The Jacobi, Gauss-Seidel and SOR methods belong to the class of simple iterative methods for linear systems. Because of the parameter ω, the SOR method is more effective than the Gauss-Seidel method. Here, a new approach to the simple iterative methods is proposed. A new parameter q can be introduced to every simple iterative method. Then, if a matrix of a system is positive definite and the parameter q is sufficiently large, the method is convergent. The original Jacobi method is convergent only if the matrix is diagonally dominated, while the Jacobi method with the parameter q is convergent for every positive definite matrix. The optimality criterion for the choice of the parameter q is given, and thus, interesting results for the Jacobi, Richardson and Gauss-Seidel methods are obtained. The Gauss-Seidel method with the parameter q, in a sense, is equivalent to the SOR method. From the formula for the optimal value of q results the formula for optimal value of ω. Up to present, this formula was known only in special cases. Practical useful approximate formula for optimal value ω is also given. The influence of the parameter q on the speed of convergence of the simple iterative methods is shown in a numerical example. Numerical experiments confirm: for very large scale systems the speed of convergence of the SOR method with optimal or approximate parameter ω is near the same (in some cases better) as the speed of convergence of the conjugate gradients method.