Rules


 * Congratulations rookies! You are all now official writers of the world wide web. However, you will quickly find there comes a lot of responsibility with being an author.**

__Rules of thumb__:

 * Do unto others, as you'd have others do unto you. **Be polite and courteous at all times. Remember that you're not communicating with a computer screen, but with a human being who has thoughts and feelings just like you. So, always think of the //person// on the receiving end of your messages.**
 * Do not TYPE ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS for emphasis. **IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING. If you need to emphasize a word, use asterisks, like *this* or lines, like _this_.**
 * Remember that the written word is hard to interpret. **When you speak to someone, that person can hear the tone of your voice. If they can see you, they can take visual clues from your face and body to better understand your meaning. All of this is lost in text, and sometimes responses can come across as mean or rude, even when you did not intend them this way. This is the reason some people use emoticons (visual clues) in their messaged, it saves a lot of confusion.**
 * Be careful not to use rude or bad language online. **Consider Mr. Cook like big brother. I have a transcript of every key stroke you hit when on this wiki.**
 * Don't break any laws. **When you're on the net, follow the same rules of behavior that you would in real life. Remember, if it is against the law in the real world, it is against the law in cyberspace.**
 * Be brief whenever possible. **No one wants to read through a lot of unnecessary information.**
 * Don't flame. **Do not post rude or offensive e-mails or postings. It's bad manners and can get seriously out of hand (flame wars). So don't flame others and if you are flamed, do not respond: you will never win. If you are flamed in a forum or chat room, or if you receive hateful e-mail, let your parents or teachers know.**
 * Always identify yourself. **You will find you can post anything on this wiki. From time to time, you will be asked to respond to other student's work. Since we see each other during school hours it's best practice to identify yourself at the end of comments. This will allow students to ask for clarification.**
 * Make a good impression. **Remember that the written word is the only way you can represent yourself online, so** __spelling__ **and** grammar **count. If you are going to be writing a large amount of text for other people to see, make sure you break it up using paragraphs, it will make it easier on the eye for those that will read it.**
 * Be patient with newcomers. **Once you have become an Internet expert, it is easy to forget that you started out as a newbie too. Learning the rules of cyberspace is much like learning a new language; it takes practice, and includes making mistakes. So if you come across someone else's mistakes on the net, don't put them down, just politely point them in the right direction for guidance (send them a copy of these rules to get them started on their way!).**