Etiquette for mailing lists, emails, IRC, etc...
Stay organized with collections
Save and categorize content based on your preferences.
Most open source organizations use IRC and/or mailing lists to communicate with one another. If you keep the following items in mind when communicating with your mentors, community members and other students this will help make a positive, professional impression with the community.
- NEVER SHOUT! Using all capital letters is the same as screaming and is never looked upon favorably in email, forums or IRC.
- Be considerate. When you are asking for help, being rude or pushy will rarely get you an answer to your question. It will also cause people to immediately have a negative response to you, not something you ever want. If you respond to someone else’s question be polite in your response. If the question is something that you feel everyone should already know, just answer the question - don’t make the person feel dumb for asking the question.
- Never put your personal information in a mailing list or on IRC - no phone numbers, or home addresses, etc...
- When responding to an existing post/email, please include relevant text from the original message. It should still be possible for somebody who did not read the original message to understand what you are talking about. This is called responding inline.
- Keep subject lines short and to the point. Likewise, keep your message to the point, no need to write a page about your problem/question.
- Don’t attach files to your email unless your mentor has specifically told you to do so.
- Never use personal attacks or profanity, if you would not say it in a crowded room for all to hear, do not write it in a message.
- Plain text is always best, avoid including graphics, charts, and images.
- If you are having trouble using English in your communications ask a friend for assistance or use Google translate or another service to help you.
- Remember, anything you post on the internet is there FOREVER.
Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2024-07-23 UTC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2024-07-23 UTC."],[[["Maintain a professional and courteous tone in all online communications, avoiding shouting (using all capital letters) and personal attacks."],["When requesting assistance, be considerate and respectful, providing context and relevant information from previous messages when responding."],["Protect your privacy by refraining from sharing personal information like phone numbers or addresses in public online forums."],["Keep messages concise and to the point, using clear subject lines and avoiding unnecessary attachments or formatting elements like graphics."],["Be mindful that online communications are permanent and reflect on your professional image, so choose your words carefully and seek assistance with language barriers if needed."]]],["Communicate professionally by avoiding all capital letters and being considerate, especially when seeking help. Protect your privacy by not sharing personal information. When replying, quote relevant text from the original message for context. Keep subject lines and messages concise, and avoid file attachments unless requested. Refrain from personal attacks, profanity, and visual elements. Ensure your communication is clear, and remember that online posts are permanent.\n"]]