It's always good to know the rules before you set forth in a new culture, and the Net is the newest culture of all. Remember that people from many countries will be sharing ideas, and what is normal and correct for them may be strange to you. There's a lot to learn, but don't worry about having to learn all this new stuff at once. We were all newbies once, and you'll soon be a seasoned veteran, laughing at all the inside Net jokes. Ms. Parry's Rules for Correct Internet Behavior.
People do outrageous things when they get behind a keyboard . . .
But please don't fall into the trap of saying and doing things online that you know shouldn't be said or done. Remember that you can be traced, and nothing is ever truly anonymous online. Everything you say should be said with the understanding that they will know, sooner or later, that you said it. Some of you may be seasoned veterans, but many of you are new to both online services and the Internet. It's also the name for junk e-mail sent to millions of people.