over others. With such freedom comes responsibility. It is expected that you will be discriminating in what you say, view, or read.

Form Matters

In the virtual world an impression isn’t made by nice clothes or a clean shave. Your writing, on the other hand, will be highly scrutinized in some situations. If you want to make a good impression on those out in the cyber world, it’s a good idea to make your writing look as professional as possible.

Respect Others’ Time and Energy

When posting to discussion groups, or when sending e-mail to those you don’t know, try to be as focused as possible. While a mindless verbal rambling may be just the thing to send to your girlfriend at “Alias University”, chances are it won’t be received well by a newsgroup that is read by thousands of people.

Be Forgiving

Just as you are trying to balance your valuable time with a desire to get your point across as respectably as possible, others are doing the same. What we must keep in mind is that what we are reading is only one small piece of the person on the other end. So, “don’t judge a book by its cover”—or in this case, by one’s structure and written messages.

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