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Subject:wules for the wektwic woad From:JPMartin1 -at- AOL -dot- COM Date:Tue, 7 Jun 1994 02:53:39 EDT
List Netiquette (wules for the wektwic woad)
$ Say something if you ve got something to say. You may be in a unique
position of
knowledge and not know it.
$ Ask, if you have a question. One of the responsibilities held by the list
subscribers is to let the other subscribers know what s going on. There are,
literally, no dumb questions.
$ Question authority. Always check sources; never assume that, just because
someone s on the list that they know what they re talking about. Never assume
that
they re even who they say they are.
$ Mention your source(s) when answering a query, even if that source is only
rumor. It not only adds veracity to your argument, but helps to build your
reputation.
$ Respond to one thread (a single topic and it s spin-offs) at a time. It s
easier to
understand your thinking.
$ Reflect an earlier thread in the subject line (e.g., Re: Re: dangling
participles) in all responses. It s polite to those that really don t care
about that topic.
$ Use the subject line accurately. No subject usually means no read.
$ Organize your response to a thread. Copy the phrase you re responding to,
cite the author, then write your comment. If you want to respond several
items in a single letter, break it up and address each point in turn.
$ Quote as little of the original message as possible.
$ Write short letters, and not a lot of them. Long or repetitious letters
usually get
deleted after the first screen of text. A compulsive writer will often get
the delete key automatically.
$ Check the header date, always. Control your impulse to re-hash old topics.
Endless re-hashing of a thread not only bores the other list members is not
only foolish, it goes unread. It gets deleted. It gets ignored. But your name
may be remembered.
$ Don t try to kick others off of a list (unless they are really, really
rude). Lists are a democracy. Some folks talk too much about not much at all,
others just watch the
show. They all have a right to be there.
$ Save your passion. Leave lectric love for the chat rooms and MUDs.
Express your frustrations at the gym, not on the list.
