This past summer, I launched a freelance writing business, an endeavor that required scads of research and preparation. In addition to reading lots of books on the topic and talking with other freelancers, that research included frequent visits to a writers' forum hosted by Craig's List, a community web site that also lists jobs and other classified ads.

So I lingered, and I learned: What's the going rate for a proofreader? Should I always include a resume with my samples when I query magazine editors? Did anyone know of a good writing group in the area? These mysteries and more were quickly solved by my new cyber-colleagues. The forum became my professional savior!

I soon realized that other forums on the site could also be handy. I gleaned recipes for salad dressings, stews, and (my new specialty) banana chocolate-chip cookies from the Food Forum. I found a great new hairstylist based on a recommendation from the Beauty Forum. And the Legal Forum advised me on how to help a friend handle a case of alleged discrimination at work. What a dream come true: instant gratification in the quest for knowledge! What more could I possibly ask for?

Well, some manners sure would be nice: Though most of my fellow forum-goers were perfectly friendly, the catfights that sometimes erupted were ghastly. Why, I wondered, did so many people seem to think that the anonymity of cyberspace gave them license to be as rude and obnoxious as they wished? Where were the laws governing this "land?"

They're right here! Before you hit the web to tap the wealth of information that lies within, read up on these general guidelines for forum decorum.