6. There is no place online for profanities, accusations or rudeness. If I run into problems with another onliner in a chat room, message board or by email who does not communicate with clarity and courtesy, I will simply cease communications with them. If I need to respond, I will take the high road and not stoop down to that level. I will report ongoing abusive emails or threatening behavior to my ISP for proper handling.

7. I will be very respectful about how I use my employer's technology resources understanding they are paying the bill and I am on their time. I will make a point of reviewing my employer's policies to avoid any problems.

8. I will avoid formatting my email communications with colored text, bolding, italics (unless I am a professional coder) because I know it may not look the same as I intended when received on the other side. I understand that many prefer plain text in their communications and that if I communicate with clarity formatting really is not necessary.

9. If I do use the "leave mail on server" feature of my email program, I will be diligent about unchecking it and clearing my email account's inbox to ensure my email box does not become full and bounce/return emails to those making an effort to communicate with me.

10. I will make a point of understanding each online service or Web site I choose to use by reading their Frequently Asked Questions or Help area before blasting the site owner. I understand that if I do not review these areas, I could misunderstand or do something incorrectly and need to eliminate my actions or lack thereof as a possible cause of a perceived problem before pointing fingers at others. If in fact something does appear amiss, I will email with courtesy asking for their assistance in resolving my difficulties rather than making blunt demands or accusations.

There you have it! Your 10 Little Courtesies to work on for the year ahead so that folks don't cringe when they see your name in their inbox. Just imagine if everyone online made these efforts? Joy, joy! ;-)

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Judith Kallos is a seasoned Technology Muse and Internet Business Coach. She is well known for her very popular Netiquette site, http://OnlineNetiquette.com and quarterly informative newsletter Netiquette Matters. Click here to find out more: http://www.TheIstudio.com/

Technology Muse with 10 years online experience and 20 years off-line business and marketing experience. Known as an expert in developing successful personalized online marketing programs and her popular Netiquette Web Site: OnlineNetiquette.com.