I would like to take a moment of your time to talk to you about Internet Protocol. Now you might say, why do I need to talk about this? Well think about it. It is my opinion that in this day and age we have a tendency to over look manners. If you think about the number of young people in our society today that don't have table manners, you might think that internet protocol my be something worth taking a few moments to talk about. Before you let your students jump on online, teach them proper Netiquette to avoid misunderstandings.

While you may be a "Newbie," YOU DON'T have to act like one. With more than 80 million users and 3 million Web sites out there, you don't want to draw undue, possibly unfriendly, attention to yourself in the online world.

This is where "Netiquette" comes in. According to The Sharpened.net glossary, Net etiquette, or Netiquette, is etiquette for the Internet. Good Netiquette involves respecting and understanding how people communicate online, in addition to not doing anything that will frustrate, annoy, or harm other people on the internet.

Some people, unfortunately, say and do crazy things when they go online. They mistakenly believe that they are anonymous and protected behind a keyboard and monitor. People feel that they are anonymous. They can be whoever they want to be a say whatever they feel, with no apparent consequences.

Netiquette is very important to remember at anytime on the net but most of all when using certain modes of communication, such as e-mail, chat rooms (IRC), and Usenet newsgroups. Some newsgroups are moderated, which means a moderator screens the material before being posted, but many are not. Unfortunately, this is an area where "flaming," or hurling a flood of insults at someone, often breaks out.

The most important thing to remember is that if you're new to newsgroups or online chat, you need to spend time observing how other people communicate before you start contributing. Nothing will annoy veterans more that asking the same basic questions over and over.

I would suggest that you teach your class or at least show them sites such as -alt.newbies- or check out alt.test for test posts. Here are some guidelines to get you started, as suggested by internet-tips.net

1. Be literate. Online communication is about written language. It's always a good idea to type carefully, watch your grammar, and run spell-check on your e-mail. Nix the foul language &endash;otherwise, people will think you have a limited vocabulary.

2. DON'T SHOUT! Uppercase text and lots of exclamation points count as shouting &endash;and it's difficult to read. Use lowercase text.

3. Use some subject sense. Subject lines are important in e-mail, as they give the recipient a clue about the content. However, sending e-mail with an extraordinarily long subject line, a nonsensical line, or no line is bad Netiquette. No subject line and irrelevant lines are favorite tricks of spammers;and such e-mails often get deleted without being read by savvy Net users. It's best to use a brief header and reserve the body of the e-mail for you message.

4. Avoid scenes. Unfortunately, you may run into some angry, aggressive individuals on the Net. Don't get involved by responding to threats or insults; and especially don't incite arguments. It can all quickly devolve into flaming. The same goes for those who spam; posting something irrelevant in many places at once. If the spam happens to include something illegal, such as child pornography, school bomb threats, or shooting threats, you need to report it to the authorities, such as your teacher or principle. This is not snitching it is being a responsible person.

5. Don't spread infections. Be very careful about posting any files that might be infected with a virus. Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date and use it regularly. 2 years ago people that used Mac computers were mostly exempt from viruses, but no more. With the advent of Bill Gates buying 128 million shares of Apple, instilling Internet Explorer as the default browser, along with new applications like Microsoft Office, Macs are no longer the machine that doesn't get viruses.

6. Give credit to others. If you post information taken from another source, such as an article or published viewpoint, you need to acknowledge the source. Even if you have permission to use the information, it is much more respectful to cite the source and include a link.

7. Don't facilitate piracy. Posting software is risky business &endash;especially if it's stolen software. Stealing software, which includes even small shareware programs and games, is not only bad Netiquette; it's an illegal, criminal act.

8. Don't be demanding. While the Net is known for its open, often helpful, community, demanding help won't necessarily get it. If you ask nicely, someone will most likely help, but you aren't owed anything.

9. Limit large attachments. Larger attachments, particularly those that contain graphics or video, can slow down the e-mail system for everyone involved. It can fill up in-box space, clog bandwidth, and really annoy someone who doesn't know it was sent. Always ask first.

10. Read the rules. Announcing you're a newbie and expecting people to direct you to areas and information posted in the FAQs and guidelines will not help you win friends. Read the rules first.