““Netiquette”Netiquette”

Author: Charles Curley

Presenter: Michelle Koch

OverviewOverviewSending EmailVirus Warnings and Auto-Response MessagesCourtesyReplying to EmailsHTML EmailEmailing PicturesLine Strength and FontLists and NewsgroupsConclusion

Sending EmailSending EmailUse BCC rather than CC when emailing a

number of people. Do not give out peoples email addresses

without their permission.◦This reduces spam and prevents virus spreads.

Affix a digital signature to your emails and encrypt it. ◦This authenticates the message.

Virus Warnings and Auto-Response Virus Warnings and Auto-Response MessagesMessages

Do not propagate email “virus warnings”◦ Instead, research the warnings at reputable sites

such as F-Secure and Symantec. www.F-SecureUSA.com www.Norton.com

Use a “vacation” program that does not respond to list traffic.◦Ex. “I am on vacation; if this is an emergency,

please contact John Doe.”

CourtesyCourtesyKeep your e-mails short and sweet. (50 KBs)◦Not everyone has broadband.◦Some people access their email via mobile

phone and pay by the minute.◦Some people have metered access. ◦Some people have slow access.

Check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Replying to EmailReplying to EmailSet your mail reader to include and quote

the original text.

Reply below the material to which you are responding.◦Allows reader to glance at the original text

before reading your response.Break up the original paragraphs so the

reply is less confusing.

HTML EmailHTML EmailIt wastes space.Not everyone has a mail carrier that handles

HTML gracefully.Replies to HTML emails may make the original

text unreadable.Spammers use HTML emails as Trojan horses.◦An innocent-appearing URL in HTML may redirect to

a phishing web site. A scam by which an email user is deceived into revealing personal or confidential information which the scammer can use illicitly.

Emailing PicturesEmailing PicturesWhen sending graphics, use one of the

following:◦JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg)◦PNG (.png)◦GIF (.gif)

Use compression.

Line Strength and FontLine Strength and FontSet your line strength to 72 characters.◦Longer line strengths may cause problems.◦Too short a line strength may mangle other

people’s emails.

Use mono spaced font like courier.

Lists and NewsgroupsLists and NewsgroupsStay on topic. The more traffic a list

generates the more:◦You will annoy people.◦People will respond, usually negatively, further

burdening the readers.Check Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s).Save important information when joining a

list.Pick your subject carefully. Don’t use CAPITAL letters.

ConclusionConclusionBe mindful of recipient’s privacy/access.Keep emails short, sweet, and

grammatically correct. Do not send HTML emails.Use JPEG for pictures and compress.Stay on topic when posting to lists and

newsgroups.

Questions