N E T I Q U E T T E

Ethics and rules for the correct use of network services
Within the community of network service users, especially Internet users and, 
in particular, inside the "news" service Usenet, a number of "traditions" and 
"principles of correct behaviour" have been developed with time: all these 
rules are generally known as "netiquette". Keeping in mind that whoever 
provides your network access (provider, public institution or agency, 
employer, etc.) can also control even more precisely the users' duties, we 
summarise in this document the fundamental principles of "netiquette", 
reminding everybody that these rules are mandatory. 


1 - When you join a new newsgroup or a new electronic mail distribution list, 
read the messages posted there for at least two weeks before starting to send 
your own around the world: in this way you will understand the topics of the 
discussion and the methods to be used in such an environment. 

2 - If you send a message, be brief and concise, both in the subject field as 
well as in the message itself. Always use the "subject" field to specify the 
topic. If using the "signature" file, please keep it short. 

3 - Do not post or send messages to the target newsgroup or distribution list 
which deviate from the topic in question. 

4 - Whenever possible, avoid broadcasting your message to many mailing lists 
(or newsgroups) at a time. There is usually only one specific mailing list 
representing the correct target of your message and which contains all 
interested users in that particular topic. 

5 - If you answer a message, quote only the relevant sections of the original 
message in order to facilitate understanding by users who did not read it, 
and avoid systematically reposting the entire original text. 

6 - Do not engage in "opinion wars" on the network through the sending of 
messages and replies: if you have personal discussions, solve them via 
private electronic mail correspondence with the interested parties. 

7 - Never publish the content of electronic mail messages without the 
explicit permission of the author. 

8 - Do not post stupid messages or take sides to support somebody's opinion 
within an ongoing discussion. Always read the Frequently Asked Questions 
(FAQ) relating to the discussion topic before sending new questions. 

9 - Never send advertising or commercial promotion messages or any other 
unsolicited message via electronic mail, unless explicitly requested by the 
recipient. 

10 - Be tolerant with users who makes syntactical or grammar errors when 
posting messages. Users posting messages must in any case improve their 
knowledge of the language, in order to be understood by the whole community. 
Furthermore, to the previously mentioned rules we must add the following 
criteria based on common sense logic: 


A - The network is used as a major work tool by many users. They do not have 
time to read jokes, useless or personal messages which are not of general 
interest. 

B - Any activity which heavily affects network traffic, such as bulk data 
transfers, reduces the overall network performance. Users should thus perform 
these operations outside peak network time (at night for example), taking 
into account the different time zones. 

C - On the network a number of file server sites exists, containing up-to-
date copies of relevant documentation, software and other objects made 
available via network. Users must ask in advance which is the most convenient 
accessible server node for their use. If a file is made available on this 
server, or locally, there is no reason to load it again via the network, 
wasting network bandwidth and waiting much longer for the file transfer to be 
effected. 

D - The software made available on network servers can be protected by 
copyrights and/or other restrictions on its use. Users must always read 
carefully any accompanying documentation before using, modifying or 
redistributing this software in any shape or form. 

E - Incorrect behaviour of an explicit illegal nature by users, such as: 

violating the security of network databases and hosts; 
violating other users' privacy, reading or intercepting their electronic mail 
messages; 
compromising the correct performance of the network and of any equipment 
which constitutes its service with programmes (virus, trojan horses, etc.) 
and other hacking tools; 
are explicit criminal violations and, as such, are punishable by current 
laws. 

For more detailed information on the principles stated above, please refer to 
the document RFC1855 "Netiquette Guidelines", available on-line at the 
following URL: 


ftp://ftp.nic.it/rfc/rfc1855.txt

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Last Update: 02/10/97 18:22