Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site hound.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxi!mhuxa!houxm!hound!rwhw From: rwhw@hound.UUCP Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: from Peter Honeyman (KING) Message-ID: <228@hound.UUCP> Date: Thu, 21-Jul-83 12:27:36 EDT Article-I.D.: hound.228 Posted: Thu Jul 21 12:27:36 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jul-83 05:35:08 EDT Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 84 Subject: (eagle.642) net.general : Usenet Etiquette -- Please Read Emily Post for Usenet Usenet is a large, amorphous collection of machines (hundreds) and people (thousands). Readers range from casual observers who infrequently scan one or two groups to active participants who spend a significant amount of time each day reading news. Their ages, experience and interests also vary widely. Some use the network solely for professional purposes. Others use it to carry on a variety of exchanges and interactions. The kinds of interaction that occur in Usenet are new to almost everyone. The interactions certainly aren't face to face. On the other hand, submitting an item isn't like standing up before an audience either. Nor is it like writing an article for publication. Nor, since noone moderates submissions, is it like writing a "letter to the editor." It combines aspects of formal and informal communications in a new way. Despite (or because of) these considerations Usenet is a powerful and pleasant tool when people submitting items follow the emerging "net etiquette." Users at new sites (those at which Usenet has been available for less than three months) should be especially cautious until they have adjusted to this new form of communication. This document is not a readnews tutorial. In some cases I tell you to do something without saying how. Ask around or consult whatever documentation is available. The following list of suggestions is long, but you can become a responsible member of the Usenet community by reading it. Before presenting a full discussion I will boldly state the rules: Put all items in an appropriate group. Reply via mail. Exhibit care in preparing items. Read followups. Don't be rude or abusive. Avoid sarcasm and facetious remarks. Use descriptive titles. Cite references. Summarize the original item in followups. In posting summaries of replies, summarize. Be as brief as possible. Don't submit items berating violators of these rules. Don't make people read the same thing more than once. A more extended discussion of these points, of some important newsgroups, and of some common questions follows. 1. Put all items in an appropriate group. See below for a list of some important groups. A followup to an item does not always belong in the same group as the original item. In particular, followups should never go to net.general. Groups exist both to accommodate different interests and to limit distribution. Many geographic areas and organizations have groups that are only distributed locally. For example, on eagle where I am composing this item there are "net" groups, "btl" groups (Bell Labs), "mh" (Murray Hill) and "nj" groups (New Jersey)" 2. Use mail instead of a followup item. When an item asks for specific information or requests a "vote", you should reply via mail to the originator. Remember that many people will be reading the item at more or less the same time and if they all respond via a followup item, the net becomes flooded with almost identical responses that can annoy even people who were interested in the original question. When submitting an item that is likely to generate responses, remind people of this point by ending with "send me mail and I'll post the results to the net." Of course, you then accept the obligation of doing so. 3. Exhibit care in preparing items. While Usenet interactions sometimes take on the flavor of casual conversation, you should spend the time and effort to make y