Netiquette N ote s To make your Internet email experience more enjoyable, here are some tips and tricks, and some of the unwritten rules and guidelines often called "netiquette."  People enjoy “forwarding” email they’ve received to others who may find it of interest.  This is a great way to share useful information.  However please take note of the comments below when doing this.  You'll find here advice on:

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	how to determine a hoax, and not pass it on
	unsolicited email netiquette: dealing with "spam"
	respecting people's privacy when emailing to several people at once
	attachments, and why to delete most of them
	making your messages more clear

The wonderful world of Internet legends and hoaxes

I suggest a rule of thumb for Internet usage: do not pass on any warnings about anything until you have verified the source.  That doesn't mean your friend Bill, it means validating virus threats with on-line lists, or warnings about other problems with someone who actually experienced it, not the friend of a friend.

Fortunately, there are resources available.  For the plethora of urban legends the web propagates, check out these sites to validate any threats:
 

Urban Legends at About.com Hoaxbusters Urban Legends Reference Pages Urban Legends Combat Kit (includes suggested responses)

There are many fun and fascinating, and false, stories to be read. 

For computer virus threats, to ensure you're not passing along a hoax, please check the following resources:
 

McAfee Antivirus ALERT page Virus Hoaxes from Symantec Computer Virus Myths Home Page Hoax News from Stiller Research

If you’re unsure about a warning and don’t want to spend the time to research it, a simple guideline is:  don’t pass it on. 

Sending unsolicited promotional email

This unsolicited email, called “spam,” can be a major problem.  Some of the tips here will help you to minimize the amount of spam you receive.  Note that many spam messages have a "remove" option, stating that you can remove yourself from the mailing list by following specific instructions.  It is usually recommended not to do this, it simply validates your address as live and may increase spam.  Exceptions are messages with a "remove" option from larger credible companies, or lists you have subscribed to.

What is spam and what happens if I spam?

Each Internet Service Provider (ISP) has a definition of spam.  You can find Yahoo's, as an example, at http://docs.yahoo.com/info/guidelines/spam.html. I'll quote their third bullet of prohibited activity: 

• Using or causing to be used Yahoo! computer systems to facilitate the transmission of unsolicited or unauthorized material. This includes any promotional materials, URLs, "junk mail," "chain letters," "pyramid schemes," or any other form of unauthorized solicitation that you may upload, post, email, transmit, or otherwise make available.

• copying from broadcast emails they receive (if other recipients are listed)
• harvesting addresses from websites, online forums, etc.
• spyware and viruses that harvest addresses from your hard drive
• on-line transactions and accounts where you provide your email address
• any other method or way (like product registration) that you provide your email address

• have two email addresses (each called an alias); your email program can easily check both.  Use one for on-line transactions, forums, email lists (like GHC, for example); anywhere where someone you don't know might see your email address.  You may have to change this from time to time.  Another keep just for friends.  Hopefully this will not be distributed too far.
• do not send emails with many names in the "To:" or "Cc:" fields.  If you send to more than one person ALWAYS use the blind copy option.  Respect the privacy of your friends and associates.
• ensure that you have up to date spyware and anti-virus protection.  If not your hard drive is susceptible to harvesting by spammers.  I recommend Spy Sweeper (for spyware protection) and NOD32 anti-virus (far more effective than Norton and less likely to muck up your system).

Emailing to several people at once

To avoid this, use a “blind copy” option or “suppressed recipient” list, unless the list of people you are sending to all know each other.  Your email "help" function can tell you how to do this for your particular email program.  To use a “blind copy” option simply put the list of email address into the “bc:” or “bcc:” field, and in the “To:” field put your own email address.  To anyone receiving the message it will look like you sent a message to yourself, and they will not see anyone else’s email address.

Attachments

So the simple rule is: delete most attachments without opening them, unless you are 100% confident the sender created the file and you trust them, or you have good reason to believe the file is clean.  Inform the sender that you'd prefer not receive any suspect attachments.

There are exceptions, particularly image files, with file names that end on PC systems with .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .bmp, .gif and other less common ones.  These can usually be downloaded and viewed without harm.  However beware of files that contain these letters, but don't end in them, like "badfile.jpg.exe".

Making your messages more clear

When replying to an email message, use your email program's "reply" function.  With most email programs your reply will then include the sender's original message.  It is considered polite to then delete much of the senders message, leaving enough of it to remind the sender of what they had written.  A “thread” or series of email message replies then does not get inordinately long.

You can also intersperse your answers to questions in your email reply, again deleting unnecessary original material.  An example:
 

Helping your email contacts to help you