etiquette

We've all seen their handy work. Some of us have even had nasty personal encounters with them. And a handful of us have turned into one at one time or another. This not-so-mythical creature to which I refer is the dreaded Web troll.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a troll, in Internet speak, is a person who posts "inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community." Such individuals are generally rude, unpleasant, and highly irrational. What follows are some guidelines that will help you avoid troll-like behavior, as well as some pointers on what to do if you find yourself drawn into a skirmish with one of these hideous beasts, though the short answer is DON'T bother.

As always, I like to start with the obvious: when you're commenting on an online article or participating in a Web forum, DO remember to stick to the topic at hand. Readers of a blog dedicated to cute puppies probably have no interest in a rodomontade about your Norwegian Forest Cat, and commenting on a writer's physical appearance on a blog about tech/food/news/cars is probably not the most appropriate course of action either (not that we don't appreciate the compliments). Also, DO be sure to read the entire article (or all of the available information) before offering an opinion or critique. If not, you risk coming across as confused, ignorant, and possibly slightly illiterate.… Read more

According to some data, 80 percent of the population in the United States lives in urban areas. For those of you not counting (ahem...me), that's about 243 million people, give or take a million. These same people contributed to the 10.7 billion trips taken on public transportation in 2008 alone. In short: there are a lot of freakin' people who take municipal transit. If you are one of them, pay attention.

All too often, commuters forget one very important word in public transportation: public. There are innumerable ways in which this lack of consideration for one's fellow humans can become aggravating, offensive, or downright disturbing. I would take great pleasure in airing them all here*, but as this is CNET, I'll stick to tech-related grievances. What follows are some general guidelines for using your gadgets on transit (or in the general public, for that matter).

DON'T talk loudly on your cell phone when riding mass transit. In fact, if you can avoid it, don't talk on it at all. With the exception of some admittedly curious bystanders, most people don't want to be made privy to the ins and outs of your life...especially if the conversation is of a particularly private nature. No one wants to hear you berate your mom for calling too often (true story), and we certainly don't need to hear the words: "Yeah, so the doctor said you should probably get tested, too" (also a true story). OK, so maybe there's a bit of humor to that last one, but really, people? Have you no shame? Oh, and if it wasn't already clear from this, DON'T use your speakerphone, either.… Read more

Forget Independence Day, Bastille Day, and Canada Day, there's something a lot more exciting going on in July than just celebrating your country. According to a Palm Beach, Fla., etiquette expert, we're also in the middle of National Cell Phone Courtesy Month.

The "National" part is debatable, since no national body like the U.S. Congress has backed the event, but in a country with a National Frozen Food Month you can't be too picky.

While some of you may rightfully wonder if "courtesy" and something as obtrusive as a cell phone can … Read more

What is it about meetings that brings out the worst in otherwise reasonable and intelligent people? Is it an opportunity to childishly engage and disrupt others? Or perhaps it's a chance to demonstrate animalistic dominance. Who knows.

All I do know is, for companies to operate effectively, executives, managers, and key employees need to know how to run effective meetings. Meetings are how conflicts are resolved and plans are agreed upon. They are how critical strategic and operating processes are developed, managed, and to some extent, executed.

Conversely, ineffective meetings result in lost productivity and frustration. They can also be a sign of a dysfunctional workplace, which can result in operating failure.

In my experience technology managers and executives are so inept at conducting effective meetings you'd think it's rocket science or a rare genetic trait. I have no idea why that is.… Read more

Electronic wedding invitations aren't exactly Adam Lowe's cup of tea.

As host of the popular Modern Manners Guy podcast, Lowe attempts to marry--pun completely intended--the culture of traditional etiquette with a digital world that increasingly threatens to subvert its longstanding norms. And he admits up front that he thinks using the likes of Evite and MyPunchbowl for formal occasions is "a terrible idea" for the most part; except when difficult circumstances demand it, as was the case when he received a digital wedding invitation recently. There was an illness in the groom's family, and the … Read more

Sure, it's not new that people get interrupted at dinner by a cell phone call. In the past, it must have been a pager, or maybe in olden days, a courier pigeon. But with the increasing number of people getting iPhones (I have to admit that a scion of my friends are over it and are eagerly awaiting the next iPhone) what's happening is now I know what types of messages are interrupting that long-planned catch-up dinner with that over-scheduled friend sitting across the table from me. Whereas before you knew there was a message, now (thanks to … Read more

SpinVox, a London-based company that offers voice mail-to-text conversion technology, doesn't hide the fact that cell phones can be downright irritating at times. Today the company released the results of a poll of the most annoying cell phone practices as chosen by SpinVox users. Though most of the results aren't particularly surprising--loud talkers topped the list--a few of the practices I never would have thought of as annoying.

For example, "taste blasters," or people who showcase their musical taste through their ringtones, ranked above individuals who talk on the phone in restaurants (aka "chow chatters&… Read more