Week 1: Clear

After reading the required sections for the first week of class one concept was very clear to me. 

The concept of netiquette was something foreign to me, but after I read the section on E-learning I became very familiar with the concept. 

Essentially, netiquette is a set of social conventions that facilitate interaction over networks, ranging from Usenet and mailing lists to blogs and forums. 

It is often times seen as the Golden Rule of the Internet. As the reading stated on E-learning, with millions of people on the Internet at any given time, it is critical for individuals to "play nice." 

Some of the netiquette rules and guidelines include:

• Don't use all capital letters--it is seen as shouting
• Be conservative in what you send and liberal in what you receive. You should not send heated messages
• Use smileys to indicate tone of voice, but use them sparingly. :-) is an example of a smiley  
• If you know the answer to a question being asked, answer it
• Always check your facts before sending an e-mail of message

Netiquette is important in the business environment because to be effective communicators we must strive to work proficiently with others, and we can only do so by developing and maintaining a certain level of trust and credibility with our online presence. 

In searching Google for a web page that explains the concept of netiquette clearly and effectively I came across this site ( Netiquette .) 

The site has a video that uses simple terms and entertainment to really drive home the concept of what netiquette really is.

It provides useful tips on what you should and should not do on the Web to have a positive, strong presence.