Tarzan in New York, or the weird world of online communication

IMKE CSC 2006 Kaido Kikkas Tarzan in New York, or the weird world of online communication

“I did not mean it like that ... (actually I meant it much worse) ” • Internet – it's unlimited freedom, correct? • No one will check anyway! • Lots of conflicts will start with misunderstanding • Lack of context => A BIG MESS

Communication Hiya, man! Howdy! participant <===> channel <===> participant

Same message, different channels: friendly nag vs international scandal • Enter the sentence “Man, you are a true moron!” • Let it occur • between friends, in a sauna, after a sixpack • between the same friends, in a phone conversation • between the same friends, in a chatroom or IM • between the same friends, in an e-mail • between business partners, in a fax with company logo and official address • in a (hypothetical) message bearing the signature, stamp and insignia of the President of Estonia

The channel issue • There are differences • by time • by direction • by volume • by filtering qualities

Open and diverse • Online world – freedom of expression throughout the history • Censorship is fought against in all its forms • A new human right – the right to quarrel • ... and another – to say 'do it someplace else!'

Cats and dogs • An excerpt from an online chat: • A: My what a barbecue we had yesterday! Tons of pork, sausages, ham, chicken.... • B: Yuck, you REALLY eat that shit??? • A: ????? !!!!!! ¤%&//%¤#”!”##”##””#”W !! • Reason: A was an American, B was a Muslim • The only solution: 1. keep calm. 2. express yourself in a polite and thoughtful manner

When laws are unwritten • Network communities appeared soon after the emergence of E-mail • Rules were necessary for both technical (conserve bandwidth) and psychological (unobstructed communication) reasons • Many laws are informal - yet very strict

Anonymity vs identity • Many places allow anonymity, even E-mail and Web can be used anonymously • Let's play hide and seek? • Anonymity works to a point (remember Isildur?) • Generally causes distrust (we live the spam time) • Wrong Thing in hacker culture – the scale has Linus, RMS and TBL in one end and the Anony- mous Dork in the other • So it is possible but often frowned upon

Homo Interneticus • Did exist in early times too • More than often based on entertainment, not work • Good: develops creativity, a possible measure in case of communication problems • Bad: Reality Hangover, may lead to psychological problems • The more real the virtuality becomes, the easier it will be to turn one's reality into virtuality

Different people • People do differ, even if some don't get it • Some groups carry unpleasant stereotypes • The Net allows to ignore them ... • ...if the game is played fair • “On the Internet, height, weight, race, and gender may be unknown. Beauty doesn't impress us, nor does ugliness appall. We become our messages, purely and simply.” (Barrett & Wallace 1994)

... • Difference can frighten • The Internet has been 'different' from day one! • The filtering function – many prejudices will also be filtered out • First impression: visual ===> verbal • A chance to be somebody else. Or to be not...

The CyberDate • An important factor in online communication • Stay in the Net or come out? • The Contact Amplifier vs Hiding Behind the Screen • Main criteria: Honesty, Politeness, Clarity • The Dark Side: when it comes to fighting, people will hit very hard – nobody sees your bleeding nose

Netiquette • Net + etiquette = Netiquette • Born in Usenet newsgroups • 70s: smilies come into use • When in Rome, do as the Romans do – but who is the Roman here anyway? • There are some suggestions

Virginia Shea's 10 Commandments • 1. Remember the human • 2. Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life • 3. Know where you are in cyberspace • 4. Respect other people's time and bandwidth • 5. Make yourself look good online

... • 6. Share expert knowledge • 7. Help to keep flame wars under control • 8. Respect other people's privacy • 9. Don't abuse your power • 10. Be forgiving on other people's mistakes

Usenet reminders • RTFM before you post • Don't post outside the topic • Don't cross-post • Don't quote the whole letter to say “Me too!!” • Don't write above the quote (top-post) • Don't advertise (unless you're in a suitable place) • A hard example: the September That Never Ended, in 1993

Some more suggestions • Don't send short MS Word files over E-mail • After receiving a nasty mail go get a coffee. Preferrably from far. There is plenty of time to answer • Use E-mail to work with unpleasant people • Don't write in block letters • Don't use grandiose signatures

Ask smartly • People who ask are not stupid. Except when • they ask from an outrageously wrong place • they ask a favour out of laziness (RTFM, STFW, GIYF) • Don't E-mail anything you are not prepared to see on the front page of the local daily paper

Conclusions • Think first, say after • Sorting things out is much easier right after the issues surface • Do not pose • Learn to display your strong side • When in Rome, do as the Romans do – but don't go howling with wolves • Learn the game rules • HONESTY, POLITENESS, CLARITY

Tarzan in New York, or the weird world of online communication