Good manners cost nothing but what are the rules of online etiquette?

The importance of good manners was drummed into me from an early age so having just made my first online faux pas (that I am aware of) I’m feeling very ashamed of myself.

I set this blog up to collect photos for my artwork, Absent Masses. To do that I need to let people know about it by linking in with other sites. Being new to this my postings are sometimes a bit random and clumsy.

I just checked a link that I posted recently to find that it had been ‘frozen’ due, I am interpreting, to me doing the online equivalent of gate crashing a strangers party and demanding someone bring me a drink despite having turned up empty handed, uninvited and not knowing the host’s name, never mind the other guests. For this I got a telling off and a little animated devil symbol.

A fair enough response as I used their site to promote my project without having any other particular interest in it so I do take their point. I did feel, however, like I had been lumped in with the Viagra pushing, breast enhancing, money scamming, pill popping professional spammers that clog up my email.

On the up side I now have nearly 30 people following me on Twitter……maybe it’s not so bad after all.

Any advice on online etiquette much appreciated.