Netiquette

Do Do Do

1. If you receive directly by email a correct answer to a question you posted, do forward a copy of the answer to the list. This avoids having other people loose time developing a solution.
   
2. Reply to the list as opposed to only by email to the person asking the question.
   
3. Be polite, although there are many persons giving time to help others, they do not "owe" you anything.
   
4. Ask only questions related to the purpose of the mailing list or newsgroup. Do not ask an Excel or Word question in an SPSS list unless it is directly related to import from or export to SPSS.

Don't Don't Don't

1. Don't blast somebody on the list because the answer was wrong or it does not do what you wanted (maybe it does what you wrote it should do…). If you think somebody made a big mistake, consider sending a private email to the author pointing out the issue. If you are right, this will give the author the chance to correct himself by issuing a second post to the list (or newsgroup) and you will have a new friend. On the other hand, if you are wrongyou will have avoided a very embarrassing situation. :-)
   
2. Don't start "Holy Wars", statistics is a science in evolution and there are room for diverging opinions on many issues.
   
3. When asking a question on a newsgroup (as opposed to a mailing list),do not request that the answer be sent to you by email as opposed as to the newsgroup.
   
4. It is not considered "polite" to have an attachment to a postings to a mailing list. In some countries internet service is both slow and expensive. Attachments can also contain viruses.