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Seniors helping seniors use computers and the internet

 

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Email

Since SeniorNet is a computer based organization, Email contact is the preferred option. There are times when a phone call may be required. To ensure that you receive newsletters and any other information, please ensure we have your correct contact details.  

Netiquette

What is ‘Netiquette’?

It is the application of social graces when communicating with others whilst on the Internet. These rules apply whether you are using e-mail, chat groups, or newsgroups. To check this out, try entering ‘netiquette’ in your favourite search engine when next you are on the Internet.

Face-to-face communication can result in misunderstanding and on occasions, strained relations between the parties involved. Written communication is not without its problems either. As Email use has become widely popular, many users have been on the receiving end of scathing attacks from those who took offence at a message. Such attacks are known as ‘flaming’ or being ‘flamed’.  

Do’s and Don’ts

The following Do’s and Don’ts are excerpts from various sites that offer guidance on the subject. They will give you an idea of what is and isn’t acceptable conduct in email use. Before you enter a news group, begin a blog, reply to a blog or forum, you should spend some time reading that group’s FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) and its information for newies (new users). These may be considered to be Cardinal Rules …  

  1. DON’T include the entire text of the message to which you are responding. Never include headers when forwarding an Email. DO cut the original message down, leaving just the pertinent text to which you are responding.
  2. DON’T reply to a point in a message without paraphrasing what you’re responding to, and who said it. DO paraphrase briefly. Email programs usually indicate the lines of the original message by prefixing them with a   > symbol. Other programs offer options to identify the original text lines by indenting them.
  3. DON’T send a message asking, “Who wants to talk about …?”   DO say something yourself about the subject you’re raising.
  4. DON’T SEND A MESSAGE IN CAPITAL LETTERS. CAPITALISED MESSAGES ARE HARDER TO READ THAN LOWER CASE. Text in upper case is considered to be shouting at your addressee. DO use normal capitalisation.    

The above information is offered as a guide for new users and may help when deciding to join news or chat groups.  

Getting Help

No matter how experienced we are with computers, there is a time when we need some help with something. The Help Page on the SeniorNet website is a good place to start. Items include information on Spam (Email junk mail), searching on the Internet, understanding zip files and much more. We can all use a little help so there are also some addresses for websites that help members to learn about the Internet, as well as understanding computers. There are also members of SeniorNet who will help if you are having difficulties.

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