DO Understand [Why:MoveFromArgumentTypeAToArgumentTypeB proper argument technique] and how to avoid the wrong kind of argument.
Don't make it personal - always appeal to Reason. Curiously it's almost always baiting to use the word "you" in an email. eg: YOU should figure that out!
- Don't reply to messages from over a month ago just because you read the archive today.
Don't send FlameBait unless you REALLY want to be ignored or flamed.
- Don't send RTF, DOC or HTML emails to the list.
- Don't cross-post.
DO wait at least three (3) days before reposting a question you have posted on the user list to the development list. Many developers do not read their email daily and most are probably not in your timezone.
- DO research the mail lists policy on attachments before sending them. Some lists do welcome them however most do not. Ask for the appropriate method of file transfer. One exception to this rule is if you are submitting a patch to a dev mailing list.
- DO refrain from sending mail directly to contributers, instead seek the appropriate mail list to ask your question.
- The user mailing lists are not a substitute for reading the available documentation. If you are a user and you have a question about something like Tomcat, take some time to RTFM, and also search the archives of the list in question. If your question is not answered after that, post a message to the mailing list.
Read this article by ESR
See: [Talk:MailListUserBestPractices Talk Page]