Difference between revisions of "Netiquette at Free Geek"
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;Purpose | ;Purpose | ||
| − | Free Geek's email lists are set up for several purposes. Before posting, make sure your email fits in one of those categories. | + | Free Geek's email lists are set up for several purposes. Before posting, make sure your email fits in one or more of those categories. |
* Facilitate communication within and between working groups | * 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 | * Allow those who can't always make it to the facility to participate and keep up-to-date | ||
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* Create a way for those outside of the Free Geek community to contact the group relevant to their interest | * 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 | + | Send emails only to appropriate lists - check [http://lists.freegeek.org/listinfo list descriptions] if you're not sure |
;Emotional content | ;Emotional content | ||
| + | |||
It is easy to assume you know the emotions behind the words of an email, and easy to be wrong. | It is easy to assume you know the emotions behind the words of an email, and easy to be wrong. | ||
| − | + | Lesson one is try to look at everyone's comments in the | |
| − | + | best possible light before responding. This usually means if you a | |
| + | little irritated by a message, take a break and then look at it anew | ||
| + | before responding. Recognize also that your words may be greeted as much more harsh than you intended, or simply misunderstood. Give more latitude than you would in a face to face conversation, and consider carefully how your words may be received. | ||
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. | 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. | ||
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;Plain text | ;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. | + | 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. |
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| + | ;Attachments | ||
| + | Attachments should not be sent to FG mail lists. They will not be saved in the archive, and are not handled well. | ||
;Replying | ;Replying | ||
| − | Snip out irrelevant comments when replying. | + | Snip out irrelevant comments when replying. Don't make people wade through nested replies to find your comment. |
| − | ; | + | ;Cross-posting |
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. | 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 | ;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 | + | Just because a conversation begins on an email list does not mean it should end there. If the subject veers from the purpose for 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. |
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[[Category: HR]] | [[Category: HR]] | ||
Revision as of 14:59, 7 December 2006
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 or more 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. Lesson one is try to look at everyone's comments in the best possible light before responding. This usually means if you a little irritated by a message, take a break and then look at it anew before responding. Recognize also that your words may be greeted as much more harsh than you intended, or simply misunderstood. Give more latitude than you would in a face to face conversation, and consider carefully how your words may be received.
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.
- Attachments
Attachments should not be sent to FG mail lists. They will not be saved in the archive, and are not handled well.
- Replying
Snip out irrelevant comments when replying. Don't make people wade through nested replies to find your comment.
- Cross-posting
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 for 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.