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From: director@gti.net (The Director)
Newsgroups: alt.sex.movies,alt.sex,alt.answers,news.answers,rec.arts.movies.erot
ica
Subject: asm FAQ v5.70 2/12: Netiquette for Newbies
Followup-To: alt.sex.movies
Date: 21 Jun 1996 15:09:36 GMT
Organization: The Director's Chair
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Archive-name: alt-sex/movies/part2
Posting-Frequency: bi-weekly
Last-modified: 31 March 1996
Version: 5.70
URL: http://w3.gti.net/director/faqindex.html
alt.sex.movies FAQ v5.70
Part 2 of 12
Netiquette for Newbies
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sections marked with [updated] were updated since the last revision
Sections marked with [new] were added since the last revision
This FAQ is Copyright 1994-6 by Jeff Knapp, and is made available as a
service to the Internet community. It may not be sold in any medium,
including electronic, CD-ROM, or database, packaged with any commercial
product, or published in print, without the explicit, written permission of
Jeff Knapp.
Send comments to director@gti.net
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
TABLE OF CONTENTS
13 Welcome to Part 2
14 Welcome to USENET!!
14.1 What is USENET?
14.2 What is netiquette?
14.3 How to join a Usenet group
14.4 Fear and Loathing @ AOL.COM
14.5 What's a newbie? Is that bad?
15 What else is there to know?
15.1 What do I call my post?
15.2 What should my posts look like?
15.3 Who do I respond to?
15.4 Where do I put my John Hancock?
15.5 Mind my manners? Eat me!
16 Inappropriate Postings
16.1 Spam
17 Troubleshooting
17.1 Welcome to alt.test
17.2 Meet your Systems Administrator
17.2.1 But I'm not at a college or large business!
18 I don't have Web Access, what can I do to access some of the Web
based services on the net? [updated]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
13 Welcome to Part 2
Welcome to the "newbie" part of our show, where we'll be examining some
of the more frequently asked questions of USENET. There are things
contained herein which will help you become a solid net.citizen. Non-
compliance is known to create prickly bouts of crabbiness in some of the
older members of asm (and USENET in general), so thank you, thank you,
thank you for looking here first!
Most importantly, however, have fun!
=================================================================
14 Welcome to USENET!!
14.1 What is USENET?
USENET is a distributed bulletin board system that is not limited
in scope to the network of networks we call the Internet. Many
Online services, BBSs and other computing sites have newsfeeds
without the benefits of FTP, Telnet, or other functions associated
with the Internet.
With over 13,000 newsgroups, USENET may be the largest body of
collective reasoning in the world. Almost every question gets an
answer, though some of the most frequently asked questions are
contained in this document, so you don't have to bother the old
timers with questions they have probably heard a thousand times...
For an excellent (and decidedly non-technical) primer on
newsgroups, and the 'Net itself, check out "The Internet for
Dummies" by John R. Levine and Carol Baroudi (Available from IDG
Books). It's a lot of fun, pretty informative, and I don't get a
nickel for saying so.
14.2 What is netiquette?
USENET is an anarchic society of people talking about things that
interest them. In most societies, the best communication is
achieved by speaking and acting in a civil and polite manner. This
is not always the case in USENET.
However, things run more smoothly when people are civil and "play
by the rules." There is a counterproductive argument which reasons
"This is cyberspace... there are no rules, so fuck you for trying
to foist these upon me." This argument does nothing except piss
people off.
I am of the belief that netiquette exists because people before us
have discovered what works well, and after all, if it ain't
broke... But people will always do what they want when they have
no fear... we only hope they do what's "right."
14.3 How to join a Usenet group
It's simple. Just start reading. Read for a couple weeks. This
is called "lurking." Feel the place out. Find out what people
talk about, see who's who. Every USENET group has experts... take
the time to figure out who these people are. Find a FAQ for the
group and read it. Maybe the question you need answered has been
answered before. After all this time, you'll make your first post,
and you'll be nervous, and if you're lucky someone will answer it.
Then you'll make a second, then a third... then you'll know an
answer to someone else's question and *presto!* you're a productive
member of a USENET group.
14.4 Fear and Loathing @ AOL.COM
America OnLine does not seem to hold a special place in anyone's
(except maybe Steve Case and its subscribers') heart. Since the PC
explosion, people who have no prior computer experience have been
flocking to this magical place called "Internet." However, some
shrewd entrepreneurs realized that the 'Net operates on a strange
language called UNIX... and novices (read paying customers) are
intimidated and go away.
This difficultly has long kept the Internet a haven for techno-
savvy college students and researchers. A hip club where computer
knowledge was a prerequisite for getting in the door. However, a
pretty face is being slapped on the Internet, and now all the
dreaded "visitors from New Jersey" are arriving by the busload via
some place called "America OnLine"
The problems began when people who had no prior computer experience
started treading all over "hallowed ground" -- speaking loudly and
being obnoxious.
As it happened, many AOLers -- drunk with the notion of "surfing
the net" -- haven't taken the time to read this document (or
others like it) or pay attention to the "Tips of the Day" that the
AOL staff posts before you can enter the newsgroup area. (If you're
from AOL, pat yourself on the back for checking this out...)
With a quick click of the OK button, many AOLers just join the fray
and make fools of themselves.. almost begging net.denizens to hate
them. Now, you may not be this way, but your predecessors were, so
AOL (along with many other on-line services) has gotten a pretty
bad name.
A reader adds this figure:
Look at it this way: 1,000,000 AOL users. 25% of them
read news.announce or a faq or something, That leaves
75% of them clueless. Say half of them each post two
stoopid "Hey d00dz, I needz the kewl warezzzzz" messages.
That's 750,000 lame messages.
Hey, that's enough to piss anybody off. :-)
His advice:
Realize that the USENET has it's own ethos, culture and
consciousness that was around long before AOL came on
line. AOL, or any other .com service, doesn't OWN the
net, rather they are accessing it like anyone else.
Don't complain "I pay for this, therefore I don't want to
see this" - it's an anarchy, and the fact that you have
to pay per hour for access doesn't mean shit.
14.5 What's a newbie? Is that bad?
A newbie is a person who is new to the 'Net. It is not bad in and
of itself, I mean, you have to be new before you can be old, right?
However, there are some things you can do to make being new not so
bad. While some people use the term as a epithet, most people use
it to describe someone new.
For instance, take the time to lurk around a group (read things for
a week or so, but don't post to get the feel for what is going on).
Catch the scene, then post.
It's kinda like being a freshman again. In a few years you'll rule
the school, but at first, you'll feel pimply and awkward.
Fortunately, things happen much faster here. You'll be an old-timer
in a matter of months.
You'll probably see reference to this document, and you'd get it
and read all about us, and feel good knowing what you're in for. If
you don't see a reference to this document, then this sentence is
quite rather a paradox, isn't it?
=================================================================
15 What else is there to know?
A few things will help you on your way down the alt.sex.movies highway.
Here are some pointers gleaned from David Harris, author of the (most
excellent) freeware e-mail system, Pegasus Mail (available for anonymous
FTP from risc.ua.edu in the directory /pub/network/pegasus), who has
absolutely nothing to do with this group, but has allowed me to use this
material of his.
He retains his copyright, and I make no claims on it at all. It's his.
All his. Except the funny parts. They're mine. (I'll mark them with a :-
) so you remember to laugh)
15.1 What do I call my post?
Every message needs a subject. Nothing is more frustrating than
seeing messages in your newsreader as having "No subject" as a
subject. So, title your messages, and make them mean something!
* ALWAYS include a subject line in your message. Almost all
newsreaders present you with the subject line when you browse
the group, and it's often the only clue the recipient has
about the contents when filing and searching for messages.
* Make the subject line meaningful. For example, sending a
message with the subject WHO'S THIS or DIRTY MOVIES is
practically as unhelpful as having no subject at all.
* If you are replying to a message but are changing the subject
of the conversation, change the subject too - or better still,
start a new message altogether. The subject is usually the
easiest way to follow the thread of a conversation, so
changing the conversation without changing the subject can be
confusing and can make filing difficult.
15.2 What should my posts look like?
* YOUR POSTS SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE THIS. THIS IS NOT THE WAY A
POST SHOULD LOOK. IF YOU MAKE A POST THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS, YOU
WILL PROBABLY GET FLAMED.
CAPS LOCK is the USENET equivalent of shouting. People don't
like people who shout all the time in real-life, and the same
holds true here. Don't type your message in all UPPERCASE --
it's extremely difficult to read (although a short stretch of
uppercase may serve to emphasize a point heavily). Try to
break your message into logical paragraphs and restrict your
sentences to sensible lengths.
* Use correct grammar and spelling. Electronic mail is all about
communication - poorly worded and misspelt messages are hard
to read and potentially confusing. Just because electronic
mail is fast does not mean that it should be slipshod, yet the
worst language-mashing I have ever seen has been done in
e-mail messages. If your words are important enough to write,
then they're also important enough to write properly.
* Avoid public "flames" - messages sent in anger. Messages sent
in the heat of the moment generally only exacerbate the
situation and are usually regretted later. Settle down and
think about it for a while before starting a flame war. (Try
going and making yourself a cup of coffee - it's amazing how
much you can cool down even in that short a time, besides
which a cup of good coffee is a great soother).
If you need to vent some frustration, do it in e-mail. No one
wants to read about your petty arguments. If you must argue in
public, do it in the newsgroup designed for arguments: alt.flame
15.3 Who do I respond to?
Communication is pretty dull if only one person does all the
talking. So, we interact with each other. And, like all forms of
social communications, there are some rules regarding replies.
* Try to match your message length to the tenor of the
conversation: if you are only making a quick query, then keep
it short and to the point.
* Include only the MINIMUM you need from the original message.
One of the most annoying things you can encounter in e-mail is
to have your original 5-page message quoted back at you in its
entirety, with the words "Me too" added at the bottom. Quote
back only the smallest amount you need to make your context
clear. You will be hated and flamed if you do not follow this
simple rule.
* Use some kind of visual indication to distinguish between text
quoted from the original message and your new text - this
makes the reply much easier to follow. ">" is a traditional
marker for quoted text, but you can use anything provided its
purpose is clear and you use it consistently.
* Don't reply to flames. Occasionally people will try to provoke
some response by posting something like PORNO SUCKS or YOU ALL
ARE GOING TO HELL. Smile and let it pass. These people crave
a reaction. When they don't get one, it is amazing how fast
they disappear.
There is also something that has appeared recently called a
"troll." A troll is a post designed to elicit mega-messages and
cripple a group. The troll message is generally an innocent
message plagued with inaccuracies. "Sophia Loren was in Sophie's
Choice" would be a good troll. The people would point our, no she
wasn't Meryl Streep was. Then the trollers would shoot back that
Meryl Streep wasn't in Sophie's Choice, she was in Star Wars... and
the group gets tied in knots trying to straighten out a thread that
has become so twisted, it is best left to die.
15.4 Where do I put my John Hancock?
Always use a signature if you can: make sure it identifies who you
are and includes alternative means of contacting you (name and e-
mail are usual). In many systems, particularly where mail passes
through gateways, your signature may be the only means by which the
recipient can even tell who you are.
Keep your signature short - four to seven lines is a handy rule of
thumb for maximum signature length. Unnecessarily long signatures
waste bandwidth (especially when distributed to lists) and can be
annoying.
Some gateways trim .sigs down to three lines, so don't be surprised
if you're forty line message gets chopped by the time it gets to
Phoenix... or if your newsreader refuses to post your message
because your .sig is too long
Some mailers (and newsreaders) allow you to add random strings to
your signature: this is well and good and can add character if done
carefully.
You should consider the following basic rules though:
* Keep it short. The length of your quote adds to the length of
your signature. A 5,000 word excerpt from Kant's "Critique of
Pure Reason" used as a signature will not win you many
friends.
* Definitions of "offensive" vary widely: avoid quotes which
might offend people on the grounds of religion, race, politics
or sexuality.
* Try to avoid topical or local quotes, since they may be
meaningless to recipients in other towns, countries or
cultures.
* Variable signatures are usually best if they're amusing;
polemical outbursts on politics or other such topics will turn
most people off, but a one-liner that brings a smile can make
someone's day
15.5 Mind my manners? Eat me!
We were taught to be nice to people when we were young, and we all
too often forget when we are old. Here are some reminders from
Emily Post -- OK, OK, its David Harris again...
* If you're asking for something, don't forget to say "Please."
Similarly, if someone does something for you, it never hurts
to say "Thank You." While this might sound trivial, or even
insulting, it's astonishing how many people who are perfectly
polite in everyday life seem to forget their manners on the
'Net.
* Don't expect an immediate answer. Just because you don't get
an answer from someone in ten minutes does not mean that he or
she is ignoring you, and is no cause for offense. Electronic
mail is all about dealing with your communications when you
are able to do so. Plus, it may take a day or two for your
message to be heard around the world.
* Always remember that there is no such thing as a secure mail
system. It is unwise to send very personal or sensitive
information by e-mail unless you encrypt it using a reliable
encryptor. Remember the recipient - you are not the only
person who could be embarrassed if a delicate message falls
into the wrong hands.
Bullet points courtesy of David Harris. All rights reserved.
=================================================================
16 Inappropriate Postings
Since there are so many groups in the USENET hierarchy, some readers get
upset when topics irrelevant to the subject at hand are posted to the
group. Sometimes these messages are intentionally placed in the
newsgroup to generate a flame war. other times they are posted as a
means of drumming up business for a commercial venture... if they don't
have to do with sex movies, they are inappropriate.
There is a group devoted to the buying and selling of adult novelties
(movies, etc.) called alt.sex.erotica.marketplace. You should go there
if you are looking for movies to buy (or check out the section of the
FAQ that deals with mail order and other purchase options for more
pointers...)
16.1 Spam
Any message posted to more than 20 groups is spam. Most spams are off-
topic commercials. Please ignore spam or send e-mail to the poster
and/or to the system administrator from which the spam was posted but do
not post a public reply. If you cannot resist the urge to post a public
reply, which will annoy as many readers as did the original post, please
at least remove phone numbers and addresses so you don't give more
publicity to the original post to which you are objecting. Many spams
will be cancelled but your reply with quoted material will not be,
insuring that the offensive ad remains longer than it otherwise would
have.
Though spam takes more system resources (diskspace) and is hated by
system administrators for that reason, velveeta or inappropriate
crossposting is more disruptive to newsgroups. Particularly, the posting
of provocative messages to diverse or antagonistic newsgroups (e.g.
alt.cat.lovers and alt.animal.haters) tends to provoke flame wars and
argumentative threads that seem to go on forever. Try to ignore
velveeta and inappropriate crossposts. If you respond to a crossposted
message, pay attention to the groups in which it is posted and remove
those in which you do not wish your reply to appear. If you don't you
may find yourself flamed from a group you never heard of before.
Thanks to George Shaffer for this section.
=================================================================
17 Troubleshooting
17.1 Welcome to alt.test
Something's wrong. But what? Could it be your newsfeed is down?
Or maybe you're doing something wrong. So, you post message
to alt.sex.movies saying TEST - PLEASE IGNORE. And you get
flamed. Why?
alt.test is a newsgroup dedicated to test messages. As
alt.sex.movies is dedicated to discussing porn flicks, and
alt.flame is dedicated to flame wars -- alt.test is dedicated to
making sure your mailer works.
People don't want to see your test postings in their newsgroups,
and this goes for any newsgroup, not just asm. So post to
alt.test. And use a wacky re: line, or you'll never find your
post.
17.2 Meet your Systems Administrator
If you are connected to the net through a college or other large
organization, you probably have more than one of these people
running around. They are system administrators, and they take care
of your network, and know how everything works.
Seek them out. Make friends. Bring them cookies or Fritos, and
they will help you out. You don't have to be embarrassed asking for
help, and you don't have to say you're looking for info on porn
stars. Tell them you're trying to post to rec.music.beatles, and
they'll think you're just a music fan, instead of thinking you're
some sort of deranged deviant who keeps a raincoat close at hand
(not accurate, but it's what they'll think...)
So, make friends with your SysAdmin and watch your net troubles go
down the drain!
And remember to say "Thank You" and "Please" a lot. And don't
forget the cookies.
17.2.1 But I'm not at a college or large business!
Then you probably are accessing the net though a BBS,
local provider or large online service. These people
have tech support help at your disposal. America OnLine,
Compuserve, Prodigy and Delphi have special forums for
people who are having problems, as well as having people
at one end of the phone to give you a hand as you need
it. Use these resources. BBSs are a potluck
arrangement, so I can't comment on how their support is
handled.
18 I don't have Web Access, what can I do to access some of the Web based
services on the net? [updated]
You're in luck! Almost every feature available to Internet users is
also available to a user who only has e-mail access. The Web is no
different.
Pick up a copy of the following document:
"INTERNET BY-EMAIL"
Summary: This guide will show you how to retrieve files from FTP sites,
explore the Internet via Gopher, search for information with Archie,
Veronica, or WAIS, tap into the World-Wide Web, and even access Usenet
newsgroups using E-MAIL AS YOUR ONLY TOOL.
Finding the Latest Version
--------------------------
This document is now available from several automated mail servers. To
get the latest edition, send e-mail to one of the addresses below.
To: listserv@ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu (for US/Canada/etc.)
Leave Subject blank, and enter only this line in the body of the note:
GET INTERNET BY-EMAIL NETTRAIN F=MAIL
To: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu (for Eastern US)
Leave Subject blank, and enter only this line in the body of the note:
send usenet/news.answers/internet-services/access-via-email
To: mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk (for UK/Europe/etc.)
Leave Subject blank, and enter only this line in the body of the note:

send lis-iis e-access-inet.txt
You can also get the file by anonymous FTP at one of these sites:
Site: ubvm.cc.buffalo.edu
get NETTRAIN/INTERNET.BY-EMAIL
Site: rtfm.mit.edu
get pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services/access-via-email
Site: mailbase.ac.uk
get pub/lists/lis-iis/files/e-access-inet.txt
*** END PART 2 ***