2 of 20

Write now Article Tools

Some helpful email tips for Internet newbies from an email list veteran

1. LOWER YOUR VOICE!
Typing an e-mail all in capital letters (uppercase) is considered shouting or screaming, and may make your messages appear angry. In fact, some forums or discussion lists will not permit messages written entirely in caps, and computer users who type all in caps in such forums may find their messages ignored by other members. Typing in mixed case (using proper capitalization) is better. If a disability keeps you from typing properly, all lowercase is considered much more acceptable than all caps. If, because of problems with eyesight you find it necessary to type all in caps or use a large font, you may want to let your friends know beforehand so that your e-mails aren't misunderstood.

2. LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
The many newsgroups, messageboards, chats and e-mail discussion lists out there are very tempting. However, learning about the forums you're interested in getting involved with before you sign up will save you a lot of time and frustration. For all forums, it is recommended that you read their website or FAQ's before signing up, as well as read without posting for a few days to get used to things (commonly called "lurking"). Most (except for so-called free speech forums) have certain guidelines or terms of service you must agree to before participating. Make sure you find out how to register or subscribe/unsubscribe before doing so, especially when subscribing to a mailing list. Nothing angers mailing list users quicker than sending an unsub request to the whole list!

3. CHECK IT OUT!
Most of us have gotten one of these at some point: an outrageous story about something that is supposed to be true but never made the news, an e-mail promising some type of reward for forwarding it to so many people, a warning about a virus that no anti-virus software can fix, or someone offering something that sounds too good to be true. These are commonly known as Urban Legends, hoaxes, or scams. Recommended sites for checking e-mails to see if they're urban legends are:
The Urban Legends Reference Pages (Snopes), Urban Legends @ About.com and Break the Chain
I'm sometimes asked, "But what's the harm in forwarding it anyway? Some of my friends just like getting e-mails" Unfortunately, e-mail hoaxes can create problems which will be addressed in another post. My advice? If a friend of yours just likes receiving e-mail, even a short personal note or e-card every day or so will probably be

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Basic online communication tips?
We want to hear your view. Write now!