Netiquette is one of the most important aspects of online behavior to know. You just cannot ignore it!

In an eggshell, "netiquette" is simply polite Internet behavior. Sounds easier than opening your eyes and breathing at the same time, right? Well, you'd be shocked and surprised at how many people abuse netiquette and act like drunken obnoxious visitors to a lady's night tea.

Before You Begin - Netiquette Embraces...

Good Internet citizens use netiquette all the time. That means that whenever they:

• Send email
• Post on discussion boards
• Contribute on email lists
• Submit postings to newsgroups
• Join in chats

they will always think before they post.

Think what?

Glad you asked!

Step 1 - Netiquette Rules

Some of the more important rules of netiquette include:

• First Examining Your Audience - It's astonishing how often people will send completely unrelated messages to mailing lists or forums (ie, spamming). Every community on the Internet has its rules and policies - smart people never abuse them.

• Examining Your Welcome - Picture the following. You're new in the neighborhood and come across a friendly neighborhood picnic. After introducing yourself, you proceed to dominate conversations by screaming louder than a pack of F-16 jets flying overhead, declare that your hosts are more dense than both the planet's core and your shower mold combined, tell your next-door neighbors that it's obvious they're red-hot flaming idiots but not to fear, you're here to guide them and then close by telling 49 other close friends via skywriting about this particular neighborhood picnic.

  Think you'll be welcome the second time?

  Simple netiquette has you first familiarizing yourself with communities prior to jumping in with all the finesse of a moose tap-dancing on the winter ice.

• Remembering Your Audience - During heated exchanges, it's all to easy to forget that there's an actual (gasp!) living breathing human bean at the other side of the screen. Be very mindful that people cannot hear your voice inflexions, see your facial expressions and the like....all they can judge are your words and their perceived intentions of your words.

  Choose your words with care. Don't go stomping on other people's feelings just because it raises your ego. If that's the case, visit Self Help Counseling Center and raise your own self-confidence instead.

Step 2 - When In Doubt...

Back when I was your age (this was before the earth's crust cooled, mind you), a popular phrase when communicating on the Internet was:

Sit On Your Hands!

Why? Well, it's very tempting to dash off an email replete with hugely-exaggerated insults and rebuttals when you're hip-deep in the middle of trying to, ahem, make your point. Remember, anything sent on the Internet generally stays on the Internet. Never post anything in the heat of passion that you will regret once your sanity returns.

Step 3 - For More Information

Make no mistake about it - Netiquette can make or break you online. It really can! Every community has it's own set of rules and mores people are expected to follow... if you're wise in their ways, you can achieve your goals far faster than if you're as subtle as a brick thru a skylight.

Here are more places to learn about Netiquette:

• Mastering The Art of Netiquette - My take on politeness online.

• Some Thoughts on Netiquette - excellent advice.

• NetM@nners.com - lots of great netiquette tips.

• Smiley Face Glossary - Cute way to spice up your emails with straight plain text.

And don't forget about:

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