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25 rules of social media netiquette

Apr 7, 2011 | , , , ,

This entry is part 12 of 39 in the series 40 years online

The quality of our online communities depends on the attitudes and behaviors we bring to it. But Emily Post can’t always help: life online demands new ways of interacting. The term “netiquette” was coined in 1983, the same year that brought us our first list of guidelines for online behavior. The 13 rules laid down in 1983 are still as relevant as ever, but social media has brought new challenges and thus, new best practices. This post rounds up 25 netiquette rules from across the web, covering both longstanding and emergent principles.

10 ways spam taught us to focus our attention

Apr 2, 2011 | ,

This entry is part 8 of 39 in the series 40 years online

First seen in 1978, spam has become the vaccine for your attention span. It’s the toxin that has stimulated our immunity system’s defenses. Thanks to spam, we’ve had to find technical, social and personal ways of keeping our eyes on the 22% of e-mail that isn’t pure junk, and to avoid the 78% that is.

Waiting for your life online

Mar 29, 2011 | ,

This entry is part 4 of 39 in the series 40 years online

1974 was the beginning of the end for waiting, as home computer kits and time-sharing systems started to cut into all those hours waiting for the mainframe. Over the years, we wait less and less, as our computers and Internet connections and smartphones get better and better. But waiting may just be something worth waiting for.