From my desktop (and now from my living room) I can meet with anybody, at any time. Conference calls, online chats and video conferences are just part of how we get business done these days. I don’t know about you, but every now and then I hear or see a faux pas that makes me think this brave new world we’ve built has some potholes we need to notice.

The New York Times business section had a terrific story, a “Miss Manners” guide to what to do and not to do while you’re at the virtual conference table (or if you have an umi, the living room). Here’s one of my favorite tips:

Q. During a teleconference no one can see you, so it’s common for attendees to hit the mute button and do other things while listening. Should you?

A. …Generally, though, it’s better not to do other things while you’re in a virtual meeting, because you could miss important information. “If you keep asking to have questions repeated or for clarification of what’s being said, you are essentially announcing to everyone: ‘I’m not really paying attention’ and risk looking very unprofessional,” Ms. Stack says.

And use the mute button to block background noise. Mr. Preston recalled a teleconference in which someone was eating a bag of potato chips. “You could hear it rustling during the meeting, and finally someone said: ‘Whoever is eating the potato chips, could you please mute?’ That’s embarrassing.”

Here’s a link to the complete story.