Netiquette at Free Geek

Netiquette is a word used to describe good manners or etiquette on the internet. While there are a few rules which may seem arbitrary, most of it is just common sense. For a more complete discussion of what netiquette means, the following links might be useful:

• Netiquette Core Rules
• Netiquette on Wikipedia
• [RFC 1855] - Netiquette Guidelines

Purpose

Free Geek's email lists are set up for several purposes. Before posting, make sure your email fits in one of those categories.

• Facilitate communication within and between working groups
• Allow those who can't always make it to the facility to participate and keep up-to-date
• Create a set of archives for reference
• Create a way for those outside of the Free Geek community to contact the group relevant to their interest

Send emails only to appropriate lists - check list descriptions if you're not sure

Emotional content

It is easy to assume you know the emotions behind the words of an email, and easy to be wrong.

• Give the other person the benefit of the doubt. Be very cautious about snapping back.
• Recognize that your words may be greeted as much more harsh than you intended.

ALL CAPS is regarded as shouting, and is never appropriate for an email list. If you feel a need to shout, you need to take it off list, and probably shouldn't do it at all.

Flaming is never acceptable for an email list, even if (maybe especially if) you feel someone else started it.

Headings

Craft relevant and specific subject headings, e.g. "staff meeting minutes 11-12-05" not "meeting", "proposed fg hours change" not "proposal" or "hours".

Plain text

All emails sent to Free Geek email lists should be in plain text. HTML is not handled well by all mail readers, and just detracts from your message. Also avoid attaching files: mailman refuses to handle it and they won't go into the archive. Refer to URL.

Replying

Snip out irrelevant comments when replying.

Crossposting

Go easy on the cross-posting (posting to multiple lists). There really is probably one appropriate place to send your post, and the people who need to see it are probably signed up for all the potentially appropriate lists anyway. If you post to multiple lists, the responses can get lost in multiple threads.

Taking it off list

Just because a conversation begins on an email list does not mean it should end there. If the subject veers from the purpose fo the list, has been "beaten to death", or has become personal rather than public, it is time to take it off the list into private emails.