Etiquette

Etiquette, n. The practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by authority.

Etiquette, n. Conventional code of social behavior.

Etiquette, n. Code of acceptable conduct.

Three different dictionaries...Three different definitions.

So what does that word really mean? It would seem it means behaving or acting in accordance with an unwritten set of rules that are generally practiced and accepted by the majority of the public. Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. A simple definition would be just being polite. This leads to the next word. It can't be found in a dictionary, but it is still a valuable word to know in this internet community.

Netiquette, n. Code of acceptable conduct on the internet.

Granted, that definition is not in a book anywhere, but it does ring true. If etiquette is being polite, then Netiquette is being polite on the internet. Now that can involve a great deal of activities, but it is more prevelent when associated with interaction between people on the net. This could be in a one-on-one live conversation, a group discussion in a chat forum, a usergroup of some kind, or a person reading something they found on the net. There are several places to find explanations of netiquette.

Now that a solid foundation of understanding of the word Netiquette has been built. The subject of how it applies to homepages can be dealt with. Several questions should be asked before a homepage is made, and they should be asked by the designer about themselves. What are my morals? What is or is not appropriate to put on there? Would I say the things on my homepage in public or in front of children? Now these questions may sound a bit silly, but there are valid and should be asked. Once a homepage has been posted on the net, there is the possibility that anyone in the world on the net will read it. This type of analysis should never be confused or interfere with free speech. Free speech means the right to say what you want, when you want, and how you want. It also should be noted that free speech should not be tainted by bad manners. Some people out there don't mind cursing in public or making obscene gestures to rude drivers that cut them off (or in the case of LA, taking pot shots at them), but the majority of the public do have some manners.

It should always be remembered that a homepage is an extension of the individual who wrote it, and the people that encounter it are real. There is a real person behind every hit on that counter or signature on a guestbook. Taking that reality into consideration will help the designer make appropriate decisions at to what they want to put on their homepage. One of the major problems with the internet is some of the anonymity it provides. Sometimes people think that having a machine between them and the rest of the world rationalizes rude behavior. It does not. A homepage should be expressive, informative, fun, and entertaining. Why someone would put something really offensive or blatently rude just to cause a reaction or emotion in the reader is beyond comprehension. A surfer on the internet that reads a homepage will find it a much better experience if the designer has kept that new little word in mind; Netiquette. Have fun designing and writing those sites and/or pages, and remember that politeness always makes a nice welcome sign.

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