Many people would do well with a good lesson on how to behave on the Internet -- on forums, on mailing lists, in IRC and other chat, and in email. Even some who have been actively participating in online communities for years never really had a firm grasp of Internet etiquette. For those of us who know the rules, educating newer or plainly ignorant users is something that we avoid until it annoys us to the boiling point. Perhaps a better solution would be to send a link to Netiquette and let the book's author do the work for you. It's not perfect, but this book covers the basics thoroughly enough to provide an excellent beginner's primer or intermediate's refresher on the etiquette of Internet communication.

Writing analysis

Netiquette is divided into three primary sections covering etiquette in the various forms of online communication, online services, and miscellaneous other netiquette details. Each section is divided into numbered topics, with a quick introduction to the issue and the rules pertaining to it. A handy glossary at the end of the book explains most of the technical terms in the book. Altogether, it's an in-depth resource for learning the way of the Web.

Putting the book to the test

The concept of a book on how to behave on the Internet is a good one. The implementation of Netiquette is intelligent in its presentation, and mostly correct in its rule quotations. There are a few things the book says that are either debatable or incorrect, though, most notably its advice on "top posting" in email messages. Most people's instinct is to top post because that's the default configuration in most graphical email clients. Mailing list etiquette, however, specifically demands that you quote relevant messages above your responses. This is particularly important in the open source software development community. The book also encourages the occasional use of emoticons (smiley/frowny faces), which is not necessarily wrong, but I disagree with it. I think the world would be a better place if we stopped relying on emoticons and instead concentrated on meaning what we say, and saying what we mean. You shouldn't need a graphic to explain what your words mean.

I also disagree with some of the book's reasoning. For instance it says that flame wars start because people misinterpret messages and can't see emotional cues in what would be our tone of voice and body language in a physical conversation. My experience in online communication says that this theory is a fallacy. The real reason why flame wars start is because there is a perceived lack of accountability for our online actions. If you call someone names online, it's difficult or impossible for them to respond in any other way than with another message, which you can then ignore. If you call someone names in real life, you might get punched. The lack of consequence is what feeds online flame wars, not simple miscommunication.

Conclusions

Despite the few disagreements I had with some of the book's content, the majority of it is perfect. It's easy to read because each rule is numbered and short, and comprehensive in its coverage of online communication etiquette, from email to forums to chat rooms. I would definitely hand Netiquette to a friend or family member who is new to the Internet (or was never properly educated). It's a little expensive for its size and content, but not unaffordable.

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Copyright 2007 JEM Electronic Media, Inc. No reprints without written permission.