Deciphering TheMouseForLess

The difference between face-to-face communication and online communication and the concept of netiquette
By Carla Gesell-Streeter - 5/31/2003

As many of you know, I teach communication and Web design classes at a community college. While the Internet provides us with a wonderful new way to communicate, it also has some unique qualities that make it very different from other forms of communication. Here are some simple netiquette suggestions to keep in mind when posting to TheMouseForLess and other online discussion groups:

1. Typing a message in all capital letters is considered the equivalent of yelling online, and can be interpreted as being rude. Please don't use all caps unless you have a very good reason to do so, and then state the reason (e.g. "I'm visually impaired, please excuse the use of all caps"). If others think you're yelling by using all caps, you might get a rude response or no response at all. But if you explain why, people will be understanding.

2. Be brief. While you want to be descriptive, you have to be careful about overwhelming other group members with too much information. You can often fit everything you need to communicate into one screen of text. Keep your paragraphs short too.

3. Use blank space. White space between paragraphs or other logical units breaks up the text and is easier on the eye. Two spaces after each period help make sentences easy to scan.

4. Be sure to include a subject line in your emails. Choose a title for your message that concisely conveys its content. If replying to someone else's post, modify the subject if the topic has changed since the original post.

5. Try to avoid sending messages to the list that are really only intended for one person. Send it to just that one person instead. Also, 'me too' messages don't really add anything but they do take up space. Also, think long and hard before sending an off-topic message to the list.

6. While Internet communication can be very informal, try to write correctly. By using correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and standard capitalization, you are more likely to be understood. This means things like using capital letters when appropriate and spaces as needed (i.e. two spaces after a period). If people can't figure out what you're trying to say, they aren't going to answer your posts.

7. Please don't use excessive signatures and wallpaper. Send messages in plain text format if at all possible. If you have to use a signature, try to stick with text. Because of the high traffic on MFL, many members read the posts in the Yahoo Groups area. Guess what? Your image signatures and wallpapers don't show up there at all. Remember that there are still a lot of people using dial-up modems and their bandwidth is very limited. In addition, ASCII pictures take up quite a bit of server space. Try to keep it just a few brief lines of plain text.

8. Most importantly, remember that online communication is very different than face-to-face communication. Many shy people find it much easier to express themselves online. Many people with physical disabilities find the Internet to be a world where they can interact freely with others (who may or may not be aware of their disabilities). Because many of the usual demgraphic variables that separate us are no longer visible, the Internet can be the great equalizer. A high school student can correspond with a Nobel Prize winner on an equal footing on the net.

However, the lack of nonverbal cues (like winks and smiles) and tone-of-voice may result in miscommunication. "Flame wars" often result from an online post which was intended to be taken lightly or humorously but was taken seriously or critically. The liberal use of smiley faces ";-)" to indicate that a statement is meant humorously helps a little, but it may not be enough to prevent a flame war.

It often pays to stop and think before you hit that "send" button. Taking a moment to re-read what you wrote in a posting can often save you from embarrasment and maybe even worse. Ever send a private message to an entire discussion list because you hit the wrong reply button? Oops! Avoid sending posts when you're very tired or otherwise distracted.

If another person's post makes you mad, don't immediately fire off a nasty response. Take some time to cool down first. Then, check to see if someone else has already posted in regards to the post. No sense in just adding to the fire or flame war as it may be by now. Always check to see if the moderator has posted something like asking us not to discuss a topic any more and such. When you're interacting with a diverse set of people like those involved in any Internet forum, you sometimes have to have a thicker skin than usual. There's an old Internet saying: Be precise in what you send, and forgiving in what you receive.