In a forum where people communicate silently, using typed words, it is both easy to misinterpret someone's words and hard to convey your own. Netiquette is the way the Internet community describes common courtesy when using newsgroups, e-mail, chat, and other forms of communicating. In other words, netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online.

Some examples of netiquette:

• Avoid typing in all upper case letters, LIKE THIS, as it is considered shouting, and is extremely rude.
• Lurk before you leap. You should monitor a newsgroup, chat room or mailing list for a few days before contributing.
• When first joining to a discussion group, check the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for that group before asking questions that are old news to the existing participants.
• Do not repeatedly send or post the same message as it is considered spam.
• Get to know how to use smilies to augment your words.
• Avoid statements that can be taken as personal attacks. This is called flaming.
• Use the Subject Line of your message. It should be descriptive but terse.
• When replying to a message, do not quote it entirely but include enough of that message to provide appropriate context.
• You should not forward a private e-mail message without the author's consent.
• Don't get caught up in grammar and punctuation, especially excessive punctuation!!!!!

Other sources of netiquette:

Follow the "Netiquette" Rules and Conventions for suggestions of acceptable behaviour.

The core rules of netiquette

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