Cass's Rules for Online Journaling

Here are some "rules" for online journaling that I've come to know in my three years of keeping an OLJ:

1. Never, ever say anything about anyone that you wouldn't say to his or her face. Even if you think you are anonymous, someone you know in real life is bound to come across your online journal. If you tell people about your journal, be prepared for the fallout when you paint an unflattering picture.
2. Never, ever start a mudslinging contest (even unwittingly) by talking about another online diarist. It just gets really ugly.
3. Never, ever write anything you don't want the whole world to read. If you think a particular thing needs to stay private, then DO NOT write about it in ANY public forum!
4. If you want to link to someone else's diary (other than through a blogroll), try to tell them in advance. It's the polite thing to do.
5. If you want to steal someone's survey, link back to the person. Again, just the polite thing to do.
6. Don't steal someone's bandwidth.
7. Don't steal someone's layout or graphics, and then pretend they're yours.
8. Leave comments! People love comments.
9. Make your entry readable. Do not use 5-point white type on a black background, or any other hideous font/color combination. Do not use ALL CAPS. Do not tYpELiKeTHis. Do not use chatspeak. Do not use "gangsta" talk.
10. Do write descriptive entries about your life, other than "I went to the store; I came home; I drank beer and got laid." Quelle bore.
11. Sex sells, but it gets old fast.
12. More to come...