E-mail
Etiquette
Quote: Due to the
nature of e-mail lists, as compared to Usenet or web-based forums, the rules of
etiquette are usually somewhat different. These differences can include:
Top posting is generally accepted to a much greater degree, especially for
business use. Compared to Usenet, the smaller audience and more reliable
delivery method means the flow of conversation is often clear.
A business e-mail account should not be used for personal correspondence.
Since e-mails from a business account are considered official company
communications, they may be monitored.
If the original message was sent to multiple recipients, one should only
reply to users for whom your message is pertinent.
One should ask first before sending large attachments, unless the
recipient requests attachments (for example, human resources personnel
typically want a résumé attached when the sender is applying for a position).
For mailing list administrators, including instructions for unsubscribing
at the bottom of messages is considered good form.
One should not use all UPPERCASE letters in an email. Uppercase letters
imply shouting and may be considered rude.
Subject lines are critical to proper email etiquette. A subject line
should include a pertinent few words summarizing the subject of the email.
When one replies to emails, they should always make certain the subject
line of the email is still relevant to the reply.
When one has not received a reply to a business email, it is customary to
send an inquiry message within two to five business days if a reply is
expected. This provides the recipient with a polite reminder and a backup in
case the original message was overlooked, intercepted, or inadvertently
deleted.
Conversely, if a recipient cannot answer an email immediately, it is
polite to reply with a short email confirming the email was received,
following with a more complete reply when possible.
Email content should be universally accessible. Not all computers are up
to date and thus, in general email should not contain non-standard extensions.
Stop Quote http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette
