Another one: A Guide to E-mail Etiquette courtesy of Dnet Electronic mail -- or e-mail as it is most commonly known -- works very much like postal mail. You receive mail at your own address, and you send mail to others at their addresses. If you have used a computer to type a letter, then you have most of the skills needed to send e-mail. The only difference is that with regular mail you would have to print out the letter and put it in the mailbox, whereas with e-mail you press a key or two and the letter is transmitted electronically. Today, with 60 million Americans having access to e-mail, and 12.8 million U.S. households using e-mail from home, it is the most widely used application on the Internet. By the year 2001, it is projected that the number of Americans who will communicate via e-mail will be 135 million (half the population). What does all this mean to you? E-mail is hot, and getting hotter. Chances are, sooner or later you will be using it. And, with the use of e-mail comes a whole new language, a new set of unspoken rules and responsibilities -- what is commonly known as E-mail Etiquette. Here are some Dos and Don’ts to help you become a savvy e-mail user. Etiquette Dos: Be Concise. Keeping e-mails short helps to keep them more productive. Avoid "Flames." A "flame" is an inflammatory or critical message. Use Asterisks. Use asterisks to highlight a key word or thought for emphasis. Use Threads. Threads are a series of responses to an original message. Avoid Spamming. Spam, when used in reference to e-mail, means electronic garbage. Etiquette Don’ts: Use ALL CAPS. This is the online equivalent of shouting. Repeat Messages. Sending the same message to the same recipient more than once can be perceived as pestering a person. Overuse Mail Distribution Lists. A long delivery can annoy readers and make your message seem like junk mail. +------------------------------------------------------------+ | Ensure that you have read the CircleMUD Mailing List FAQ: | | http://qsilver.queensu.ca/~fletchra/Circle/list-faq.html | +------------------------------------------------------------+
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