Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Typing email using all upper-case characters is the email form of shouting and is considered quite rude. Don't be surprised if you get a grumpy response.
WHY DOES IT SEEM LIKE EVERYONE I EMAIL OR INSTANT MESSAGE GETS ANGRY OR CURT WITH ME? DOES THE INTERNET JUST MAKE PEOPLE GRUMPY?
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Well, computers and the internet certainly make people upset from time to time, but in this case, I'll bet that it's something much more specific.
In this case, it might just be you.
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The "problem" might be that you're typing your message in all upper-case characters. That's typically read by others on the internet as shouting. Imagine you're having a conversation in a quiet room with someone who is shouting loudly for no apparent reason instead of talking normally. You'd get grumpy, too.
All caps as shouting has become deeply ingrained in net etiquette, or "netiquette". When reading text in all caps, many people internalize that as shouting without even thinking about it and react accordingly.
You may not be doing it on purpose, but I definitely suggest using all caps only for emphasis or when you're really trying to convey that you are, in fact, shouting.
RFC 1855 - Netiquette Guidelines has a good summary that includes this and many other things to keep in mind as you communicate on the internet.
Article C1858 * November 6, 2003 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
January 1, 2012 5:18 AM
I've turned off my caps lock key. Often all caps is a result of an accidentally pressed cap lock, and the writer is too frustrated to retype it all.
January 16, 2012 5:47 PM
There is an accessibility setting -- it's called Toggle Keys, and can be accessed by clicking on Start -> Run and entering "access.cpl" in the dialog -- that you can set which will give you an audible alert if you accidentally press your caps-lock key without meaning to. I have this set, myself, and it has saved my bacon on numerous occasions, especially when no visual cue of the fact is given (as when I'm entering a password!) and in my not-so-humble opinion this behavior should be standard in Windows, even for the non-handicapped!
Much grief would be avoided if this very simple recommendation were followed (those who find it an annoyance could always turn it off).
January 22, 2012 8:20 AM
When the issue is one of visability one can understand why the use of CAP's might be considered, however, pressing the "Ctrl" and "+" Keys, at the same time, will (in most cases) enlarge the text being read to the point of readability for those in need of larger type characters. Conversely, pressing the "Ctrl" and "-" keys will do the opposite.
January 22, 2012 1:14 PM
I read the "Netiquette" article but wondered about this statement in it: "Limit line length to fewer than 65 characters and end a line with a carriage return." Does that refer to emails or something else? I thought we were supposed to just let paragraphs wrap. I've seen emails where there are all sorts of very short lines followed by a paragraph mark, and they are difficult to read. In fact, I've seen MY emails buried in part of longer emails, and what I let wrap has turned into that same difficult to read bunch of short lines. What was Netiquette talking about?
22-Jan-2012
January 23, 2012 6:37 AM
Basic street wisdom says "believe half of what you see and none of what you hear" but Internet forums and blogs have changed this rule to simply “believe nothing” (think Photoshop). People posting on forums and blogs have next to no accountability and can say anything they want. Much like a drunk with "beer muscles", they feel a certain level of invincibility…I’ve always referred to it as Internet muscles. Yes I'm pessimistic with this approach but it’s also very freeing because I’m not naïve enough to think that "everyone is grumpy"...they're just posting on the Internet with their Internet muscles. Over time you can start to trust certain forums and certain users on those forums, but until then, doubt ALL OF IT (emphasis is semi-shouting)
IMHO (acronyms are not shouting...DUH (that's shouting)) :-P
Gabe Lawrence PhD (shame on you if you believe the title)