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Home > Archive > alt.os.linux > December 2002 > alt.os.linux, new reader please read.
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alt.os.linux, new reader please read.
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| Michael Heiming 2002-12-17, 6:24 pm |
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Some info for new reader:
### Test Messages ###
Many people, particularly new users, want to try out posting before
actually taking part in discussions. Often the mechanics of getting
messages out is the most difficult part of Usenet. To this end, many,
many users find it necessary to post their tests to ``normal'' groups
(for example, news.admin or comp.os.linux.misc). This is considered a major
netiquette faux pas in the Usenet world. There are a number of groups
available, called test groups, that exist solely for the purpose of
trying out a news system, reader, or even new signature. They include:
alt.test gnu.gnusenet.test misc.test
By all means, experiment and test---just do it in its proper place.
### Replying & Quoting & Trimming ###
When following up to an article, many newsreaders provide the facility
to quote the original article with each line prefixed by > , as in
In article <1232@foo.bar.com>, sharon@foo.bar.com wrote: I agree,
> I think that basketweaving's really catching on, particularly in
> Pennsylvania. Here's a list of every person in PA that currently
> engages in it publicly:
[..]
This is a severe example (potentially a horribly long article),
but proves a point. When you quote another person, edit out whatever
isn't directly applicable to your reply.[1] This gives the reader of
the new article a better idea of what points you were addressing. By
including the entire article, you'll only annoy those reading it.
Always put your response below/between the quoted text.
### Crossposting ###
The Newsgroups: line isn't limited to just one group, an article
can be posted in a list of groups. For instance, the line
Newsgroups: sci.space,comp.simulation
posts the article to both the groups sci.space and
comp.simulation. It's usually safe to crosspost to up to three or
four groups. To list more than that is considered ``excessive noise.''
It's also suggested that if an article is crossposted a Followup-To:
header be included. It should name the group to which all additional
discussion should be directed to. For the above example a possible
Followup-To: would be
Followup-To: sci.space
which would make all followups automatically be posted to just
sci.space, rather than both sci.space and comp.simulation.
### Useful Subjects ###
The Subject: line of an article is what will first attract people to
read it, if it's vague or doesn't describe what's contained within,
no one will read the article. At the same time, Subject: lines that're
too wordy tend to be irritating. For example:
Good
Subject: xinetd failure, "cps time argument not a number"
Good
Subject: LAN ftp login takes ages, tarnsfer is slow
Bad
Subject: Pulling my hair apart, Linux sucks unbelievable, nothing works!
Bad
Subject: HELP! Ftp doesn't work for me at all, how come !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Simply put, try to think of what will best help the reader when he
or she encounters your article in a newsreading session.
### More info ####
"The Usenet Newbie Project"
http://tgos.org/newbie/index2.html
"ESR's Howto ask smart questions":
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
"Advanced Usenet Usage"
http://livinginternet.com/?u/ua.htm
### Disclaimer ###
Have a lot fo fun...
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| Sybren Stuvel 2002-12-17, 7:25 pm |
| In alt.os.linux Michael Heiming enlightened us with:
> ### More info ####
>
> "The Usenet Newbie Project"
> "ESR's Howto ask smart questions":
> "Advanced Usenet Usage"
The thing I'm missing is rfc 1855:
http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1855.html
For the rest: looking good!
Sybren
-- [colo
r=darkred]
>>> RUNNING A MICROSOFT GAME USING WINE <<<[/color]
sybren@sybren:Mechwarrior Mercenaries$ wine MW4Mercs.exe
INSTR_IDT_Emulate Evil attempt to exploit win9x system security flaws detected
INSTR_IDT_Emulate UNIX system security is too strong, can't emulate properly
| |
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| Michael Heiming wrote:
>
> Some info for new reader:
> Have a lot fo fun...
Nicely done, and very much needed also
| |
| Sybren Stuvel 2002-12-17, 7:25 pm |
| In alt.os.linux Michael Heiming enlightened us with:
> Thx, if I only had a good idea, for the subject, right now, looks
> more like SPAM, if you ask me... )
Indeed. How about "Read this first if you're new here?"
> Considering the traffic here, did setup a bi-weekly cronjob.
Seems fine to me!
> Perhaps this helps.
Sure hope so.
Sybren
-- [colo
r=darkred]
>>> RUNNING A MICROSOFT GAME USING WINE <<<[/color]
sybren@sybren:Mechwarrior Mercenaries$ wine MW4Mercs.exe
INSTR_IDT_Emulate Evil attempt to exploit win9x system security flaws detected
INSTR_IDT_Emulate UNIX system security is too strong, can't emulate properly
| |
| Michael Heiming 2002-12-17, 8:25 pm |
| Sybren Stuvel wrote:
> Indeed.
LOL
> How about "Read this first if you're new here?"
Sounds better, what about :
SUBJECT="Welcome to ${GROUP}, read this first if you're new here"
Michael Heiming
--
Remove +SIGNS and www. if you expect an answer, sorry for inconvenience,
but I get tons of SPAM
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| Bit Twister 2002-12-17, 8:25 pm |
| On 18 Dec 2002 01:14:21 GMT, Sybren Stuvel wrote:
> In alt.os.linux Michael Heiming enlightened us with:
>> Thx, if I only had a good idea, for the subject, right now, looks
>> more like SPAM, if you ask me...)
How about
A newbie? First post? Read me first FAQ.
That way if newsreader sorts post, it might get to the top.
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| Paul Lutus 2002-12-17, 9:24 pm |
| On Wed, 18 Dec 2002 02:38:24 +0100, Michael Heiming wrote:
> Sybren Stuvel wrote:
>
>> Indeed.
> LOL
>> How about "Read this first if you're new here?"
>
> Sounds better, what about :
>
> SUBJECT="Welcome to ${GROUP}, read this first if you're new here"
>
> Michael Heiming
Even better would be a copy posted on a Web site, so you could (1) refer
to it regularly, and (2) post a notice and link to it weekly (or as often
as you see fit).
Good for you!
--
Paul Lutus
http://www.arachnoid.com
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| Erik =?iso-8859-1?q?Ljungstr=F6m=22?= 2002-12-17, 11:26 pm |
| On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 19:13:14 +0000, Paul Lutus wrote:
> Even better would be a copy posted on a Web site, so you could (1) refer
> to it regularly, and (2) post a notice and link to it weekly (or as often
> as you see fit).
>
> Good for you!
That's a good idea
--
-> Erik Ljungström (erik@northernmost.org)
-> ipv4: http://www.northernmost.org
-> ipv6: http://freebsd.northernmost.org
-> Norrköping, Sweden
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| Michael Heiming 2002-12-18, 5:24 am |
| Erik Ljungstr=F6m" wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 19:13:14 +0000, Paul Lutus wrote:
>=20
>> Even better would be a copy posted on a Web site, so you could (1)
>> refer to it regularly, and (2) post a notice and link to it weekly
>> (or as often as you see fit).
>>=20
>> Good for you!
>=20
> That's a good idea
Hi Paul, Erik,
don't think this is a really good idea, even if it would save some=20
bandwith. Tried to keep it short, just to reduce multiple mistakes,=20
happening on someones "first post", we'll see how it works out.
Changed the order to the following, which seems more logical, to me:
### Testing your connection ###
### Your post ###
### Useful Subjects ###
### Crossposting ###
### Replying & Quoting & Trimming ###
### More info ####
Subject, to:
A newbie? Welcome to ${GROUP}, read this first if you're new here
Might get on the top, case the newsreader is sorting "Subject:".
Michael Heiming
--=20
Remove +SIGNS and www. if you expect an answer, sorry for inconvenience=
,=20
but I get tons of SPAM =20
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| Paul Lutus 2002-12-18, 11:25 am |
| On Wed, 18 Dec 2002 12:09:06 +0100, Michael Heiming wrote:
/...
> Hi Paul, Erik,
>
> don't think this [an HTML page version] is a really good idea, even if
> it would save some bandwith.
Fair enough. Just be aware when a document gets to a certain size, there
are some significant advantages to HTML formatting, like the ability to
create a self-contained outline format, which, by allowing an instant jump
to an area of interest, fits perfectly into the very short attention span
of the average young American.
An example from my site: "HTML for the Conceptually Challenged":
http://www.arachnoid.com/lutusp/html_tutor.html
--
Paul Lutus
http://www.arachnoid.com
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| Guy Macon 2002-12-19, 6:25 am |
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Erik =?iso-8859-1?q?Ljungstr=F6m=22?= <erik@northernmost.org> wrote:
>
>On Tue, 17 Dec 2002 19:13:14 +0000, Paul Lutus wrote:
>
>> Even better would be a copy posted on a Web site, so you could (1) refer
>> to it regularly, and (2) post a notice and link to it weekly (or as often
>> as you see fit).
>>
>> Good for you!
>
>That's a good idea
>
I would use that as one line of my .sig when posting here.
If enough people did that, it would increase the chance of the
newbies catching it.
I also would like the string "FAQ" to be in the title. That's
something many newbies search for.
BTW, is the text of the notice under GPL? 
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