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Mar 20, 2007

Do you want to reduce electronic risks in the workplace?

Take the initiative. Don't wait for an "e-disaster" to strike. Develop and implement written eMail, Internet, and software usage policies that clearly spell out the organization's expected standards of "digital behavior", along with privacy and monitoring policies.

Companies must consider e-mail as a management issue of strategic importance. There’s no doubt that using this communication medium properly helps save time and money, but as we have already seen, in some cases it can be very unproductive.

While no workplace ever can be 100% safe from electronic risks, a written "e-policy" (coupled with a comprehensive employee education program) can help for-profit businesses to control risks at workplace for bad practices on written communications.

Organizations must promote spaces for “meeting and exchange” where employees can voice their concerns as senders and recipients, share their experiences in their daily work, establish opportunities for improvement, and receive coaching.

The associated financial costs have such an impact that the topic needs to be discussed at all levels in the company, specially in upper management.

Mar 9, 2007

Jargon that is sometimes used on emails

* Spam: Unsolicited email sent to many people simultaneously, usually commercial, but also "occupational" (emails from colleagues).

* Bounce: A message that was returned to the sender, either because the email address was incorrect or because there was a configuration problem on the receiver's end.

* Distribution list: A single email address that resends to many others, allowing a discussion to continue easily among a quasi-stable group of participants.

* Bot: A piece of software that acts on behalf of a remote human (from roBOT).

* Mailbot: A piece of software that automatically replies to email.

* Listbot: A piece of software that manages distribution lists. Also called a listserver or majordomo.

* Flame: An electronic message that is particularly hostile...

* Lurk: To read messages anonymously, without posting.

* Ping: Test to see if the other person is there, or awake, or available...