Custom InternetEmail Guidelines and Etiquette
One of the great benefits of the Internet is that it enables users to send messages to each other at great speed. A whole new method of communication has opened up, both for business and personal use.
Electronic mail or 'email' is just like normal 'snail mail', though it is MUCH faster and generally less formal. Much of the terminology has been borrowed from its traditional equivalent, and many of the same rules of etiquette apply.
Reading this page will help you avoid some of the pitfalls and help you to use email more effectively.
An extended version of this guide in pdf format is available on request.
Your email address
Email addresses are divided into two parts, separated by an '@' sign. The bit before the '@' identifies the recipient, and the bit after it is the address to which it should be delivered.
e.g. john.smith@somewhere.com
Your email software may use optional 'Nicknames' or 'Aliases'. These are simply a way of making life easier for us by avoiding the need to remember long complex addresses. They can also be used to refer to several addresses, and this is especially useful as you can then use one Nickname to send a message to a group of people. When you type one of your Aliases as the recipient's address, the software will translate that into the real address(es) before sending the message. If your email software links in with an address book, then simply typing the reciient's name will locate them in the address book and use the correct email address. It's worthwhile double checkint though, as there can be confusion with name clashes or for people who use more than one address (e.g. home and work).
Using email
Email is fast, inexpensive and convenient, and also has the advantage of being non-intrusive, since the recipient can read and respond to messages in their own time. This is extremely useful when you need to communicate with people in different parts of the world where the daytime is rather different to your own!
The very speed and informality of email is both an advantage and a disadvantage. It is best for non-urgent queries and transferring information - though you should avoid sending very large files this way.
This can however lead to hasty or ill considered words, so use it wisely, and apply the same logic as you would when writing a letter or picking up the telephone.
Privacy and confidentiality issues are of course just as important as in traditional letters. It is very easy to keep vast amounts of email on disk for many years, and this can come back to haunt you. There are cases of old email being successfully used as evidence in court.
Since email is sent in plain text via an unknown route that may cross national boundaries, it is not considered 'secure'. It is certainly not good enough for sending Credit Card numbers etc.. Such information can only be safely passed through secure encrypted connections.
Some do's and don'ts
As with any form of communication, there are a few things to beware of, and some generally accepted rules of etiquette.
- Set up your mail software
Set up your email software with the correct return address. This makes it much easier for the recipient to reply to you. The exact method of doing this will depend on the software you are using - check the package help screens. - Make sure you are legal
There are certain legal requirements relating to business emails. In particular, limited companies MUST include their registered office address, trading address, a telephone number and the Comany registration number. If you are VAT registered, you must also include the VAT number.
The best way to ensure this is included is to set up a standard email 'footer' or 'signiture' - see your software help screens.
Click here for more information on signatures.
- Think before hitting 'send'
The speed and informality of email means that it is easy to say something you may regret later. If you wouldn't put your message a letter, then don't email it. Always read your mail through to check for errors before sending it. - Check your mail regularly
It is a good idea to check your email on a regular basis. How often will depend on how much you use it and the potential importance of any incoming messages. - When replying
Check who your message is going to. If the mail that you are replying to was addressed to several people, simply clicking on the 'reply' button may send your response to everyone. This is not usually what you want and can be very annoying or embarrassing if your reply was only intended for one person. - Delete the sender's message from your reply
Depending on your email software, a reply may automatically include the whole of the message being replied to. You should delete the bulk of the sender's message from your reply (all of it if possible) and only retain enough of it for the context of your reply to be understood. - DON'T TYPE IN UPPER CASE …
as it makes your message more difficult to read, as well as looking as if you are shouting. - Avoid styled text
Styled text (special fonts, colour or other effects) should only be used for special purposes. You would not send a business letter using lots of different fonts and colour, so avoid it in email. Also styled text is not supported by all email software and so may be difficult or impossible for the recipient to read. - Attachments
Attachments are additional documents, pictures and other files that are sent along with the main message. They are often suspect as potential carriers of viruses. Be considerate to recipients and send them advance warning if you are intending to send anything larger than 1MB. - Beware of email bearing gifts
You should beware of messages showing unexpected attachments. These could be carriers of viruses, especially if the sender is unknown to you. It is a good idea to refer to any attachments that you are sending, in the body of your message, so the recipient knows what to expect. A good rule of thumb is that if you don't know what it is, or where it came from, then delete it. Some security software gives you the ability to pre-screen your email whilst it is still on the server, so suspect or unwanted messages can be deleted without coming on to your machine. - Review, File and Delete
It is very easy to keep mail for far longer than necessary. Treat the 'incoming mail' folder like you would the in-tray on your desk and review and file or delete old messages regularly. Most email software has the ability to set up different folders for messages, so that you can file messages according to subject, sender or however you wish. Keeping messages in your incoming mail folder can also be risky, since if a virus infected mail corrupts it, you could loose all your messages. This DOES happen!
When it Doesn't Work …
Just like conventional mail, there is no unconditional guarantee that your message will be delivered or read. The most common cause of undelivered email is an incorrect address. In this case, the server will return the message to you with an appropriate error message. If this happens, check the spelling of the address very carefully for errors. If it is correct, then there is little option but to contact the recipient by an alternative method and verify the address. Getting the recipient to send an email to you will often reveal their address, and is a useful way checking that everything is working correctly.
Sometimes, email will simply vanish due to a server fault or other network problems. If this happens, try re-sending the message, and if the problem persists, your ISP's support team may be able to help.
Junk Mail & Spam
It is almost inevitable that sooner or later you will receive some junk email. These messages are mostly advertising or promotion material. Largely frowned upon, this junk mail (or 'spam') is best dealt with by simply deleting it. All reputable senders of such messages e.g from lists you have opted in to will have removal instructions in every message. Following the 'removal instructions' on other messages can sometimes compound the problem by handing your email address to another junk mailer. Some email software can be set up to automatically delete messages from certain addresses or with particular words in the subject or content.
Viruses
Computer Viruses are here to stay and becoming more of a menace every year. Recent high profile ones have cost businesses many millions of pounds in time and effort. If you exchange data with other people, or are connected to the Internet, you should have - and use - one of the various Virus Protection packages available.
Email is one of the most common methods of spreading viruses. As well as infecting the victim's system, many viruses will secretly email themselves to other users in the victim's address book. The consequent vast increase in email traffic causes mail servers to overload and grind to a halt. This may well happen without the original victim knowing.
It is important that you have Virus Protection Software installed on your machine, and that this is kept fully up to date.
We use - and recommend - 'Kaspersky Internet Security' software. Other packages are available which will do the same job.
Hoax viruses
Just as irritating as genuine viruses are the hoax variety. These usually come up in the form of an email message, which warns of other possible emails that will perform some catastrophic action on being read. The reader is asked to pass the message on, thus creating a flood of email and wasted time. Even experienced system administrators have been known to fall for this trick. If you get one of these messages, check it out with a reputable source before passing it on.
The major Virus Protection vendors have comprehensive details of all known viruses on their web sites.
Even if you do not register your copy of any other software, you should register your Anti Virus software. This gives you access to all the latest updates. The Virus definition files (which tell the software what viruses to look for and how to eliminate them), should be updated at least once per week if not more often.
Tips for avoiding infection
- Always check the source of any email which arrives with an attachment.
- Always scan any data which arrives on your machine - no matter where it comes from, or who you got it from.
- Take care opening attachments to emails - scan them first, and if in doubt, delete it.
- If you don't know what it is or where it has come from - DELETE IT.
Many viruses are passed on by completely unsuspecting people, so if you do get one from a friend, get in touch with them and tell them, so that they can check their system out.
Above all, don't panic! Stay vigilant and take sensible precautions, and the worst you will suffer is some minor annoyance.
Remember that having a good backup of your critical data is part of the anti-virus war. If all else fails and you have to completely rebuild the hard drive this may be your only copy.
And Lastly ....
Email is a powerful and flexible communication tool. Use it wisely and follow the guidelines on this page, and you should have no serious problems.
An extended version of this guide in pdf format is available on request.
email : support@custom-internet.co.uk