The following list of rules comes from a book called Netiquette by Virginia Shea. The explanation of each rule is somewhat paraphrased to suit this forum.

THE CORE RULES OF NETIQUETTE

Rule 1: Remember the Human

• Re-read what you've written before you post. Ask yourself if you would say that to someone's face. If not, you should probably revise it. Also, remember that once you post, others can quote you, immortalizing your words in their post.

Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life

• Use good manners and don't break the law. Make your mother proud.

Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace

• Lurk before you post. Before you jump in, get a sense for how your fellow fans interact. Realize that there are some posters out there who will respond with sarcasm because they would respond that way to someone's face (see Rule 1). Don't overreact. Learn to embrace your own inner sarcastic self and respond in kind when necessary.

Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth

• When naming a new topic, please use something descriptive - not "I just noticed," "Has anyone else noticed," etc., etc. People should be able to tell whether or not they want to read your post without clicking it first to find out what it's about.
• Don't post a question or topic of discussion that's been posted a million times. Search for the answer before posting.
• Please be aware of rules in the signature and graphics policy.
• If you have a question for a specific person, please PM them (send them a Personal Message) - don't clutter the board with a new topic to get their attention.

Rule 5: Make yourself look good online

• Know what you're talking about and write clearly and concisely. Use good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Don't swear. Don't start an argument for argument's sake.

Rule 6: Share expert knowledge

• Pretty self explanatory. If someone asks a (new ) question and you know the answer, jump in and answer it in a friendly way.

Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control

• Netiquette forbids the perpetuation of flame wars that can dominate the tone and destroy the camaraderie of a discussion group. Heated debate is one thing, but all out flame wars is another thing entirely.

Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy

• This is pretty easy to follow on this board, as other people can ONLY see the information you offer up. That said, it is totally uncool to post (or forward) the contents of a private message for everyone else to read, unless specifically requested to do so by the person who sent it.

Rule 9: Don't abuse your power

This one basically doesn't apply to anyone but the moderators and administrators.


Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes

• Everyone makes mistakes. Be kind when you come across someone else's. Think twice before reacting negatively. If you want to inform someone of a mistake, do so politely, and preferably by private messaging (PM).