Email Netiquette
This page presents some simple guidelines for Dairwn email etiquette. It is an attempt to highlight important issues affecting the electronic mail we send. We hope this page of suggestions helps you get over any fear of being a new Dairwn networker. Email is great. You can ‘talk’ with other Dairwn members, often.
- When you join the list, monitor the messages for a few days to get the feel for what common questions are asked and what questions might be deemed off-limits. This is commonly referred to as lurking. When you feel comfortable with the group start posting. You might like to begin with some information about yourself.
- Use a descriptive subject line. It is helpful if you use words that will describe the content of your message rather than the number of the digest you are replying to, for example, ‘Help with rearing calves.’
- Do share your expert knowledge.
- On the Dairwn network, when replying back and forth, you need to begin each post with a new email. Do not use ‘reply’ but type in the Dairwn address instead - or the entire, previous digest will show. When responding to a particular part of an original email, cut and paste from the digest and quote back only what is relevant. Giving context helps everyone. Put your comments at the top of the message. Make sure your responses are clearly separated from the original text.
- Where are you? Sign your name and where you are from.
- Feel free to be critical, but be polite. Try to be nice to each other. Remember, our mailing lists are archived. Read over your email before you send it.
- You cannot attach documents or pictures to a Dairwn email message. Because of the virus risk we only accept text-based messages. These are sent out to the discussion group in a digest format.
- Never send anything you would not want to see in tomorrow’s newspaper. Remember that a large audience, including a number of international members, will see your posts.
- There are no security guarantees with email. Avoid sending confidential or sensitive information via email. It is very easy for someone else to forward messages you thought were confidential.
- Do not send chain letters, virus warnings or cyber-myths ? not even the guardian angel ones - or any message that contains a request to forward the information to lots of other people.
- Do not send abusive, harassing or threatening messages.
- Remember that all laws governing copyright, defamation, discrimination & other forms of written communication also apply to email.
- Do not forward Dairwn messages on to your friends and co-workers. Do not expose our email addresses to spammers. Spam is the term for unsolicited junk email.
- Keep your virus definitions up to date.
- Use mixed case. UPPER CASE LOOKS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING.
- Do not use fancy text or formatting. The problem is that not everyone uses software that recognises fancy formatting so all computers may not be able to format your message correctly. You may like to use smileys e.g. :-)
- You may not use the Dairwn network for blatantly commercial purposes. Unsolicited advertising is not welcome although there may be occasions when on-topic advertising is acceptable. Please contact the coordinator.
- This is not a lobby group.
- If you need technical support contact our coordinator Cathy Seal, by emailing coordinator@womenindairying.org.nz but remember she is not on the Internet all day every day as an Internet professional might be.
