Netiquette

Today, my assignment is to learn the rules of Netiquette and answer the following questions.




Scenario #1 – A student sends a harassing e-mail to another student. The receiving student
retaliates with a “flaming e-mail.” Is this the appropriate response? If not, what would be?
No, this is not an appropriate response. They should've waited a day to respond so both of them could've had time to cool off and put the issue in perspective.


Scenario #2 – When hanging out with friends, one of the students makes a call on their cellphone and carries on a conversation while still within the group. Is this ok? Why or why not?


Making calls and carries a conversation with someone else while you're with other friends is not ok. It's very rude. 


Scenario #3 – A student logs on to a free file sharing website and downloads a song they just heard on the radio. Is this ok? Why or why not?


I don't think its okay because I believe that's downloading music illegally. I'm not sure on this one, though. 


Scenario #4 – A student follows a questionable link to a website and downloads a malicious script which releases a Trojan Horse virus on to the school network. Is the student to blame? Why or why not?


Yes, the student is to blame. They shouldn't even be following a questionable link or downloading anything on the school network in the first place.


Scenario #5 – An hour before class, a student remembers that a writing assignment is due. The student goes to the library, logs on to a website, and copies/pastes the information. Is this ok? Why or why not?


No, it is not okay. Taking somebody else's work and calling it yours is plagiarism and it's illegal.


Scenario #6 – At home, a student uses a software package to copy movies and games from DVD’s for his or her friends. Is this within fair-use laws? Explain.


It's not within fair use laws because copying movies and games and giving them to other people is pirating and it is illegal.


Scenario #7 – A student logs into the school website to download the syllabus they lost. Are they breaking any rules or laws? Explain.


No, they aren't breaking any rules or laws because I'm assuming the teacher has the syllabus on the school website for a student to print out in case they lose it. 


Scenario #8 – Students spend a good amount of time in class creating a web page for a school sponsored fundraiser. However, there website is not usable by certain individuals with disabilities. Was this disrespectful or wrong of them?


It was wrong of the students to not make the website, say, large print for people who have trouble seeing to read, because it's not including everybody, and it's disrespectful. A fundraiser is to raise money for a program or an organization and anybody who wants to give money to the fundraiser should be able to, and because of the way the students made the website, people who have disabilities cannot. The school fundraiser may have lost some profit because of that. 


Netiquette is important because just like people use proper etiquette in real life, etiquette needs to be used on the Internet, too. The Internet is not an escape from using proper etiquette. I think we're dedicating class time to this concept because Netiquette is a big part of using the Internet and it's important that we learn the rules of it. 
I've gotten so many "flaming" emails and people have asked me personal questions or questions that made me uncomfortable. From the websites I looked at (http://www.uni.illinois.edu/library/computerlit/netiquette.php) and (http://www.microsoft.com/protect/parents/cyberethics/practice.aspx), I now know what to do in those situations.