alt.nerd.obsessive FAQ v1.4
Ix
over a month since I posted this last, I hereby present the a.n.o
Frequently Asked Questions list. Read before posting, feel free to
ask if anything's unclear, yada yada yada.
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alt.nerd.obsessive FAQ v1.4
What is alt.nerd.obsessive?
Originally, alt.nerd.obsessive was a newsgroup that was
mentioned briefly in an episode of the Simpsons. In the episode where
they were filming the Radioactive Man movie, the comic book store guy
tells Bart that he can find out the star of the RM movie. He promptly
posts a message to alt.nerd.obsessive which states "Need know star RM
pic". This information is relayed through the nerd world until it
reaches a nerd hiding under the table at a meeting of movie moguls
casting the film. He relays back the answer immediately (Rainier
Wolfcastle).
Anyway, life imitates art, and since it existed on the
Simspons, it now exists in real life.
What is alt.nerd.obsessive about?
Well, nothing, technically. Most usenet groups have a
charter, a document that indicates the intended purpose of the group.
This group was created without the usual discussion in alt.config, as
a joke, a tribute to that particular reference in that single Simpsons
episode.
In practice, there is a great deal of Simpsons-related
discussion in this group. It is not, however, strictly a Simpsons
group. It is a place where people can talk about their nerdiness, and
talk about things that interest nerds (like the Simpsons, or obscure
gaming systems).
What is the history of alt.nerd.obsessive?
The earliest archived post to this group is actually one
intended to cancel it. The rmgroup post follows (edited for space):
>Author: Chad Redman
>Email:Red...@cris.com
>Date:1997/05/21
>Forums:alt.nerd.obsessive, alt.config
>------------------------------------------
>
>Please be advised that the newgroup message for
>alt.nerd.obsessive had the following problems
>
> - Not proposed in alt.config
> - Creates second-level hierarchy
> - No charter
> - Joke group
>
>------ original newgroup message ----------
>>From: eisb...@geocities.com (Polar Bear)
>>Newsgroups: control,alt.nerd.obsessive.ctl
>>Subject: cmsg newgroup alt.nerd.obsessive
>>Control: newgroup alt.nerd.obsessive
>>Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 18:58:47 -0400
>>Cmsg: newgroup alt.nerd.obsessive
>>
>>Any nerdy Simpson fans recognizes this reference.
>>
>----------end quoted message------------
>
>--
>Chad Redman
>Red...@cris.com
Needless to say, the group survived, though it is probably not
propogated as well as it could be. Most of the first year consisted
entirely of spam and people posting "Need know star RM pic". In the
spring/summer of 1998, a small group of regular posters developed, and
one of their first activities was to put together a FAQ. How
obsessively nerdy, indeed.
What is a nerd?
One of the eternal questions, there is no universally accepted
definition of the term 'nerd'. Generally, nerds are social outsiders,
often denigrated and mocked by the status-concious of our society
because they don't follow social convention or 'fit in' as well as
others do. Nerds are often intelligent, intellectual, and technically
proficient, and they often enjoy hobbies and activities that are not
generally popular or mainstream.
Related terms are geek and freak. The term 'freak' properly
refers to an abnormal, strange or unusual person or thing, and 'geek'
properly refers to a particular type of freak often displayed in old
circus or carnival side-shows. The term 'nerd', as far as I can tell,
has no original meaning outside of its use in recent times (ie. since
the 1950's). All three are often used interchangeably by those who
seek to ostracize and castigate others.
Where can I look for more information on nerds?
Usenet has three groups that could be considered specifically
nerd-related. You already know about alt.nerd.obsessive. There's
also alt.obsessive.nerd (obviously a failed attempt at the Simpsons
reference) and alt.geek.supremacy (which is dedicated to the
proposition that nerds will inherit the earth). None of these groups
have heavy traffic at the moment.
On the web, you can find the official alt.nerd.obsessive
homepage at members.tripod.com/~rypper/nerd.html. Then there's the
National Order of Nerds site at home.att.net/~r.couch/index.htm. It
looks pretty good and includes a link to a nerd message board. The
Nerd Revolutionary Front page at
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/fj10/ is gigantic, and
contains a lot of useful nerd-stuff. Also very useful is the Ultimate
Nerd Links collection at http://inity.junik.lv/nerdlinks.html, which
is also large. Finally (time for the self-promotional plug), Ix (Nerd
Enforcer of a.n.o) also has a site up at www.angelfire.com/hi/obnerd/.
In the real world, most of what you'll find is the traditional
media stereotypes of nerds that have always (and will always) exist.
But there are some highlights, especially a documentary film by the
National Film Board of Canada (www.nfb.ca) titled Kid Nerd. NFB films
are available from many libraries (especially in Canada), or you can
get ordering information from the NFB through their web site (order
number is C9197 082). And of course, there's always _Revenge of the
Nerds_.
POSTING TO ALT.NERD.OBSESSIVE
Alt.nerd.obsessive is very laid back about posting, but there are a
few netiquette guidelines that posters should adhere to.
~No posting of "personal ads" (SWM looking for 20-30 yo SWF, etc.);
there are many newsgroups in the alt.personals.* area for this
~No postings of advertisements of businesses
~No posting of any graphics or binary files. Gifs or jpgs should be
posted in a binaries newsgroup with a short text-only announcement
made on alt.nerd.obsessive as a pointer
~Posting in HTML/MIME is discouraged. HTML is for the web, MIME is
for e-mail. Most newsreaders don't interpret HTML/MIME correctly, so
it just takes up bandwidth and doesn't display the way it's intended
to.
~Classified-"for sale" announcements by individuals (NOT businesses)
are okay, but are limited to nerd-related items, such as obsolete
video game systems or Simpsons items. No ads for used cars or concert
tickets, please. Those interested in buying/selling on the Internet
should read the "How to
Buy and Sell on the Internet" FAQ, posted to news.answers
If you post one of the above, expect to get an e-mail from an angry
nerd telling you not to do these. Persons who continue to do so
purposefully and/or maliciously will have their service providors
contacted regarding this unappreciated behavior.
Credits: the "Posting to a.n.o" section written by Froggie, the rest
by Ix.
--
Ix, Nerd Enforcer of a.n.o <i...@galaxycorp.com>
www.angelfire.com/hi/obnerd/
Bandit450
--
Bandit450---"Dammit, Jim, I'm a nerd not a doctor!!"
http://bandit450.cjb.net