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E-mail Etiquette
E-mail Etiquette is just one of those few things that you will have to deal with online. Rather it be you reminding someone the right way to email you, or the other way around. You may be saying that you will do as you please, and if they don't like it, then they can get over it. But it doesn't work that way online. You will be dealing with many different kinds of people online. From family's to business, different nationalities, cultures, you want to put your best foot forward. After all I don't know of anyone online that doesn't like to impress others with their knowledge, or their style. If you follow guidelines, you will be able to impress anyone online. If you do as you please, then most will put you on ignore. So I just included the basics, to get you started. Like how to handle yourself when getting forwards, dealing with spam, the proper way to email, how to handle trolls, and hoaxes. This is rather long, but it covers a lot of information you need.
Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy)
Bcc started off in business offices as a means for typed letters, forms, etc to be sent out without a recipient name included on the letter head. Most typed a extra top sheet with just the business letter head, and then put "Bcc" where the recipients name should be. Bcc became popular in e-mail I believe back in the 1980's, or could of been the 90's when Microsoft introduced Windows 95. On the Internet Bcc kept it's same name, and businesses were the first to use it online as well. In e-mail It was used to send a copy to yourself, or a individual(s), without the original recipient knowing about it. Or to protect the e-mail(s). If you have ever received a e-mail from anyone, and no recipients were showing in the "To" area, just the sender itself was showing. Maybe the senders e-mail was showing only. Or It may show as "undisclosed recipients" where the e-mail addys should be at. Then you have received a Bcc. This is a very, very useful tool. Not only does it benefit the recipient of the e-mail you are sending too. But it makes everyone you e-mail a happy camper. Including yourself. This is the best form of e-mail etiquette that you can use. The pet peeve of many people on the Internet is the fact the Bcc is not used as much as it should be.
First off. If the e-mail were to get into the hands of someone looking too spam your friends, family, or Business associates. None of the addys you e-mailed would show up if you used the Bcc, so no one can gather, or harvest the e-mails, and then mass e-mail all of your e-mail friends, family, or business associates. You just would not believe how many people see your address when you mass e-mail using the To: line.
For comparison...
If you sent a e-mail to just 12 people in your address book. Three in that list, forwards your e-mail to their buddies in their addressbook. One may just e-mail to maybe 8, another e-mails to another 12, and the last mails it out to say 15. That's, 35 people you more than likely do not know, that has your e-mail addy, along with all your buddies e-mails addresses too that you sent that one e-mail too. It also means you have a one in 35 chance that the e-mail will be forwarded on to even more people you do not know. It adds up very quickly. Now you know how your addy gets spread around in e-mail!
If you have used the little black box (webtv) and some of you may still have it too. Then you may be able to relate to the number of e-mails you received on webtv, and how many of them were forwards. Every now and then, I would get a e-mail from someone that I had no clue whom they were. This happened maybe five times in eight months that I had the webtv box. I even wrote a few of them, because I was curious, as to how I got in their address book. They told me, that they just hit the "reply to all" One girl I wrote too, e-mailed me back. and said she copies all the addys in those e-mails she receives, and then paste them making groups in her e-mails address book. She said she had lots of e-mail addy's collected so far. You just wouldn't believe some of their reasons for it. This girl did it simply because she loves to e-mail everyone. One replied back to me and said they had no idea how my addy got in their e-mail. I believe they may of had a general idea of how it happened, but I don't believe they were entirely clueless. But, I could be wrong.
But really my point to all of this is, If everyone would use this feature all the time, it would sure cut down on a lot of this stuff. And because of the fact that mass mailers are the norm online, plus even spammers have been known to harvest e-mails from these type e-mails, it's a good habit to get into when using a PC. YES! they do get forwards like you do on the webtv, and spammers have been known to harvest these e-mails from them. Bcc is in every e-mail client I have seen/used Hotmail and Yahoo have this feature, and I'm sure others do too. I haven't seen a e-mail host/client yet that didn't have this feature.
Bcc is the right thing to use when you have to send a e-mail out too many people at the same time. It is also considered the proper way to e-mail several people at once. There is nothing so annoying as getting a e-mail with a scroll from hell of 25 to 50 addresses in the *To:* line. Not once, not twice, but up to five or more times in a roll. These e-mails can scroll what seems forever, just to get past the e-mails because it has been forwarded so much. All depending on how many times it has been forwarded. Not only is it bad e-mail etiquette, it is also leaving the e-mail open for a spam harvester.
Spammers love that To: line the more e-mails there, the more they have to harvest. They also know these type e-mails are valid, and ripe for use in spam. Once a e-mail leaves your computer, the e-mail can stay live, and be sent many many times, for weeks, or even months well after you have sent it. Depends souly, on when the person on the other end, opens the e-mail, and decides on either deleting it, or sending it to the masses. Popular e-mails get sent around the globe regularly. Most are rarely cleaned up before sending out. Oh and one more thing you should understand... Someone could be selling those addys for all you know. It's a market to get as many live valid e-mail addys as they can grab, and if they can do it cheap, they will, but if someone needs a buck or two they will sell them. It's common knowledge many have sold e-mail addys, they have collected from forwards, etc. So use that BCC to send e-mails your true friends, family, and business associates will thank you for it.
Outlook Express:
On the toolbar, click the "Create" Mail button.
Bcc type the e-mail name of each recipient, separating names with a comma or a semicolon ( ; ).
To add e-mail names from the Address Book, click the book icon in the New Message window.
Below "To", "Cc", is the "Bcc", select names (highlight) on the left, and then click on the "Bcc: -->" to add them to the Bcc column on the right.
To use the Bcc box, it may be missing on your newer Outlook Express..
With a new e-mail open Picture of Bcc View
select the (#1 on picture) "View" menu at top on the toolbar,
then select (#2 on Picture) "All Headers".
In the Subject box, type a message title.
(#3 on Picture) add users under the Bcc by clicking the Bcc and select from your address book, or just type their names under the Bcc bar.
Type your message, (#4 on picture) and then click Send on the toolbar.
using Thunderbird:
Click on "Write" Select *your e-mail addy* you want to send "from" if you have several.
On the "To" line Click on the small arrow pointing down to the left of the "To" select Bcc.
Add each e-mail one to each line.
Select the Bcc for each address you add if the software doesn't select for you.
On Thunderbird as soon as I selected Bcc all other e-mail addys were also under the Bcc.
Add your subject and then content, and then click on "Send"
For anyone else with a different e-mail program, look for the Bcc, or Blind Carbon Copy. Or search your help files for the directions on how to use it, or to see if the feature is provided. On most e-mail clients, look for the "view" at top under the tools, and then see if you can spot something like "headers" "view headers" "view all headers" "all headers". same If you have a web based e-mail also. If you find it not working for you, then try adding your e-mail address under the To: line. Some of the e-mail clients wont send unless there is a address in that column. If this service isn't provided I would seriously consider finding another e-mail server host, or client.
Regardless if you thought about this or not... If you was a Webtv user, certain areas were ignored by the general computer audience online. They knew that some Webtv peeps were limited in what they could do, and some couldn't do any better because they did not have the time to learn. So most computer users ignored the Webtv's etiquette lacking skilled individuals. It was just a select few that lacked these skills. So just use this as a brush up course. You are a computer user now. You are expected to learn, and use the skills from now on. You get no breaks, you collect no $200.00 for excuses. They expect you to abide by the rules of the internet that have been in place for years.
Attachment Etiquette...
Years ago sending attachments was only done by business personnel. It was unheard of for the most part for a consumer to send attachments. The size of attachments back then was very small. Now days everyone has gotten into the act. Plus everyone thinks there are no limits to what you can send, as long as your computer doesn't crash, then send away!No one stops to think that on the other end the person receiving the massive file may be in the middle of something very important. Their ISP may have a file size limit, the receiver has blocked attachments, or certain files. Plus their ISP may block certain file types. But in the end, as soon as that file begins it's journey the recipient now has a dilemma on their hands. Their email client looks to be froze. Or their computer is so slow, they are getting error messages. They could also be getting messages from their email client not being able to download a message from the server. What ever the case, I hope you did inform them ahead of time that you was sending them that massive file. I also hope that you asked them if they had a limit on file size, or type too. Do you really have to send this file to them? Is it that important? If not, then skip sending it to them, or you could end up on their blacklist.
Newsgroup Etiquette...
When posting to newsgroups read a few of the post on the newsgroup first, see how others are posting. Are they "top posting" or "Bottom posting" on replies? [Putting your reply at the very top on the e-mail is called top posting. Putting it at the very bottom of the post is bottom posting.] Are they using straight computer talk? or are they relaxed posters? Are they cross posting? [sending the same question or reply to several newsgroups] Did they <snip> the postings? [snipping a post is cutting the unnecessary text from a post to make it shorter, and leaving just what is needed of the text in the post to make a point to a reply] If it's related to a product... Do they list the product and model or version number? [This is very important newsgroups have such a vast number of subscribers, there is no way they can guess at what you have. If you need help for software, or a device, then list the stats to it along with your computer stats. This is version numbers, plugins you use with the software, or addons] Be as descriptive as you can, but also too the point. You will find out quick that if you post the stats along with your problem. You will receive help more quickly.
Wording... Words like "thingy" and "dat der part" "Help!" are not meant for news groups. Don't use them. You WILL be flamed or ignored. Act as professional as you can. Be direct, and to the point.
Signatures... Text signatures are accepted. HTML is not accepted. As a matter of fact, html is never accepted in newsgroups. Text signatures should be short, No more than four lines. Some even have a limit of two lines. View other posters, and you will get the general idea of what is accepted on that particular list. HTML will get you flamed, bashed, and or ignored on some list, Some Newsgroups have their groups set up not to accept html at all. So your e-mail may bounce.
Forwards are not accepted in newsgroups. Only post forwards in newsgroups if they ask you to post them. If you are asked to, then please clean the forward up, and remove all e-mail addresses in them to protect the e-mails.
Please also mung your e-mail addy. This means to change your e-mail addy so that spammers can't harvest it. This is easily done if you are using Outlook Express, or Thunderbird. Just go to accounts, and click on your newsgroup account, and change out your e-mail. You can add the word "spam" to your e-mail addy, and then leave a note in your signature for them to remove the "spam" before e-mailing you. So instead of your e-mail looking like this: myemail@home.duh your e-mail would look like this: myemailSPAM@home.duh
You ask a question, and you get no reply, what gives? Try re-wording your question. Then post to another news list that shares the same interest as your question. In other words... If your question is on Windows XP then ask on a XP list, not a Windows 98 list. Same goes if your post is about motorcycles, you don't post to a newsgroup that is all about cars. Another word of warning... Keep your post on topic. Off Topic [OT] post are not related to the subject content of a newsgroup list. Never post anything not related to what the newsgroup is about that you are posting too. Plus do not hijack a discussion to start your own discussion. In other words, if a newsgroup is discussing cars on a newsgroup that is related to certain type cars, and someone asked a question about a subject related to the cars, don't reply, asking about a whole different topic not related to the subject that was asked in the first place. This is a big no-no. Start your own discussion, and leave everyone else's discussion alone.
Newsgroups are all about live and learn, or you might get slaughtered. You will be expected to make mistakes, and the many people reading your post, will be expected to take advantage of your mistakes. Suck it in, and move on. No need too argue because you are up against a team of Pros at their best. I have seen plenty of people beaten down, and stomped on with just words just because they thought they were suppose to get special treatment, or because they thought they was right, (they were not right) or because they were foul mouthed, or bossy. No one is special, and even the Pros get stomped on by their peers occasionally. As I said, "You live, and you learn". Then you get over it.
SPAM
How to spot these is not really all that hard. First of all. Look at the subject. If you can't read the subject, or the subject doesn't make sense, then its spam. If they mask the word, it is spam. Same with the senders name, Also if you didn't ask for the mailing from the business it is spam. If it has no subject trash it. If it is from Microsoft trash it unless you have regular mailings coming from them. If it says your order is ready, and you haven't ordered anything, A word of caution though, if it does look like it is coming from a reputable company online, source it, even if you did not order anything, but you have a account with them. This is just for protection incase of identity theft. If it says you have won! It's trash also. Also ones that say your laptop is ready, it's spam. If it is a name that you don't recognize but they are saying like "forgot to send earlier" or what ever. This is just social engineering to get you to open it. It's spam too. If in doubt about a e-mail. Source it. (check the e-mail in html form, or some call this html format.)
highlight the e-mail and go to "file" "properties" "details tab" then "message source"
instead of opening it. Don't open spam. Spam is a e-mail you get that you never asked for. These days a new bunch of e-mails are sent out to look like they are responding to something that you sent to them. This is a ploy also to get you to open the e-mail. Don't fall for that one either. Chances are if you don't recognize at that time sending such a e-mail out in the first place, then you shouldn't be receiving a reply from anyone with that subject line. Trash it. When you get a e-mail in your box from a company you never heard of, or you didn't subscribe too that is spam. Spam will use any method to get you to open the e-mail. All the way to acting like they are a friend of yours, by using selected wording in the subject area. They want to sell you everything regardless if it's legal or not. I have seen some illegal ones recently. It also can contain porn. If you do nothing and delete it. You will be helping your inbox more than if you opened up the e-mail and tried to unsub from it. I know the USA says that we have laws now to protect us from it. But after I checked a few of them, I found out there is no unsub on most of them, or a legal name, or e-mail addy. Quite a few contained Web beacons also. So much for the spam laws. Also check out how the subject is worded. If its worded in a way that just doesn't sound like the family member or friend, then source it. Please remember Hoaxes and Spam can come with names that looks legit from family members or friends. So unless your expecting baby pictures from your best friend that let you know they were going to send them in advance then trash the e-mail with the attachment. If your friend sent you a link to a website that would even have a sailor blushing then trash it. Even if its a website you never heard of and a family member is telling you to check the cool site out they came across I would still trash it. The only time I wouldn't is if you was let known to you that it was going to be e-mailed. Don't be click happy. (Click Happy is when you don't think first before clicking on a link.)
Last of all... Don't spam. Many people are joining up to help curb spam, and you are more than likely to loose your ISP connection because of someone reporting you for sending spam today, than you was to send it out just a few years ago. You can be ban from websites, and listed on different blacklist for being a spammer. So take heart in what I say here. If you dispute that you was spamming, then you have every right too prove you didn't spam. So keep this in mind before you send a e-mail, and you are not sure if it is spam or not. The best way to know for certain, is not too e-mail it out in the first place.
HOAXES
Most of your hoaxes will come from your friends/families. Unfortunately Spam is on the rise and your box could have more spam than legit e-mails. Some of them are forwards. They use social engineering for the bait. Quite a few use scare tactics to get you to forward it on. What most don't realize is, that these can contain viruses too. The most famous of these is the Microsoft ones, and the ones that want you to take pity for someone that you never heard of. Plus there is your variety to send money for some unfortunate person overseas. The scare tactic's they use is like the one that went around for women to be careful around parking lots because some man was going to cut them. Plus the older ones like please send money for my Timmy cause he is sick. Most don't know that Timmy was like 4 or 5 years old when the e-mail originally went out. Now he is about 12 years old. So Timmy wont get the money you send through paypal. Someone else will. If you must open them never forward these till you first check to be sure they are legit. I don't open them myself. But you could source them as you would a possible virus. The best thing is to ask family and friends if they must e-mail you along with everyone in their address book, to please use the Bcc. You have every right to ask a person to do this. You could also explain to them, that you don't know all those people that the e-mail was sent too. And in a nice way say, you don't want your e-mail distributed in a forward.
Hoaxes come with the following (but not limited too) in the body of the e-mail:
Send this to everyone in your address book!
Send this immediately to everyone in your address book!
You will have bad luck if you don't send this to 20 people in the next 5 minutes!
Forward this immediately to everyone in your address book!
PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERYONE IN YOUR CONTACT LIST !! ([first five] this can be anywhere in the e-mail)
Worst virus ever
Microsoft contacted us by e-mail Please Read! (or someone else)
Microsoft releases critical patch download now so you will be protected!
Your computer is infected please download now to protect yourself online!
Please forward this e-mail so little Johnny can get helped ... (name can be different but the message is about the same.) The e-mail will come asking you to forward the message to everyone in your address book in order for a kid to be able to get the treatment they need the more its forwarded , the better chance that Johnny will get better. I even saw one of these that said if I forward this e-mail then some company was going to send me a free gift.
Oh and lets not forget the e-mails that claim... yahoo, gmail, myspace, Google, etc is going to start charging their customers a fee for all of their services. Oh sheesh give me a break! etc... Yes some, do have a pay service. Some may have what is called a premium service.
Some of these e-mails are down right stupid. if you think about it how can you get a free gift, or money if they don't have your snail mail addy? And please tell me how a company can keep up with the amount of forwards you send? So if you sent 10 or you send 5 how the heck are they going to know? If you look at some of them the web addresses have nothing to do with the companies or even a Childs website. Most are listed out of the USA. And if a company was going to pay service only, don't you think it would be in the news online? Also of note is the most famous of e-mails circulating that have to do with children, those children are grown now, or never existed. If you must know if it is for real or not, then check out Snopes, Urban Legends One of the most famous of the hoaxes is the Nigerian scams. These work by telling the reader that they are in dire need, and if they help them get their money out of a bank account overseas, they promise to make them millionaires. This is considered one of the top scams online, many people have lost their savings, retirement, all of their nest egg.
Last of all don't send these hoaxes to your friends and family. The best way to stop people from loosing their life savings, is to stop the hoaxes from going out.
Ranting, Raving, Bashing, and a Trolling we shall go!
I see this all the time. Young and old alike posting such defamatory stuff why, it could even make a sailor blush. Maybe you are mad at one person in general, or you are mad at a business. The talk is all the same, post as much dirty laundry as you can about them, and make them as miserable as possible. Maybe you have a cause that you want the people to believe in. Maybe you don't like the way so and so does business? Be sure you have proof. Be sure you can back it up with more than just words. Be sure it is worth loosing that promotion you may be getting down the road. It may even cause you to not get a job. This has come to light several times to people online. It can cause family problems, and can disrupt the very things you have fought hard to get in your lifetime. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. So please know the difference between Trolling etc and facts. Because one day someone will ask for them. Or a future person rather they be a boss, or a family member, or friend will ask for them. I have seen people lose jobs, marriages, and be sued because of this. If you must post something like this, be sure you have a means to prove it, then sit on it a few days, give yourself time to cool off. But just remember anything you post online can come back to haunt you next week, or years from now. Does this mean you should never post anything that might ruffle someone's feathers? No. Many online have become famous because of what they believed in. They are well respected indivduals. But they know the right way to spread the word. They are professional in what they post, and they "know" how to post it and get the better responce. Perhaps if you just read a few of them, to see how they do it, you could get the better idea on how to do it right. I realize this boarders on free speech, but bashing people will get you no where. You are better off with facts instead of fiction. Trolling will get you no where, but laughed at, and maybe a few flames, or even ban from a few forums, newsgroups, or e-mail list. So please know the difference between a troll, and a person with something worthwhile to say. In answers.com a troll is: Posting derogatory messages about sensitive subjects on newsgroups and chat rooms to bait users into responding. If you spot a troll, it is better to ignore them, if you reply to them you are only helping the troll, you are providing no service, or benefit what so ever to the e-mail list, newsgroup, or forum that you are on.
But Trolling is fun!
Yes their are those online, that only reason to be online is to make your day as miserable as they can. They bash, yell, and name call everyone. They love their hobby. It makes their day to see you mad at them. They love to ruffle feathers, and ruin it for everyone if they can. "Don't feed the Trolls!" In other words, ignore them. Don't post a reply, do nothing to give them reason to post a reply to you and make you even more miserable. Some of these people are only online to do this sort of thing. They enjoy it. It's their pass time. Call it a boost to their stupidity, or what ever. They hang out on forums, in newsgroups, and on list. Anywhere there is a group of people they can get too.
And Finally... Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Spyware and Adware
Most don't even realize that the nasty's can be categorized under Email Etiquette. But they can. When you are online everyone is counting on you to do your part to prevent the spread of these malware. You will not make many friends, and you could loose your ISP if your box is infected with any of these. Malware spread from computer's just like yours. So if you don't scan, clean, update your security software, download your Windows Security updates, or even use security software, to protect your computer, then you are putting everyone at risk on the Internet. You are hurting regular computer users, and Businesses online. You must learn about malware, and keep up with the news about them. You should never dismiss a claim that you might be infected. If you are in doubt, then scan your computer with YOUR anti-virus software. Keep a firewall , and Anti-virus software running at all times, and at least scan for spyware once a week.
Today's Security Software is plentiful. You have many choices to choose from, if one doesn't work on your computer, then find another one. Sorry but you don't get brownie points from me, or anyone if you try, and just give up on securing your computer. Just because one security software doesn't work, doesn't mean all of them don't work. You have no excuses. You owe it to the Internet community as a whole to keep your computer clean. Don't let us all down.
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