According to this definition: "The term 'netiquette' refers to the qualities of courtesy, politeness and consideration for others in what you say and do in your Internet communications, especially your use of email and newsgroup postings."

When you are surfing, posting a message, replying to an email or talking to someone, there are certain guidelines that you need to keep in mind. People often want to talk to the opposite sex in chat rooms but are unsure as to how to approach someone. Love and sex in cyberspace can get complicated unless you are willing to follow some rules.

Even in a general chat room and discussion and news groups, try and remember that just like in an actual room full of people, there are do's and don'ts that one has to observe.

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WEB RESOURCES:

The core of netiquette includes the guidelines for email, flaming, do's and don'ts for discussion groups that a person follows in a public domain.

For email etiquette, this site offers users some useful advice, including framing an email, using abbreviation and punctuation and dealing with flames. For more information about flames, you can follow this link.

Roger Clarke has written about cases 'selected specifically because they are instances of dysfunctional human behaviour on the net'. Read this article - it's a good example of the downsides of being wired and how 'not to behave online'.

We tend to shoot off emails quickly and without much thought since they are a quick way of communicating. There is a danger in this: emails going to the wrong address, messages that read something else (and not what the author intended) and misdirected humour and sarcasm. Here is an article which talks more about these issues at length.

A few more articles on general Internet etiquette that helped Bubbles introduce himself to Pickles (his current girlfriend) in a chatroom can be found here. Do's and don't of online conversation like chat and messaging for beginners can be found here.

About.com has a comprehensive section on chatting online. If you are a part of a discussion group, avoid annoying members by following these FAQs.

Treat the Net like a public space and use the tools available with responsibility. You'll be surprised at the kind of friends you will make and the fun you can have online. Bubbles has just made friends with Sunshine, a parrot from South Africa, and they spend hours chatting with each other now!