The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette, by Arlene Rinaldi

The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette - by Arlene Rinaldi

WORLD WIDE WEB

Do not include very large graphic images in your html documents. It is preferable to have postage sized images that the user can click on to "enlarge" a picture. Some users with access to the Web are viewing documents using slow speed modems and downloading these images can take a great deal of time.
It is not a requirement to ask permission to link to another's site, though out of respect for the individual and their efforts, a simple email message stating that you have made a link to their site would be appropriate.
When including video or voice files, include next to the description a file size, i.e (10KB or 2MB), so the user has the option of knowing how long it will take to download the file.
Keep naming standards for URL's simple and not overly excessive with changes in case. Some users do not realize that sites are case sensitive or they receive URL's verbally where case sensitivity is not easily recognizable.
When in doubt about a URL, try accessing the domain address first, then navigate through the site to locate the specific URL. Most URL's begin with the node address of WWW followed by the site address, i.e:

Examples:
```
			http://www.cern.ch
			http://www.fau.edu
			http://www.ibm.com				
			http://www.cpsr.org
```
A URL which includes only an image map and no text might not be accessible to those users that do not have access to a graphical Web browser. Always include the option of text links in your URL documents.
W3 connections can be *very* high bandwidth consumers. With graphical web browsers, when graphic images are not necessary to obtain information it is a good idea, both in terms of the speed of the session, and to conserve bandwidth, to set the options to "turn off" or "delay" inline images.
URL authors should always protect their additions to the Web by including trademark (TM) or Copyright (C) symbols in their HTML documents.
URL authors should include an email address at the bottom (or in the address area) of all HTML documents. Because of the nature of html links, a user can automatically link to your html document and have questions about it, but will not know who to contact if the email address is not available.
Including the actual URL in the document source preferably after the <Address> tag, will allow users that print out the information to know where to access the information in the future, i.e. URL://www.fau.edu/rinaldi/net/web.html
URL's authors should always include a date of last revision - so users linking to the site can know how up to date the information has been maintained.
Infringement of copyright laws, obscene, harrassing or threatening materials on Web sites can be in violation of local, state, national or international laws and can be subject to litigation by the appropriate law enforcement agency. Authors of HTML documents will ultimately be responsible for what they allow users worldwide to access.

Permission to duplicate or distribute this document is granted with the provision that the document remains intact or if used in sections, that the original document source be referenced.
Last updated: 04 OCT 96