A Guide to Netiquette
Netiquette, in short, is the online version of etiquette. It is a set of guidelines dictating the best way to behave when conversing with someone over the internet.
Breaches of netiquette generally take the form of somebody misunderstanding what someone else is saying. This is easily done; in real life we can rely on tones of voice and facial expressions to convey a meaning, but online these things don't exist. Therefore, we have to be extra careful not to unintentionally offend someone.
Smilies
Emoticons, or 'Smilies' can sometimes come in useful for this purpose. These are simple images constructed from characters which can help convey the meaning of a message.
There are literally hundreds of smilies in use, but some of the more common ones are:
: ) - Smiling face - indicates happiness
; ) - Winking face - indicates cheekiness, a joke
: P - Tongue out - indicates cheekiness, a joke
x D - Laughing face - indicates laughter
: D - Grinning face - indicates happiness or laughter
: ( - Frowning face - indicates sadness
>: ( - Angry face - indicates anger or displeasure
: x - Kissing face - indicates a kiss, or keeping a secret
: 0 - Open-mouthed face - indicates surprise
: O - Yawning face - indicates tiredness
Obviously these are only a small percentage of the range of emotions that can be conveyed by keyboard characters; but it gives you an idea of what can be done.
Look before you leap
Strictly speaking, this should be 'Lurk before you leap'. Once you have joined an online community, it's always a good idea to check out any social areas such as the forums before you start attempting to converse with the other members. This will give you an idea of the type of language used, and how the other members interact with each other.
This is one of the reasons why, on Vampirerave, you cannot post in the forums as soon as you join. You are encouraged to get a feel for the place before storming in and committing a social blunder.
Shouting
One of the biggest faux pas you can make online is to type IN CAPITALS. This is akin to shouting, and is considered extremely rude. If you wish to emphasize a point, it's better to use the bold tag rather than the caps lock key.
Do unto others
The basic rule for any online networking is: treat others as you'd like to be treated yourself. On VampireRave, as any other site, there are many strong-minded members who, while initially polite and gracious, refuse to be intimidated by a newcomer attempting to throw their weight around. If you would like people to respond to you with kindness and respect, it must be earned. If you are polite and friendly to people, more often than not they will return the favour. If they respond to friendliness with rudeness, simply ignore them. This is what the 'Block' function is for.
Remember - we're all human
It's easy to forget that the person you're insulting over the internet is actually a real person. Just because you can't see their face crumple up in dismay at your cruel words doesn't mean you are having no effect on them. If you're about to send a scathing message to someone, read it back to yourself first and ask yourself - honestly - if you'd say those things to the persons face. If the answer is yes, then take yourself off this website and go on an anger management course instead. If the answer is no, then re-word it until it turns into something you could envision yourself saying in person.
Politeness costs nothing, and this is just as true online as it is in real life.
Respect others
Here on VampireRave, as with any online community, you have the opportunity to communicate with people from all walks of life from around the globe. While it's unreasonable to assume that you will get along with everybody, and everyone will agree with you, it's only good netiquette to respect the feelings, thoughts and beliefs of others. So what if SoandSo is a Christian and doesn't believe in sex before marriage? So what if Who'sIt is a self-confessed dominatrix and has several male slaves who pander to her needs? It doesn't affect you personally, so there is no reason for you to make any derogatory comments about it. People are often more easily offended than they claim to be; so unless you are a cold-hearted person who genuinely doesn't care about the feelings of others - in which case you shouldn't be here - keep quiet about things that don't interest or concern you.
Coming back to haunt you
Just like if you say something mean in real life which you can't take back, the same holds true in cyberspace. It's all too easy for a nasty message you sent ages ago and have forgotten about to come back and bite you in the ass at a wrong moment. People hold grudges, and messages can be saved.
In conclusion
Remember, these are real people with real emotions you're interacting with, not a set of robots with iron lumps for hearts. Be considerate, be courteous, and your online experience should be a rewarding one.
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