Dear Club WebTV Members,

Just the other weekend I was having a discussion about the Internet at a party. Someone mentioned that WebTV users had a better grasp of Netiquette and posted more intelligent replies in newsgroups than other new Internet users. I think this has a lot to do with Club WebTV, our moderated newsgroup and our commitment to giving Club WebTV members the best possible Internet experience. Some seasoned veterans of the Internet raised quite a ruckus over the thought of a television audience coming on-line, but I think we can continue to prove that their fears were biased and unjustified!

However, there has been one note of caution about WebTV users that needs to be addressed. We're happy to see so many customers learning to use HTML, but when you link to someone else's graphic without permission, you are essentially stealing from them. It's mostly a case of over-enthusiasm, but it can be quite costly and is also bad Netiquette. Every time someone views your site or e-mail, the graphic they see is pulled from someone else's server, and costs them money. This is especially hard on someone's server when you put link to a graphic or animated gif in your e-mail signature. This means that every e-mail you send out costs someone else money, slows down their system and slows down the e-mail system of the person you send it to. If they don't have an WebTV Internet terminal, they may have to wait quite a long time while it's downloaded, and won't be able to do anything else until it does. And, unless they have the right e-mail software, they won't be able to view it, either! Putting sound clips and animated gifs in you signature also clogs up newsgroups, and slows down the speed with which you can view and post to them. If there is something you must have people see or hear, send out a URL in your signature. Or, ask permission to use the graphic, put it on your web site, and then include your home page's URL in your signature. There are even sites that have been created just so WebTV Networks users can link to graphics on the site! See this month's Serendipity for an example of one of these sites. Again, we're happy to know how enthusiastic and creative our customers are, but you should be be polite and fair to the other denizens of the Internet!

On a happier note, while bandwidth may not be free, speech still is! On June 26, 1997 the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the ACLU in the Reno vs. ACLU appeal, which ruled The Communications Decency Act unconstitutional. It was decided that the Internet should remain restriction free by the government (other than what is already illegal) and that everyone participating on-line should be responsible for themselves. Ultimately, discussion of any topic is still free and legal! This does not mean that this decision protects child molesters, as many seem to think -- whatever is illegal off the Internet is equally illegal on the Internet. What is protected is free speech: the discussion of any and all topics, including those that are politcally unpopular. Most important discussions have some level of controversy, and many are admittedly not for children! That's why most mature or adult sites have warnings, or self-ratings, or are password protected. WebTV Networks has always recognized this issue; this is why we provide all our customer with Surfwatch and Kid-Friendly completely free and already installed on your WebTV Internet terminal. If you don't know how to activate this service, please refer to earlier issues of Club WebTV, or call us for help!

I hope you enjoy this month's Club WebTV!

   Sonya Trejo
   Editor-In-Chief