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1.1     ! root        1: .ds .f manner.mn
        !             2: .ds h0 "How to Use USENET Effectively
        !             3: .ds h1
        !             4: .ds h2 %
        !             5: .ds f0 "\*(vr
        !             6: .ds f1
        !             7: .ds f2 "February 24, 1986
        !             8: .mt
        !             9: How to Use USENET Effectively
        !            10: .au
        !            11: Matt Bishop
        !            12: .ai
        !            13: Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science
        !            14: Mail Stop 230-5
        !            15: NASA Ames Research Center
        !            16: Moffett Field, CA  94035
        !            17: .bt
        !            18: .hn
        !            19: Introduction
        !            20: .pg
        !            21: USENET is a worldwide bulletin board system
        !            22: in which thousands of computers pass articles back and forth.
        !            23: Of necessity,
        !            24: customs have sprung up enabling very diverse people and groups
        !            25: to communicate peaceably and effectively using USENET.
        !            26: These customs are for the most part written,
        !            27: but are scattered over several documents
        !            28: that can be difficult to find;
        !            29: in any case,
        !            30: even if a new user can find all the documents,
        !            31: he most likely will have neither the time nor the inclination
        !            32: to read them all.
        !            33: This document is intended to collect all these conventions into one place,
        !            34: thereby making it easy for new users
        !            35: to learn about the world of USENET.
        !            36: (Old-timers,
        !            37: too,
        !            38: will benefit from reading this.)
        !            39: .pg
        !            40: You should read this document and understand it thoroughly
        !            41: before you even think about posting anything.
        !            42: If you have questions,
        !            43: please ask your USENET administrator (who
        !            44: can usually be reached by sending mail to
        !            45: .i usenet )
        !            46: or a more knowledgeable USENET user.
        !            47: Believe me,
        !            48: you will save yourself a lot of grief.
        !            49: .pg
        !            50: The mechanics of posting an article to USENET are explained in
        !            51: Mark Horton's excellent paper
        !            52: .i "How to Read the Network News" ;
        !            53: if you have not read that yet,
        !            54: stop here and do so.
        !            55: A lot of what follows depends on your knowing (at least vaguely)
        !            56: the mechanics of posting news.
        !            57: .pg
        !            58: Before we discuss these customs,
        !            59: we ought to look at the history of USENET,
        !            60: what it is today,
        !            61: and why we need these conventions.
        !            62: .hn
        !            63: All About USENET
        !            64: .pg
        !            65: USENET began on a set of computers in North Carolina's Research Triangle.
        !            66: The programs involved
        !            67: (known as \*(lqnetnews\*(rq then,
        !            68: and \*(lqA news\*(rq now)
        !            69: exchanged messages;
        !            70: it was a small, multi-computer bulletin board system.
        !            71: As time passed,
        !            72: administrators of other systems began to connect their computers
        !            73: to this bulletin board system.
        !            74: The network grew.
        !            75: Then,
        !            76: at Berkeley, the news programs were rewritten
        !            77: (this version became known as \*(lqB news\*(rq)
        !            78: and the format changed to conform to ARPA standards
        !            79: (again,
        !            80: this became the \*(lqB protocol for news\*(rq.\*(dg)
        !            81: .fn
        !            82: .lp \*(dg \w'\*(dg\ 'u
        !            83: See
        !            84: .i
        !            85: Standard for Interchange of USENET Messages
        !            86: .r
        !            87: for a description of the two formats.
        !            88: .ef
        !            89: This version of news was very widely distributed,
        !            90: and at this point USENET began to take on its current shape.
        !            91: .pg
        !            92: USENET is a
        !            93: .i logical
        !            94: network
        !            95: (as opposed to a
        !            96: .i physical
        !            97: network.)
        !            98: It is also a very amorphous network,
        !            99: in that there is no central administration or controlling site.
        !           100: There is not even an official list of members,
        !           101: although there is a very complete unofficial one.
        !           102: A site gets access to USENET by finding some other site already on USENET
        !           103: that it can connect to and exchange news articles.
        !           104: So long as this second site (called a
        !           105: .i neighbor
        !           106: of the first site)
        !           107: remains willing and able to pass articles to and from the first site,
        !           108: the first site is on USENET.
        !           109: A site leaves the USENET only when no one is willing or able
        !           110: to pass articles to,
        !           111: or accept articles from,
        !           112: it.
        !           113: .pg
        !           114: As a result,
        !           115: USENET has no equivalent of a \*(lqsysop\*(rq
        !           116: or central authority controlling the bulletin board.
        !           117: What little control is exercised is wielded by the person at each site
        !           118: who is responsible for maintaining the USENET connecions
        !           119: (this person is called the \*(lqUSENET administrator.\*(rq)
        !           120: Because most USENET administrators are (relatively) new to USENET,
        !           121: and because administering USENET locally involves a great deal of work,
        !           122: most USENET administrators tend to follow the lead of other,
        !           123: more experienced,
        !           124: administrators
        !           125: (often known somewhat irreverently as \*(lqnet gurus.\*(rq)
        !           126: This is not an abdication of responsibility,
        !           127: but a means of keeping the amount of work little enough
        !           128: so it can be done without interfering with the local USENET administrator's job.
        !           129: An example of this is the list of currently active newsgroups
        !           130: circulated every month or so.
        !           131: It is not \*(lqofficial\*(rq \-
        !           132: no one has that authority \-
        !           133: but as the maintainer is doing the work that every other USENET administrator
        !           134: would have to do otherwise,
        !           135: it is accepted as a valid list.
        !           136: If the maintainer changes the list in a way
        !           137: another USENET administrator finds unacceptable,
        !           138: that administrator can simply ignore the list.
        !           139: (Incidentally, the \*(lqnet gurus\*(rq became known as such
        !           140: because of the work they have contributed to USENET.
        !           141: Their experience is a valuable resource for each USENET administrator.)
        !           142: .pg
        !           143: Because the USENET has grown so wildly,
        !           144: a number of problems have appeared.
        !           145: One of these problems is technical,
        !           146: and a number of the conventions this document describes
        !           147: spring from attempts to keep this problem under control.
        !           148: .pg
        !           149: The technical problem arises due to the transport mechanism used by most USENET sites.
        !           150: Most computers on USENET do not have access to large-area networks like
        !           151: ARPANET.
        !           152: As a result the only viable transport mechanism these sites can use
        !           153: is a set of programs collectively known as UUCP
        !           154: and which communicate over dialup telephone lines.
        !           155: Initially,
        !           156: news programs generated one UUCP command per article.
        !           157: With the explosion of the USENET,
        !           158: the number of articles simply swamped many sites;
        !           159: phone lines would be tied up all day transmitting news,
        !           160: and many articles would be processed at the same time,
        !           161: slowing down the computers noticeably.
        !           162: .pg
        !           163: The solution was to batch messages.
        !           164: This way,
        !           165: many articles are sent via UUCP with one command,
        !           166: and the command on the receiving machine would split the file
        !           167: into separate articles,
        !           168: which could then be processed individually.
        !           169: While this increased the size of the files being sent,
        !           170: it cut down on the number of UUCP commands sent,
        !           171: and since sending a command involves quite a bit of overhead,
        !           172: this decreased the duration of phone calls,
        !           173: and to a lesser degree the load on the computer.
        !           174: At some sites,
        !           175: such as Purdue,
        !           176: this was not quite enough,
        !           177: so a simple spooler was implemented to process the individual articles
        !           178: one at a time.
        !           179: This reduced the system load to a very acceptable amount.
        !           180: .pg
        !           181: However,
        !           182: the problem has not gone away by any means.
        !           183: In one sense it has become worse;
        !           184: as more articles are posted to the network,
        !           185: phone costs and system loads averages increase,
        !           186: and system administrators require USENET administrators to cut back
        !           187: or eliminate newsgroups and
        !           188: to transmit news only at night
        !           189: (which means long propagation delays).
        !           190: In short,
        !           191: everyone who has anything to do with administering any USENET site
        !           192: is very concerned about the future of USENET,
        !           193: both in general
        !           194: and at his own site.
        !           195: .pg
        !           196: Many of the rules you will read address this concern.
        !           197: The fear that USENET may collapse is not a bogeyman,
        !           198: but very real.
        !           199: We hope it will not collapse,
        !           200: and the rules below outline some ways to prevent problems
        !           201: and increase the likelihood
        !           202: that enough sites will remain on USENET to keep it alive.
        !           203: There is no central authority that can force you to follow them,
        !           204: but by doing so you will help keep USENET a valuable resource
        !           205: to the computer community.
        !           206: .hn
        !           207: Deciding to Post
        !           208: .pg
        !           209: Before you decide to post an article,
        !           210: you should consider a few things.
        !           211: .hn 2
        !           212: Do not repeat postings
        !           213: .pg
        !           214: This applies even if you did not post the information the first time around.
        !           215: If you know the answer to a question someone asked,
        !           216: first read the followups, and if you have something more to contribute,
        !           217: mail it to the questioner;
        !           218: if you think it should be seen by others,
        !           219: ask the questioner to summarize the answers he receives in a subsequent article.
        !           220: One of the biggest problems on USENET is that
        !           221: many copies of the same answer to a simple question are posted.
        !           222: .pg
        !           223: If you want to repost something because you believe
        !           224: it did not get to other USENET sites due to transmission problems
        !           225: (this happens sometimes,
        !           226: but a lot less often than commonly believed),
        !           227: do some checking before you repost.
        !           228: If you have a friend at another USENET site,
        !           229: call him and ask if the article made it to his site.
        !           230: Ask your USENET administrator if he knows of any problems in the USENET;
        !           231: there are special newsgroups to which USENET administrators subscribe
        !           232: in which problems are reported,
        !           233: or he can contact his counterparts at other sites for information.
        !           234: Finally,
        !           235: if you decide you must repost it,
        !           236: indicate in the article subject that it is a reposting,
        !           237: and say why you are reposting it
        !           238: (if you don't,
        !           239: you'll undoubtedly get some very nasty mail.)
        !           240: .pg
        !           241: Reposting announcements of products or services is flatly forbidden.
        !           242: Doing so may convince other sites to turn off your USENET access.
        !           243: .pg
        !           244: When school starts,
        !           245: hoards of new users descend upon the USENET
        !           246: asking questions.
        !           247: Many of these questions have been asked,
        !           248: and answered,
        !           249: literally thousands of times since USENET began.
        !           250: The most common of these questions,
        !           251: and their answers,
        !           252: have been collected in the hope that
        !           253: the new users will read them and not re-post the same questions.
        !           254: So,
        !           255: if you want to ask a question,
        !           256: check Appendix I
        !           257: .b "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions" ) (
        !           258: to be sure it isn't one that has been asked and answered
        !           259: literally hundreds of times before you started reading the USENET.
        !           260: .hn 2
        !           261: Do not post anything when upset, angry, or intoxicated
        !           262: .pg
        !           263: Posting an article is a lot like driving a car \-
        !           264: you have to be in control of yourself.
        !           265: Postings which begin \*(lqJane,
        !           266: you ignorant slut, ...\*(rq
        !           267: are very definitely considered in poor taste\*(dg.
        !           268: .fn
        !           269: \*(dg Unless you are critiquing
        !           270: .i "Saturday Night Live" .
        !           271: .ef
        !           272: Unfortunately,
        !           273: they are also far too common.
        !           274: .pg
        !           275: The psychology of this is interesting.
        !           276: One popular belief is that since we interact with USENET via computers,
        !           277: we all often forget that a computer did not do the posting;
        !           278: a human did.
        !           279: A contributing factor is that you don't have to look the target of abuse
        !           280: in the eye when you post an abusive message;
        !           281: eye-to-eye contact has an amazing effect on inhibiting obnoxious behavior.
        !           282: As a result,
        !           283: discussions on the USENET often degenerate into a catfight
        !           284: far more readily than would a face-to-face discussion.
        !           285: .pg
        !           286: Before you post an article,
        !           287: think a minute;
        !           288: decide whether or not you are upset,
        !           289: angry,
        !           290: or high.
        !           291: If you are,
        !           292: wait until you calm down (or come down) before deciding to post something.
        !           293: Then think about whether or not you really want to post it.
        !           294: You will be amazed what waiting a day or even a few hours can do
        !           295: for your perspective.
        !           296: .pg
        !           297: Bear in mind that
        !           298: shouting hasn't convinced anyone of anything
        !           299: since the days of Charlemagne,
        !           300: and being abusive makes people hold even more tenaciously
        !           301: to their ideas or opinions.
        !           302: Gentleness,
        !           303: courtesy,
        !           304: and eloquence are far more persuasive;
        !           305: not only do they indicate you have enough confidence in your words
        !           306: to allow them to speak for you,
        !           307: but also they indicate a respect for your audience.
        !           308: This in turn makes it easier for your audience to like or respect you \-
        !           309: and people tend to be far more interested in,
        !           310: and receptive to,
        !           311: arguments advanced by those they like or respect
        !           312: than by writers who are abusive.
        !           313: Finally,
        !           314: remember that some discussions or situations simply cannot be resolved.
        !           315: Because people are different,
        !           316: agreed-upon facts often lead to wildly different feelings and conclusions.
        !           317: These differences are what makes life so wonderful;
        !           318: were we all alike,
        !           319: the world would be a very boring place.
        !           320: So,
        !           321: don't get frantic;
        !           322: relax and enjoy the discussion.
        !           323: Who knows,
        !           324: you might even learn something!
        !           325: .hn 2
        !           326: Be sure your posting is appropriate to USENET
        !           327: .pg
        !           328: Some things are inappropriate to post to USENET.
        !           329: Discussing whether or not some other discussion is appropriate,
        !           330: or if it is in the right newsgroup,
        !           331: is an example.
        !           332: Invariably,
        !           333: the \*(lqmeta-discussion\*(rq generates so many articles
        !           334: that the discussion is simply overwhelmed and vanishes;
        !           335: but the meta-discussion lingers on for several weeks,
        !           336: driving most of the readers of that newsgroup
        !           337: out of their collective minds.
        !           338: Help preserve the sanity of your fellow USENET readers
        !           339: by mailing such comments to the people involved,
        !           340: rather than posting them.
        !           341: .pg
        !           342: Another example of inappropriate postings is the infamous
        !           343: \*(lqspelling flame.\*(rq
        !           344: Every few months someone takes another poster to task
        !           345: for poor spelling or grammar.
        !           346: Soon,
        !           347: everyone jumps on the bandwagon,
        !           348: tearing apart one another's postings for such errors.
        !           349: To put it mildly,
        !           350: this angers almost everyone involved
        !           351: for no real reason.
        !           352: Please remember that we all make mistakes,
        !           353: and there are a lot of people for whom English is a second language.
        !           354: So,
        !           355: try to keep your spelling and grammar comments to yourself \-
        !           356: but if you find you simply cannot,
        !           357: mail them to the poster rather than posting them.
        !           358: .pg
        !           359: Far more insidious are requests similar to
        !           360: \*(lqHow can I splice into the local cable TV transmission line?\*(rq
        !           361: Posting to USENET is akin to publishing,
        !           362: so don't ask for or post instructions on how to do something illegal.
        !           363: And please don't quote the First Amendment,
        !           364: or the laws allowing freedom of speech in your country;
        !           365: while the posting programs will not stop you,
        !           366: the aftermath could be very unpleasant \-
        !           367: lawsuits and court trials usually are,
        !           368: and the USENET would certainly collapse as sites dropped from it
        !           369: to protect themselves from legal liability.
        !           370: You wouldn't want that on your conscience,
        !           371: would you?
        !           372: Of course not.
        !           373: .pg
        !           374: Related to this is the next rule.
        !           375: .hn 2
        !           376: Do not post other people's work without permission
        !           377: .pg
        !           378: Posting something to USENET puts it in the public domain
        !           379: for all practical purposes.
        !           380: So,
        !           381: be careful about posting things like
        !           382: .ux -related
        !           383: material (specifically source code) or company documents;
        !           384: consider licensing and nondisclosure agreements first. Some people regard
        !           385: the posting of  \*(lqdiffs\*(rq based on licensed code to be a suitable
        !           386: compromise, as they are only useful to those who have the base code already.
        !           387: .pg
        !           388: Copyrighted works are a separate problem.
        !           389: Both United States and international law provide protection
        !           390: for copyrighted works;
        !           391: other than short extracts for purposes of criticism,
        !           392: you cannot copy a copyrighted work in whole or in part
        !           393: without permission of the copyright holder
        !           394: (who may,
        !           395: or may not,
        !           396: be the author.)
        !           397: Without this protection,
        !           398: artists could not make any money and hence would have limited incentive
        !           399: to make the fruits of their art available at all.
        !           400: Posting a copyrighted work without permission is theft,
        !           401: even though the property stolen is not tangible in most cases.
        !           402: Hence,
        !           403: posting movie and book reviews,
        !           404: song lyrics,
        !           405: or anything else which is copyrighted
        !           406: without the permission of the copyright holder,
        !           407: could cause you personally,
        !           408: your company,
        !           409: or the USENET itself
        !           410: to be held liable for damages.
        !           411: Please be very careful that you obey the law
        !           412: when posting such material!
        !           413: .hn 2
        !           414: Don't forget that opinions are those of the poster and not his employer.
        !           415: .pg
        !           416: Every so often,
        !           417: someone will post a particularly disgusting article,
        !           418: and a number of responses will ask
        !           419: if all employees of the original poster's company
        !           420: share his (revolting) opinion,
        !           421: or suggest that action be taken against that company.
        !           422: Please remember that all opinions or statements in articles
        !           423: are to be attributed to the poster
        !           424: .i only ,
        !           425: and in particular, do not necessarily represent the opinions
        !           426: of the poster's employer,
        !           427: the owner of the computer on which the article originated,
        !           428: or anyone involved with any aspect of USENET \-
        !           429: and consequently the responsibility for any USENET message
        !           430: rests with the poster and with no one else.
        !           431: The appropriate response is not to attack the company
        !           432: or its other employees;
        !           433: let the poster know what you think of his posting via mail.
        !           434: If the postings continue,
        !           435: take advantage of the news software's presenting you
        !           436: with the author's name and the subject line
        !           437: and then asking if you want to see the article;
        !           438: start looking for the poster's name or the offensive subject
        !           439: in the articles presented to you
        !           440: and skip them. If you really get offended, you can unsubscribe from a newsgroup.
        !           441: .pg
        !           442: Part of the price of freedom is allowing others to make fools of themselves.
        !           443: You wouldn't like to be censored,
        !           444: so don't advocate censorship of others.
        !           445: No one is forcing you to read the postings.
        !           446: .pg
        !           447: In some countries,
        !           448: posting or receiving certain types of articles may be a criminal offense.
        !           449: As a result,
        !           450: certain newsgroups which circulate freely within the United States
        !           451: may not be circulated in other nations
        !           452: without risking civil or criminal liabilities.
        !           453: In this case,
        !           454: the appropriate action for sites in that country
        !           455: is neither to accept nor to transmit the newsgroup.
        !           456: No site is
        !           457: .i ever
        !           458: forced to accept or pass on
        !           459: .i any
        !           460: newsgroup.
        !           461: .hn 1
        !           462: Where to Post
        !           463: .pg
        !           464: The various newsgroups and distributions
        !           465: have various rules associated with their use.
        !           466: This section will describe these rules
        !           467: and offer suggestions on which newsgroups to post your message.
        !           468: .hn 2
        !           469: Keep the distribution as limited as possible
        !           470: .pg
        !           471: A basic principle of posting is to keep the distribution of your article
        !           472: as limited as possible.
        !           473: Like our modern society,
        !           474: USENET is suffering from both an information glut and information pollution.
        !           475: It is widely believed that the USENET will cease to function
        !           476: unless we are able to cut down the quantity of articles.
        !           477: One step in this direction is not to post something to places
        !           478: where it will be worthless.
        !           479: For example,
        !           480: if you live in Hackensack,
        !           481: New Jersey,
        !           482: the probability of anyone in Korea wanting to buy your
        !           483: 1972 Toyota is about as close to zero as you can get.
        !           484: So confine your posting to the New Jersey area.
        !           485: .pg
        !           486: To do this,
        !           487: you can either post to a local group, 
        !           488: or post to a net-wide group and use the
        !           489: .i distribution
        !           490: feature to limit how widely your article will go.
        !           491: When you give your posting program
        !           492: (usually
        !           493: .i postnews (1))
        !           494: a distribution,
        !           495: you are (in essence) saying that
        !           496: machines which do not recognize that distribution
        !           497: should not get the article.
        !           498: (Think of it as a subgroup based on locality and you'll get the idea.)
        !           499: For example,
        !           500: if you are posting in the San Francisco Bay Area,
        !           501: and you post your article to
        !           502: .ng net.auto
        !           503: but give
        !           504: .ng ba
        !           505: as the distribution,
        !           506: the article will not be sent beyond the San Francisco Bay Area
        !           507: (to which the
        !           508: .ng ba
        !           509: distribution is local)
        !           510: even though you put it in a net-wide newsgroup.
        !           511: Had you given the distribution as
        !           512: .ng ca
        !           513: (the California distribution),
        !           514: your article would have been sent to all Californian sites on USENET.
        !           515: Had you given the distribution as
        !           516: .ng net ,
        !           517: your article would have been sent to all sites on USENET.
        !           518: .hn 2
        !           519: Do not post the same article twice to different groups
        !           520: .pg
        !           521: If you have an article that you want to post to more than one group,
        !           522: post to both at the same time.
        !           523: Newer versions of the news software will show an article only once
        !           524: regardless of how many newsgroups it appears in.
        !           525: But if you post it once to each different group,
        !           526: all versions of news software will show it once for each newsgroup.
        !           527: This angers a lot of people
        !           528: and wastes everybody's time.
        !           529: .hn 2
        !           530: Do not post to \*(lqmod.\*(rq
        !           531: or \*(lqnet.announce\*(rq newsgroups
        !           532: .pg
        !           533: You may not post directly to certain newsgroups;
        !           534: you cannot post to some at all.
        !           535: Newer versions of the news software will inform you
        !           536: when either of these restrictions apply,
        !           537: but older versions of news software will not.
        !           538: .pg
        !           539: The
        !           540: .ng mod.
        !           541: newsgroups are
        !           542: .i "bona fide"
        !           543: moderated newsgroups.
        !           544: If you want to have the appropriate moderator post something,
        !           545: mail it to him.
        !           546: (If you do not know his address,
        !           547: ask your USENET administrator.
        !           548: In some cases,
        !           549: the software will automatically mail,
        !           550: rather than post,
        !           551: your article to the moderator.)
        !           552: .pg
        !           553: The newsgroup
        !           554: .ng net.announce
        !           555: and its subgroups are moderated newsgroups
        !           556: designed for important announcements.
        !           557: It is used to post important announcements that everyone on USENET can read.
        !           558: .ng Net.general "" (
        !           559: was meant to provide such a place,
        !           560: but so many inappropriate messages have been posted there
        !           561: that a lot of people began to unsubscribe;
        !           562: hence,
        !           563: this moderated newsgroup was set up.
        !           564: Very few messages are posted to it,
        !           565: so don't be afraid to subscribe;
        !           566: you will not be overwhelmed.)
        !           567: To post to this group,
        !           568: mail your announcement to the moderator,
        !           569: and he will either post it or suggest an alternative
        !           570: (such as a more appropriate newsgroup.)
        !           571: Messages for
        !           572: .ng net.announce
        !           573: should be short,
        !           574: important enough so that everyone on USENET should see the headers,
        !           575: not cross-posted to any other newsgroup,
        !           576: and signed;
        !           577: messages which are political,
        !           578: commercial,
        !           579: or religious in nature will be rejected.
        !           580: .hn 2
        !           581: Do not post to \*(lqnet.general\*(rq
        !           582: .pg
        !           583: Of course,
        !           584: there are exceptions to this rule,
        !           585: but almost all articles posted to
        !           586: .ng net.general
        !           587: do not belong there.
        !           588: Only articles of general interest and importance to
        !           589: .i everyone
        !           590: on USENET should be posted there.
        !           591: \*(lqEveryone\*(rq includes the USENET readers in Europe,
        !           592: Asia,
        !           593: Australia,
        !           594: Canada,
        !           595: the United States,
        !           596: and possibly other places.
        !           597: .pg
        !           598: This means that announcements of services or products,
        !           599: test messages,
        !           600: seminar announcements,
        !           601: program sources and bug reports,
        !           602: requests for addresses,
        !           603: and so forth do
        !           604: .i not
        !           605: go to
        !           606: .ng net.general .
        !           607: If you wish to post a follow-up to an article you saw in
        !           608: .ng net.general ,
        !           609: put the followup posting in
        !           610: .ng net.followup .
        !           611: (Again,
        !           612: newer versions of news software will do this automatically,
        !           613: but do not rely on this feature as your software
        !           614: may be old.)
        !           615: .pg
        !           616: Similarly,
        !           617: never post to
        !           618: .ng net.general
        !           619: and another newsgroup.
        !           620: If your article belongs in any other newsgroup,
        !           621: put it there,
        !           622: and not in
        !           623: .ng net.general .
        !           624: (There is one exception to this rule \-
        !           625: articles may be cross-posted to
        !           626: .ng net.general
        !           627: and
        !           628: .ng net.announce .
        !           629: Since
        !           630: .ng net.announce
        !           631: is moderated,
        !           632: though,
        !           633: the exception does not matter to you.)
        !           634: .hn 2
        !           635: Ask someone if you can't figure out where to post your article
        !           636: .pg
        !           637: If you cannot figure out where to post something,
        !           638: look in
        !           639: .ng net.announce.newusers
        !           640: for the list of active newsgroups.
        !           641: (This is posted biweekly.
        !           642: If you can't find it,
        !           643: look at the list in
        !           644: .i "How to Read the Network News" ;
        !           645: but be aware that list is undoubtedly out of date already.)
        !           646: If your article does not seem to fit in any of the listed groups,
        !           647: post it to
        !           648: .ng net.misc
        !           649: or don't post it.
        !           650: .pg
        !           651: If you still are not sure which newsgroup to post your article to,
        !           652: ask an old-timer.
        !           653: If your site doesn't have any old-timers
        !           654: (or none of the old-timers will admit to being old-timers),
        !           655: contact any of the following people:
        !           656: .sd
        !           657: Gene Spafford ([email protected], [email protected])
        !           658: Mark Horton ([email protected])
        !           659: Rick Adams ([email protected], [email protected])
        !           660: Chuq Von Rospach ([email protected])
        !           661: Matt Bishop ([email protected], [email protected])
        !           662: .ed
        !           663: We will be happy to help you.
        !           664: But,
        !           665: please,
        !           666: do not post the article to the net before you ask us!
        !           667: .hn 2
        !           668: Be sure there is a consensus before creating a new newsgroup
        !           669: .pg
        !           670: Creating a new newsgroup is,
        !           671: in general,
        !           672: a very bad idea.
        !           673: Currently,
        !           674: there are so many articles being posted that the USENET is in dange of collapse
        !           675: as site after site decides to cease to accept and retransmit certain newsgroups.
        !           676: Moreover,
        !           677: there is no established procedure for deleting a newsgroup,
        !           678: so once created,
        !           679: newsgroups tend to stay around.
        !           680: They also tend to encourage people to think up new newsgroups,
        !           681: and the cycle repeats.
        !           682: Try to avoid thinking up new newsgroups.
        !           683: .pg
        !           684: If,
        !           685: however,
        !           686: you believe a new group should be created,
        !           687: be sure you have a consensus that the group is needed
        !           688: (either a mailing list has enough traffic and readers
        !           689: to justify turning it into a newsgroup,
        !           690: or a discussion in a current newsgroup
        !           691: becomes so large for a period of time long enough
        !           692: to warrant splitting it into a newsgroup.)
        !           693: Then post an article to
        !           694: .ng net.news.group
        !           695: as well as any other groups related to your proposed new group,
        !           696: and discuss the topics you are proposing be covered in your new group,
        !           697: what it should be called,
        !           698: whether it is
        !           699: .i really
        !           700: needed,
        !           701: and so forth.
        !           702: Try to resolve all objections,
        !           703: and take into account all suggestions and comments;
        !           704: finally,
        !           705: have everyone mail you a \*(lqyes\*(rq or \*(lqno\*(rq vote
        !           706: on whether the group should be created.
        !           707: Try to get at least 40 or 50 \*(lqyes\*(rq votes before creating the group;
        !           708: if you want to be safe,
        !           709: get around 100.
        !           710: .hn 2
        !           711: Watch out for newsgroups which have special rules about posting
        !           712: .pg
        !           713: Some newsgroups have special rules.
        !           714: This section summarizes them.
        !           715: .lp net.books 20
        !           716: Do not post anything revealing a plot or a plot twist
        !           717: without putting the word
        !           718: .cf spoiler
        !           719: somewhere in the
        !           720: .hf Subject
        !           721: field.
        !           722: This will let those who do not wish to have a surprise spoiled
        !           723: skip the article.
        !           724: .lp net.followup 20
        !           725: This group is for followups to articles posted in
        !           726: .ng net.general
        !           727: or for results of surveys.
        !           728: No discussions are allowed.
        !           729: .lp net.jokes 20
        !           730: If you want to post an offensive joke
        !           731: (this includes racial,
        !           732: religious,
        !           733: sexual,
        !           734: and scatalogical humor,
        !           735: among other kinds)
        !           736: rotate it.
        !           737: (If you do not know what this means,
        !           738: look in the section
        !           739: .b "Writing Your Posting" .)
        !           740: .lp net.movies 20
        !           741: Do not post anything revealing a plot or a plot twist
        !           742: without putting the word
        !           743: .cf spoiler
        !           744: in the
        !           745: .hf Subject
        !           746: field.
        !           747: This will let those who do not wish to have a surprise spoiled
        !           748: skip the article.
        !           749: .lp net.news.group 20
        !           750: Discussions about whether or not to create new groups,
        !           751: and what to name them,
        !           752: go here.
        !           753: Please mail your votes to the proposer;
        !           754: don't post them.
        !           755: .lp net.sources 20
        !           756: Source code postings go here.
        !           757: Discussions are not allowed.
        !           758: Do not post bug fixes here.
        !           759: .lp net.sources.bugs 20
        !           760: Bug reports and bug fixes to sources posted in
        !           761: .ng net.sources
        !           762: go here.
        !           763: .lp net.test 20
        !           764: Use the smallest distribution possible.
        !           765: In the body of the message,
        !           766: say what you are testing.
        !           767: .lp net.wanted 20
        !           768: Requests for things other than source code go here.
        !           769: Please use the smallest distribution possible.
        !           770: Post offers here,
        !           771: too.
        !           772: .lp net.wanted.sources 20
        !           773: Requests for sources go here.
        !           774: .hn 1
        !           775: Writing the Article
        !           776: .pg
        !           777: Here are some suggestions to help you communicate effectively
        !           778: with others on the USENET.
        !           779: Perhaps the best advice is not to be afraid to consult a book on
        !           780: writing style;
        !           781: two of the best are
        !           782: .i "How to Write for the World of Work"
        !           783: by Cunningham and Pearsall,
        !           784: and
        !           785: .i "Elements of Style"
        !           786: by Strunk and White.
        !           787: .hn 2
        !           788: Write for your audience
        !           789: .pg
        !           790: USENET is an international network,
        !           791: and any article you post will be
        !           792: .i very
        !           793: widely read.
        !           794: Even more importantly,
        !           795: your future employers may be among the readers!
        !           796: So,
        !           797: try to make a good impression.
        !           798: .pg
        !           799: A basic principle of all writing is to write at your readers' reading level.
        !           800: It is better to go below than above.
        !           801: Aiming where \*(lqtheir heads ought to be\*(rq may be fine
        !           802: if you are a college professor (and a lot of us would dispute even that),
        !           803: but it is guaranteed to cause people to ignore your article.
        !           804: Studies have shown that the average American reads at the fifth grade level
        !           805: and the average professional reads at the twelfth grade level.
        !           806: .hn 2
        !           807: Be clear and concise
        !           808: .pg
        !           809: Remember that you are writing for a very busy audience;
        !           810: your readers will not puzzle over your article.
        !           811: So be very clear and very concise.
        !           812: Be precise as well;
        !           813: choose the least ambiguous word you can,
        !           814: taking into account the context in which you are using the word.
        !           815: Split your posting into sections and paragraphs as appropriate.
        !           816: Use a descriptive title in the
        !           817: .hf Subject
        !           818: field,
        !           819: and be sure that the title is related to the body of the article.
        !           820: If the title is not related,
        !           821: feel free to change it to a title that is.
        !           822: .hn 2
        !           823: Proofread your article
        !           824: .pg
        !           825: This is a matter of courtesy;
        !           826: since you want others to read your article,
        !           827: the least you can do is check that it says what you mean in a clear,
        !           828: concise manner.
        !           829: Check for typographical errors,
        !           830: silly grammar errors,
        !           831: and misspellings;
        !           832: if you have a spelling checking program,
        !           833: use it.
        !           834: Also be sure the article is easy to read.
        !           835: Use white space \- blanks, tabs, and newlines \-
        !           836: and both upper and lower case letters.
        !           837: Do not omit the definite and indefinite articles,
        !           838: either;
        !           839: not only do \*(lqa\*(rq,
        !           840: \*(lqan\*(rq,
        !           841: and \*(lqthe\*(rq make a posting much easier to read,
        !           842: their omission can make a posting ambiguous.
        !           843: .hn 2
        !           844: Be extra careful with announcements of products or services
        !           845: .pg
        !           846: When writing a product or service announcement,
        !           847: bear in mind that others will be paying most of the telephone bills.
        !           848: So,
        !           849: if you are announcing several things,
        !           850: combine all the announcements into one article.
        !           851: Mark the posting as a product or service announcement
        !           852: in the title in the
        !           853: .hf Subject
        !           854: field.
        !           855: Advertising hyperbole is not appropriate here;
        !           856: remember that your audience is to a large degree technically literate,
        !           857: and your product will stand or fall on its technical merits.
        !           858: Be aware that posting obnoxious or inappropriate advertisements
        !           859: is very serious and if you do it,
        !           860: you may find your neighbors yanking your USENET access.
        !           861: .hn 2
        !           862: Indicate sarcasm and humor
        !           863: .pg
        !           864: Remember that people cannot see you when they read your posting;
        !           865: hence,
        !           866: all the subtle nuances of body and facial motion are hidden.
        !           867: It can be quite difficult to tell when you are being sarcastic or humorous.
        !           868: To deal with this problem,
        !           869: the USENET readers and posters have developed a special sign.
        !           870: Mark passages you intend to be taken as humorous with the
        !           871: \*(lqsmiley face\*(rq,
        !           872: while looks like this: \*(lq:\-)\*(rq.
        !           873: (Think of a head facing you lying on its right side and look again
        !           874: if you don't understand why that symbol was chosen.)
        !           875: As for sarcasm,
        !           876: there is no universal symbol for that
        !           877: (unless the sarcasm is meant humorously,
        !           878: in which case use the smiley face again.)
        !           879: But mark your passage so everyone will realize you are being sarcastic.
        !           880: .hn 2
        !           881: Mark postings which spoil surprises
        !           882: .pg
        !           883: High on the list of obnoxious messages
        !           884: are those that spoil the plot of a book or movie
        !           885: by giving away an unexpected detail.
        !           886: If you post such an article,
        !           887: please put the word
        !           888: .cf spoiler
        !           889: in the
        !           890: .hf Subject
        !           891: field of your posting,
        !           892: so people who do not wish to have a surprise ruined can skip the article.
        !           893: .hn 2
        !           894: Rotate offensive postings
        !           895: .pg
        !           896: If you feel you must post a message that may offend people,
        !           897: you can do one of two things.
        !           898: You can post it to the newsgroup
        !           899: .ng net.flame
        !           900: or you can take steps to be sure the message will only be read
        !           901: by those who explicitly ask for it to be shown to them.
        !           902: In the latter case,
        !           903: the USENET convention is to encrypt these messages
        !           904: by shifting each letter 13 characters,
        !           905: so that
        !           906: (for example)
        !           907: \*(lqa\*(rq becomes \*(lqn\*(rq.
        !           908: (In more precise terms,
        !           909: this is a Caesar cipher of shift 13;
        !           910: on the USENET,
        !           911: it is called
        !           912: .i rot13 .)
        !           913: When you do this,
        !           914: put the word
        !           915: .cf rot13
        !           916: in the
        !           917: .hf Subject
        !           918: field.
        !           919: The news reader you are using almost certainly has a command
        !           920: to encrypt and decrypt such messages;
        !           921: if not,
        !           922: use the
        !           923: .ux
        !           924: command
        !           925: .sd c
        !           926: tr a\-zA\-Z n\-za\-mN\-ZA\-M
        !           927: .ed
        !           928: .hn 2
        !           929: The shorter your signature, the better
        !           930: .pg
        !           931: Keep signatures concise;
        !           932: 2 or 3 lines are usually plenty.
        !           933: Include your name and addresses on any major networks
        !           934: (such as ARPANET,
        !           935: BITNET,
        !           936: or CSNET).
        !           937: This helps people contact you quickly and easily,
        !           938: usually more so than by following the return path of the article.
        !           939: Do not include pictures, graphics or clever quotations that make the
        !           940: signature longer; this is not the appropriate place for them,
        !           941: and many sites resent paying the phone bills for such signatures.
        !           942: .hn 1
        !           943: Conclusion and Summary
        !           944: .pg
        !           945: Here is a list of the rules given above:
        !           946: .si
        !           947: .lp \(rh \w'\(rh\ 'u
        !           948: Deciding to post
        !           949: .si
        !           950: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           951: Do not repeat postings
        !           952: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           953: Do not post anything when upset, angry, or intoxicated
        !           954: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           955: Be sure your posting is appropriate to USENET
        !           956: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           957: Do not post other people's work without permission
        !           958: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           959: Don't forget that opinions are those of the poster and not his company
        !           960: .ei
        !           961: .lp \(rh \w'\(rh\ 'u
        !           962: Where to Post
        !           963: .si
        !           964: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           965: Keep the distribution as limited as possible
        !           966: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           967: Do not post the same article twice to different groups
        !           968: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           969: Do not post to
        !           970: .ng mod. ,
        !           971: or
        !           972: .ng net.announce
        !           973: newsgroups
        !           974: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           975: Do not post to
        !           976: .ng net.general
        !           977: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           978: Ask someone if you can't figure out where to post your article
        !           979: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           980: Be sure there is a consensus before creating a new newsgroup
        !           981: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           982: Watch out for newsgroups which have special rules about posting
        !           983: .ei
        !           984: .lp \(rh \w'\(rh\ 'u
        !           985: Writing the Article
        !           986: .si
        !           987: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           988: Write for your audience
        !           989: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           990: Be clear and concise
        !           991: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           992: Proofread your article
        !           993: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           994: Be extra careful with announcements of products or services
        !           995: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           996: Indicate sarcasm and humor
        !           997: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !           998: Mark postings which spoil surprises
        !           999: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !          1000: Rotate offensive postings
        !          1001: .lp \(bu \w'\(bu\ 'u
        !          1002: The shorter your signature, the better
        !          1003: .ei
        !          1004: .ei
        !          1005: .pg
        !          1006: The USENET can be a great place for us all.
        !          1007: Sadly,
        !          1008: not enough people are following the customs that have been established
        !          1009: to keep the USENET civilized.
        !          1010: This document was written to educate all users of the USENET
        !          1011: on their responsibilities.
        !          1012: Let's clean up the USENET,
        !          1013: and turn it into a friendly,
        !          1014: helpful community again!
        !          1015: .sp
        !          1016: .bi Acknowledgements:
        !          1017: The writing of this document was inspired by Chuq von Rospach's posting
        !          1018: on USENET etiquette,
        !          1019: and it draws on previous work by Mark Horton,
        !          1020: A. Jeff Offutt,
        !          1021: Gene Spafford,
        !          1022: and
        !          1023: Chuq von Rospach.
        !          1024: .bp
        !          1025: .hu 1
        !          1026: Appendix I.  Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
        !          1027: .pg l
        !          1028: .i
        !          1029: originally from Jerry Schwarz ([email protected])
        !          1030: .br
        !          1031: modified by Gene Spafford ([email protected])
        !          1032: .br
        !          1033: modified by Matt Bishop ([email protected])
        !          1034: .r
        !          1035: .sp
        !          1036: .pg
        !          1037: This document discusses some items that occur repeatedly on USENET.
        !          1038: They frequently are submitted by new users,
        !          1039: and result in many followups,
        !          1040: sometimes swamping groups for weeks.
        !          1041: The purpose of this note is to head off these annoying events
        !          1042: by answering some questions
        !          1043: and warning about the inevitable consequence of asking others.
        !          1044: If you don't like my answers,
        !          1045: let me know and I may include revisions in future versions of this note.
        !          1046: .nr Qs \w'\0\0.\ 'u
        !          1047: .de Lp
        !          1048: .lp "\\$1" \\n(Qsu
        !          1049: ..
        !          1050: .Lp \01.
        !          1051: What does
        !          1052: .ux
        !          1053: stand for?
        !          1054: .Lp
        !          1055: It is not an acronym,
        !          1056: but is a pun on \*(lqMULTICS.\*(rq
        !          1057: MULTICS is a large operating system that was being developed shortly before
        !          1058: .ux
        !          1059: was created.
        !          1060: .Lp \02.
        !          1061: What is the derivation of \*(lqfoo\*(rq as a filler word?
        !          1062: .Lp ""
        !          1063: The favorite story is that it comes from \*(lqfubar\*(rq
        !          1064: which is an acronym for \*(lqfouled up beyond all recognition,\*(rq
        !          1065: which is supposed to be a military term.
        !          1066: (Various forms of this exist,
        !          1067: \*(lqfouled\*(rq usually being replaced by a stronger word.)
        !          1068: \*(lqFoo\*(rq and \*(lqBar\*(rq have the same derivation.
        !          1069: .Lp \03.
        !          1070: Is a machine at \*(lqfoo\*(rq on the net?
        !          1071: .Lp
        !          1072: These questions belong in
        !          1073: .ng net.news.config
        !          1074: if anywhere,
        !          1075: but in fact your best bet is usually to phone somebody
        !          1076: at \*(lqfoo\*(rq to find out.
        !          1077: If you don't know anybody at \*(lqfoo\*(rq you can always try calling
        !          1078: and asking for the \*(lqcomputer center.\*(rq
        !          1079: Also,
        !          1080: see the newsgroup
        !          1081: .ng mod.map ,
        !          1082: where maps of USENET and the UUCP network are posted regularly.
        !          1083: .Lp \04.
        !          1084: What does \*(lqrc\*(rq at the end of files like
        !          1085: .i .newsrc
        !          1086: mean?
        !          1087: .Lp
        !          1088: According to Dennis Ritchie,
        !          1089: \*(lqThe name
        !          1090: .i rc
        !          1091: comes from RUNCOM, which was the rough equivalent
        !          1092: on the MIT CTSS system of what
        !          1093: .ux
        !          1094: calls shell scripts.  Of course
        !          1095: RUNCOM derives from 
        !          1096: .i "run commands.\*(rq"
        !          1097: .Lp \05.
        !          1098: What do \*(lq- (nf)\*(rq and \*(lqOrphaned Response\*(rq in an item's title mean?
        !          1099: .Lp
        !          1100: It means that the item was created by \*(lqnotefiles,\*(rq
        !          1101: an alternative news handling interface that many people prefer.
        !          1102: If you want to find out more you can read the
        !          1103: .i \*(lqNotesfile
        !          1104: System Reference Manual\*(rq or contact
        !          1105: .cn uiucdcs!essick .
        !          1106: .Lp \06.
        !          1107: What does \*(lq:\-)\*(rq mean?
        !          1108: .Lp
        !          1109: This is the net convention for a \*(lqsmiley face.\*(rq
        !          1110: It means that something is being said in jest.
        !          1111: If it doesn't look like a smiley face to you,
        !          1112: flop your head over to the left and look again.
        !          1113: .Lp \07.
        !          1114: How do I decrypt jokes in
        !          1115: .ng net.jokes ?
        !          1116: .Lp
        !          1117: The standard cipher used in
        !          1118: .ng net.jokes
        !          1119: in called \*(lqrot13.\*(rq
        !          1120: Each letter is replaced by the letter 13 further along in the alphabet
        !          1121: (cycling around at the end).
        !          1122: Most systems have a built in command to decrypt such articles;
        !          1123: .i readnews (1)
        !          1124: and
        !          1125: .i vnews (1)
        !          1126: have the
        !          1127: .qp D
        !          1128: command,
        !          1129: .i rn (1)
        !          1130: (another popular public-domain full screen news reader) has the
        !          1131: .qp X
        !          1132: or
        !          1133: .qc CONTROL-X
        !          1134: commands,
        !          1135: .i notes (1)
        !          1136: has
        !          1137: .qp %
        !          1138: or
        !          1139: .qp R .
        !          1140: If your system doesn't have a program to encrypt and decrypt these,
        !          1141: you can quickly create a shell script using
        !          1142: .i tr (1):
        !          1143: .sd c
        !          1144: tr A\-Za\-z N\-ZA\-Mn\-za\-m
        !          1145: .ed
        !          1146: On some versions of
        !          1147: .ux ,
        !          1148: the
        !          1149: .i tr
        !          1150: command should be written as:
        !          1151: .sd c
        !          1152: tr \*(lq[a\-m][n\-z][A\-M][N\-Z]\*(rq \*(lq[n\-z][a\-m][N\-Z][A\-M]\*(rq
        !          1153: .ed
        !          1154: .Lp \08.
        !          1155: .ng net.general :
        !          1156: Is John Doe out there anywhere?
        !          1157: .Lp
        !          1158: I suspect that these items are people looking for freshman roommates
        !          1159: that they haven't seen in ten years.
        !          1160: If you have some idea where the person is
        !          1161: you are usually better off calling the organization.
        !          1162: For example,
        !          1163: if you call any Bell Labs location and request John Doe's number.
        !          1164: They can give it to you even if he works at a different location.
        !          1165: If you must try the net,
        !          1166: use newsgroup
        !          1167: .ng net.net-people ,
        !          1168: .i not
        !          1169: .ng net.general .
        !          1170: .Lp \09.
        !          1171: .ng net.math :
        !          1172: Proofs that 1 \(eq 0.
        !          1173: .Lp
        !          1174: Almost everyone has seen one or more of these in high school.
        !          1175: They are almost always based on either division by 0
        !          1176: or taking the square root of a negative number.
        !          1177: .Lp 10.
        !          1178: .ng net.games :
        !          1179: Where can I get the source for
        !          1180: .i empire (6)
        !          1181: or
        !          1182: .i rogue (6)?
        !          1183: .Lp
        !          1184: You can't.
        !          1185: The authors of these games,
        !          1186: as is their right,
        !          1187: have chosen not to make the sources available.
        !          1188: .Lp 11.
        !          1189: .ng net.unix-wizards :
        !          1190: How do I remove files with
        !          1191: .sm ASCII "" non-
        !          1192: characters in their names?
        !          1193: .Lp
        !          1194: You can try to find a pattern that uniquely identifies the file.
        !          1195: This sometimes fails because a peculiarity of some shells is that
        !          1196: they strip off the high-order bit of characters in command lines.
        !          1197: Next,
        !          1198: you can try an \*(lqrm \-i\*(rq, or \*(lqrm \-r\*(rq
        !          1199: (see
        !          1200: .i rm (1).)
        !          1201: Finally,
        !          1202: you can mess around with i-node numbers and
        !          1203: .i find (1).
        !          1204: .Lp 12.
        !          1205: .ng net.unix-wizards :
        !          1206: There is a bug in the way
        !          1207: .ux
        !          1208: handles protection for programs that run setuid.
        !          1209: .Lp
        !          1210: There are indeed problems with the treatment of protection in setuid programs.
        !          1211: When this is brought up,
        !          1212: suggestions for changes range from implementing a full capability list
        !          1213: arrangement to new kernel calls for allowing more control over when
        !          1214: the effective id is used and when the real id is used to control accesses.
        !          1215: Sooner or later you can expect this to be improved.
        !          1216: For now you just have to live with it.
        !          1217: .Lp 13.
        !          1218: .ng net.women :
        !          1219: What do you think about abortion?
        !          1220: .Lp
        !          1221: Although abortion might appear to be an appropriate topic for
        !          1222: .ng net.women ,
        !          1223: more heat than light is generated when it is brought up.
        !          1224: Since the newsgroup
        !          1225: .ng net.abortion
        !          1226: has been created,
        !          1227: all abortion-related discussion should take place there.
        !          1228: .Lp 14.
        !          1229: .ng net.singles :
        !          1230: What do \*(lqMOTOS,\*(rq
        !          1231: \*(lqMOTSS,\*(rq, \*(lqMOTAS\*(rq,
        !          1232: and \*(lqSO\*(rq stand for?
        !          1233: .Lp
        !          1234: Member of the opposite sex,
        !          1235: member of the same sex,
        !          1236: member of the appropriate sex,
        !          1237: and significant other,
        !          1238: respectively.
        !          1239: .Lp 15
        !          1240: .ng net.columbia :
        !          1241: Shouldn't this name be changed?
        !          1242: .Lp
        !          1243: The name was devised to honor the first space shuttle.
        !          1244: It was realized at the time the group began that
        !          1245: the name would quickly become out of date.
        !          1246: The intent was to create a bit of instant nostalgia.
        !          1247: .Lp 16.
        !          1248: .ng net.columbia :
        !          1249: Shouldn't this group be merged with
        !          1250: .ng net.space ?
        !          1251: No.
        !          1252: .ng Net.columbia
        !          1253: is for timely news bulletins.
        !          1254: .ng Net.space
        !          1255: is for discussions.
        !          1256: .Lp 17.
        !          1257: How do I use the
        !          1258: .hf Distribution
        !          1259: feature?
        !          1260: .Lp
        !          1261: When
        !          1262: .i postnews (1)
        !          1263: prompts you for a distribution,
        !          1264: it's asking how widely distributed you want your article.
        !          1265: The set of possible replies is different,
        !          1266: depending on where you are,
        !          1267: but at Bell Labs in Murray Hill,
        !          1268: New Jersey,
        !          1269: possibilities include:
        !          1270: .sd c
        !          1271: \!.ta 8n
        !          1272: mh3bc1\tlocal to this machine
        !          1273: mh\tBell Labs, Murray Hill Branch
        !          1274: nj\tall sites in New Jersey
        !          1275: btl\tAll Bell Labs machines
        !          1276: att\tAll AT&T machines
        !          1277: usa\tEverywhere in the USA
        !          1278: na\tEverywhere in North America
        !          1279: net\tEverywhere on USENET in the world (same as "world")
        !          1280: .ed
        !          1281: If you hit
        !          1282: .qc RETURN ,
        !          1283: you'll get the default,
        !          1284: which is the first part of the newsgroup name.
        !          1285: This default is often not appropriate \-
        !          1286: .i please
        !          1287: take a moment to think about how far away people are likely
        !          1288: to be interested in what you have to say.
        !          1289: Used car ads,
        !          1290: housing wanted ads,
        !          1291: and things for sale other than specialized equipment like computers
        !          1292: certainly shouldn't be distributed to Europe and Korea,
        !          1293: or even to the next state.
        !          1294: .Lp
        !          1295: The newsgroup
        !          1296: .ng na.forsale
        !          1297: exists for postings of sale announcements.
        !          1298: Its distribution is limited to North America;
        !          1299: posters should restrict this distribution even further,
        !          1300: if possible and appropriate.
        !          1301: .Lp 18.
        !          1302: Why do some people put funny lines
        !          1303: (\*(lqbug killers\*(rq)
        !          1304: at the beginning of their articles?
        !          1305: .Lp
        !          1306: Some earlier versions of news had a bug which would drop
        !          1307: the first 512 or 1024 bytes of text of certain articles.
        !          1308: The bug was triggered whenever the article started with whitespace
        !          1309: (a blank or a tab).
        !          1310: A fix many people adopted was to begin their articles
        !          1311: with a line containing a character other than white space.
        !          1312: This gradually evolved into the habit of including amusing first lines.
        !          1313: .Lp
        !          1314: The original bug has since been fixed in newer version of news,
        !          1315: and sites running older versions of news have applied a patch
        !          1316: to prevent articles from losing text.
        !          1317: The \*(lqbug-killer\*(rq lines are therefore probably no longer needed,
        !          1318: but they linger on.
        !          1319: .Lp 19.
        !          1320: What is the address or phone number of the \*(lqfoo\*(rq company?
        !          1321: .Lp
        !          1322: Try the white and yellow pages of your phone directory,
        !          1323: first;
        !          1324: a sales representative will surely know,
        !          1325: and if you're a potential customer they will be who you're looking for.
        !          1326: Phone books for other cities are usually available in libraries of any size.
        !          1327: Whoever buys or recommends things for your company
        !          1328: will probably have some buyer's guides or national company directories.
        !          1329: Call or visit the reference desk of your library;
        !          1330: they have several company and organization directories
        !          1331: and many will answer questions like this over the phone.
        !          1332: Remember if you only know the city where the company is,
        !          1333: you can telephone to find out their full address or a dealer.
        !          1334: The network is
        !          1335: .i not
        !          1336: a free resource,
        !          1337: although it may look like that to some people.
        !          1338: It is far better to spend a few minutes of your own time
        !          1339: researching an answer rather than broadcast
        !          1340: your laziness and/or ineptitude to the net.

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