Electronic Mail Etiquette
Some musings by David Harris ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
This document presents some simple guidelines for electronic mail
etiquette. It does not try to mandate any particular style or rules:
it is instead an attempt to highlight important issues which affect
the clarity of the electronic mail we send. After all, electronic mail
is about communication, so clarity should be our goal.
Addresses and personal names
----------------------------
A "Personal name" is an arbitrary string that many mailers will allow
you to define, which is attached to your e-mail address as a textual
comment.
Always provide a personal name if your mail system allows it - a
personal name attached to your address identifies you better than
your address can on its own.
Use a sensible personal name: "Guess who" or other such phrases are
annoying as personal names and hinder the recipient's quick
identification of you and your message.
If your mail system lets you use personal names in the addresses to
which you send mail, try to use them. This will often help a
postmaster recognize the real recipient of the message if the address
is invalid.
Example:
The address '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' conveys less information
than if it were written as '[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Ford Prefect)'
Subject lines
-------------
Always include a subject line in your message. Almost all mailers
present you with the subject line when you browse your mailbox, and
it's often the only clue the recipient has about the contents when
filing and searching for messages.
Make the subject line meaningful. For example, sending a message to
OBC Mailing List with the subject "OBC" is practically as unhelpful
as having no subject at all.
If you are replying to a message but are changing the subject of
the conversation, change the subject too - or better still, start a
new message altogether. The subject is usually the easiest way to
follow the thread of a conversation, so changing the conversation
without changing the subject can be confusing and can make filing
difficult.
Message Length, Content and Format
----------------------------------
In general, keep to the subject as much as possible. If you need to
branch off onto a totally new and different topic then it's often
better to send a new message, which allows the recipient the option
of filing it separately.
Avoid public "flames" - messages sent in anger. Messages sent in
the heat of the moment generally only exacerbate the situation and
are usually regretted later. Settle down and think about it for a
while before starting a flame war. (Try going and making yourself a
cup of coffee - it's amazing how much you can cool down even in
that short a time, besides which a cup of good coffee is a great
soother).
Try to match your message length to the tenor of the conversation:
if you are only making a quick query, then keep it short and to the
point.
Don't type your message in all-uppercase - it's extremely difficult
to read (although a short stretch of uppercase may serve to
emphasize a point heavily). Try to break your message into logical
paragraphs and restrict your sentences to sensible lengths.
Use correct grammar and spelling. Electronic mail is all about
communication - poorly-worded and misspelt messages are hard to
read and potentially confusing. Just because electronic mail is
fast does not mean that it should be slipshod, yet the worst
language-mashing I have ever seen has been done in e-mail
messages. If your words are important enough to write, then they're
also important enough to write properly.
Replies
-------
Include enough of the original message to provide a context.
Remember that Electronic Mail is not as immediate as a telephone
conversation and the recipient may not recall the contents of the
original message, especially if he or she receives many messages
each day. Including the relevant section from the original message
helps the recipient to place your reply in context.
Include only the minimum you need from the original message. One of
the most annoying things you can encounter in e-mail is to have
your original 5-page message quoted back at you in its entirety,
with the words "Me too" added at the bottom. Quote back only the
smallest amount you need to make your context clear.
Pay careful attention to where your reply is going to end up: it
can be embarrassing for you if a personal message ends up on a
mailing list, and it's generally annoying for the other list
members.
Ask yourself if your reply is really warranted - a message sent to
a list server which only says "I agree" is probably better sent
privately to the person who originally sent the message.
Courtesy
--------
Electronic mail is all about communication with other people, and as such
some basic courtesy never goes amiss.
If you're asking for something, don't forget to say "please".
Similarly, if someone does something for you, it never hurts to say
"thank you". While this might sound trivial, or even insulting,
it's astonishing how many people who are perfectly polite in
everyday life seem to forget their manners in their e-mail.
Don't expect an immediate answer. Just because you don't get an
answer from someone in ten minutes does not mean that he or she is
ignoring you, and is no cause for offence. Electronic mail is all
about dealing with your communications when you are able to do so.
Always remember that there is no such thing as a secure mail
system. It is unwise to send very personal or sensitive
information by e-mail unless you encrypt it using a reliable
encryptor. Remember the recipient - you are not the only person who
could be embarrassed if a delicate message falls into the wrong
hands.
Include enough information: if you are sending in a question to
which you expect a response, make sure you include enough
information to make the response possible.
"Smiley faces" (Emoticons)
--------------------------
Electronic mail has very nearly the immediacy of a conversation, but
is totally devoid of "body language". The Internet "counter-culture"
has had an answer to this problem for years - "smiley faces", or
groups of ASCII characters that are meant to look like a face turned
on its side.
The most common smiley faces are probably these:
:-) or :)
A smiling face seen side-on; generally used to indicate
amusement, or that a comment is intended to be funny or
ironic ("<g>" or "<grin>" is also sometimes used).
:-( or :(
An unhappy face seen side on; generally used to express
disappointment or sorrow.
;-)
A winking smiley face; usually indicates that something
should be taken "with a grain of salt".
;->
A mischievous smiley face; usually indicates that a
comment is intended to be provocative or racy.
using the common smiley faces carefully can markedly improve the
clarity of your message, since they convey nuances which approximate
"body language". Like any embellishment, however, overuse of smiley
faces destroys their value - use them sparingly.
The Bottom Line
---------------
Above all else, remember that electronic mail is about communication with
other people. When you compose an e-mail message, read it over before
sending it and ask yourself what your reaction would be if you received
it. Any time spent on making our e-mail clearer is time well-spent, so
let's start taking the time.
Copyright 1997 David Harris
------
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