[FAQ] rec.games.miniatures.warhammer weekly mini-FAQ
rsin...@hotmail.com
Version: 1.1
URL: http://www.rgmw.org
Copyright: (c) 2006 Robert Singers
Maintainer: Robert Singers <rsin...@hotmail.com>
RGMW Mini-FAQ or how to avoid being flamed.
This mini-FAQ is a direct descendant of a mini-FAQ written and posted for
years by Blank Dave and Alistair Hutton. It has been rewritten to avoid
infringing on any copyright held by those two fine gentlemen and to bring
it up to date.
How can I access this group?
----------------------------
Hopefully your ISP provides free news server access as a part of it's basic
service, however if your ISP has closed down their News servers all is not
lost.
You can access Usenet via Google Groups. If you choose to do this, be aware
that there is a small community of cyber-racists who actively engage in
hate activities against what they term "google gropers".
But there are also alternatives to Google and ISP provided servers. There
are free servers. Three good examples are
- Aioe http://www.aioe.org/
- Albasani http://www.albasani.net/
- Motzarella http://motzarella.org/
There are low cost pay servers. Two good examples are
- NIN http://news.individual.net/
- Newsguy www.newsguy.com
If you need a news reader to access these servers I recommend the following
- XPN http://xpn.altervista.org/index-en.html
- XNEWS http://xnews.newsguy.com/ (Windows Only)
What to do.
-----------
1. Read the FAQ.
If you are new to the group please read the full FAQ at
<http://www.rgmw.org> or when it is autoposted to the group.
It contains an expanded set of answers on getting value out of this news
group.
2. Learn about Usenet.
RGMW is just like many of the newsgroups. Check out
<nntp://news.announce.newusers> and <nntp://news.newusers.question>.
NNQ has a web site at http://members.fortunecity.com/nnqweb/
3. Apologise if you make a mistake.
If you make a mistake or say something stupid, apologise as quickly as you
can. It will create a good deal of respect for you with the other posters and
make your posting life easier.
4. Learn to use the Usenet Archive.
Learn to use the Usenet archive at
<http://groups.google.com/advanced_search> and search for previous
threads before asking a question that has probably been asked many times
before.
5. Learn to use a search engine.
Learn to use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. Don't expect the
other member of the group to do your work for you.
6. Check your punctuation, spelling and grammar.
A newsgroup is a written forum, good writing is essential to being understood.
Usenet is also a global medium, good English is essential to allow everyone to
participate.
7. Post and Wait.
Usenet is not a chat room or IM session. Posts don't propagate instantly.
Post and wait. Don't post the same message over and over, and don't hijack
other threads because no one has replied to you.
8. Learn to recognise a dead or dying thread.
Sometimes it's better to let a thread die than prolong the
agony. If you're like a dog with a bone you may just find
yourself in everyone's kill file.
9. Learn to quote correctly.
Don't top post. Don't post your entire response at the bottom of a post without
snipping extraneous text, making the post longer and longer causing people
to scroll down all the time. Learn how to post inline and could just the material
you are replying to. NNQ has an excellent guide here
<http://member.newsguy.com/~schramm/nquote.html>.
10. Learn to use a Kill file.
There are plenty of arseholes on Usenet just like real life, if you can't stop
yourself replying to them learn to use a kill file. You'll make yourself look
smarter. Check out <http://www.hyphenologist.co.uk/killfile/killfilefaqhtm.htm>
for information on how to use kill files with various newsreaders.
What not to do
---------------
1. Don't post binaries.
RGMW is not a binary group, do not post binaries to it. This means text only.
In any event most servers will filter out binaries in a text group.
2. Don't ask for common web addresses.
Do your own homework. If you can't work out what Games Workshop's URL
is, use a search engine.
3. Don't annoy the regulars.
No poster is perfect but the regulars have been using the group for a long
time and are bound to have a lot of friends. Pissing of the regulars will quickly
devalue your experience of the news group and you may never recover any
credibility.
4. Don't ask a question without giving any specific information.
Feel free to ask questions, but make sure you provide enough information to
help answer your question. For example if you want help creating an army
lists, include which miniatures you already own, which you'd like to own,
which miniatures you hate, and what theme you may be considering for your
army.
5. Don't post on these topics
Don't post on these topics: splitting the newsgroup, race, sex, gender or
sexual orientation, religion, gun control, nationalist or patriotic themes, Games
Workshop's business model, requiring painted miniatures, copyright and theft
of IP issues.
You may think you're smart enough to discuss these subjects but chances are
you're not and you'll end up severely flamed.
6. Don't ask us to reply to
If you want to have a discussion do it on the news group, don't ask us to reply
to you via e-mail or on a web forum. If you don't want to give us your time, we
sure as hell aren't going to give you ours.
7. Don't ask "can you make me an army list for"
Once again we won't do your homework for you. If you want help then ask
specific questions.
8. Don't repeat the same thing over and over
Be wise enough to realise when people disagree or aren't interested in what
you have to say. Repeating yourself makes you look foolish, not your
audience.
9. Don't post in HTML
Don't post in HTML, RGMW is a news group not a web page. News groups
predate what you probably think of as the Internet.
10. Don't spam the news groups.
Don't spam RGMW. It's rude and annoying. It won't get you business and
will get you a lot of complaints to your ISP.