ELECTRONIC POSTING ETIQUETTE

Mail postings for the list to <listname>@maelstrom.stjohns.edu

Consider the following points when posting electronic mail.

They are particularly important when communicating with

strangers through mailing lists.

1. Give your message a meaningful and accurate subject.

2. Take care over the composition - you may have a large

audience. Think about the content, and don't worry about

your spelling and punctuation, or that of others on the

list. Brief messages are more likely to be read, and you may

choose to not be brief to say what's on your mind.

3. Be careful with humor and sarcasm; they are not

communicated well by computer. Symbols may be used

to indicate intent:

:-) smile; <g> grin; <l> laugh; <h> hugs;

IMHO in my humble opinion; ...

4. Remember that posts directed to one person may well be

forwarded to someone else or filed for later reading.

5. When deciding whether to post something to the list,

treat private communications that were received off list as

you would personal letters.

The basic principle is simple. Reposting a private E-mail

message onto a mailing list is the same thing as taking a

personal letter written to you and tacking it up on a public

bulletin board. Because of this a standard

has evolved on the Internet about not reposting or citing

from private mail without the author's permission.

6. There is a competitive communication style seen on some

Internet lists and groups that reflects "gratuitous

one-upmanship, insult and posturing." An atmosphere of

trust is hard to create and easy to lose. This list's

practice is to communicate with respect and acceptance.

7. Electronic lists work best when a large number of

people contribute to the discussion. This free exchange

of information and opinion is what helps to make the

internet a dynamic global community.

When replying:

1. If changing subjects, edit the subject header.

2. Include the points to which you are responding in the

text of your reply by quotng a few words or lines

with your mail reader or summarizing. Your comments

are then in context, and the receiver doesn't have to

try to remember what the original said.

3. Try to keep things in perspective. Do not say anything to

others in a post that you would not say to them personally

in a room full of people. Think about not replying

immediately to something that annoys, upsets, or outrages

you. Consider that other's may have imperfect communication

skills. Be aware and tolerant of other people's needs,

ideas, triggers and expressions of feelings. (What's a

trigger? Well it can be almost anything: sights, sounds,

smells, certain types of language, repetitive phrases,

overly graphic descriptions, etc.) Sometimes when your own

ego gets smashed it's hard to remember that the other guy's

ego is just as fragile.

4. A suggestion about who has the last word: the initiator

of a post has the first word, the responder the last word,

for however many rounds the exchange goes.

About free speech:

1. US Constitution First Amendment applies.

2. You are also free to delete without reading posts from a

particular person or about a particular subject that doesn't

interest you.

3. You are free to not respond.

(Adapted from mailbase message for MADNESS. Adopted

without objection 5/26/1994.) Item 5 amended 5/11/96.

Blank lines added and item 2 under replying amended 2/28/97.