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Archive-name: nude-faq/part1
Posting-Frequency: monthly Version: 1-Jan-08 Copyright: (c) 1998-2008 Dennis Kirkpatrick Maintainer: D. Kirkpatrick <recnudefaq@sunclad.com> See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge REC.NUDE FAQ Part 1 of 5: The Newsgroup Itself - REV: 1-Jan-08 Maintainer - Dennis Kirkpatrick - recnudefaq@sunclad.com =============================================================== ** Rec.Nude is NOT Google Groups. Google Groups is an interface that can access Usenet Newsgroups (of which rec.nude is a part) as well as Google's own private groups. If you are reading this file from Google Groups, please take a moment to educate yourself. See this FAQ Part 1, Section 1. This part of the rec.nude FAQ talks about the newsgroup itself and how it works. ______________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents: 1. What is rec.nude? 1.1. Rec.Nude is a Usenet Newsgroup 1.2. Rec.Nude is not Google Groups 2. rec.nude rules and etiquette 2.1. Cross-posting 2.2. Binary posts 2.3. Posting format 2.4. Replying to messages 2.5. Harassment, threats, etc. 2.6. Stay on topic 2.7. This is not a pick-up joint 3. What is RNEO? (Section Deleted 1-Jul-02) 4. What to do about spam? 5. Is it possible to participate anonymously in rec.nude? 5.1. Use alternate Internet access 5.2. Use a rec.nude "courier" (Section Deleted 1-Jul-02) 5.3. Abuse of Anonymous Services 6. Endmatter 6.1 Revision History ______________________________________________________________________ 1. What is rec.nude? rec.nude is the Usenet newsgroup dealing with naturism. From the rec.nude charter: "rec.nude serves as a medium for exchange of views, news, philosophies, and ideologies relating to the nudist and naturist lifestyles. Here you will find discussions of locations to enjoy nature naturally, notifications of legal proceedings affecting nudists/naturists, notices of gatherings and trips, and spirited discourse on issues relating (most times) to nudism." 1.1. Rec.Nude is a Usenet Newsgroup Usenet is one of the oldest segments of the Internet, having been developed as a way to offer mass communications via text through interconnected computer systems throughout the world. It first served to share technical information between commercial entities and educational institutions. Its redundancy was developed with the idea in mind that if one computer or a region's computers were disabled or disconnected, the respository of information would be available and propagate from elsewhere. Over time Usenet expanded to include various topics of interest to anyone and the number of topics now extends to well over 150 thousand. Usenet has been superceded in most cases by the world wide web, commercial and private e-mail list servers, and private message boards. By design it is redundant and anarchistic with few of its topical posting areas being moderated, thus assuring freedom of speech. However, as with any such system, freedom comes at a price and Usenet can and is populated with everything from truth-sayers to irresponsible fruitcakes. The discerning reader will quickly determine the reasonable from the crank (or kook). As with any non-moderated system, there will always be those with an agenda that is contrary to the topic, as Usenet's topics are greatly a gentlemen's agreement. 1.2. Rec.Nude is not Google Groups Google (tm) is a commercial internet service that provides a number of free and paid services with respect to on-line content. After purchase of a long-term database of historical Usenet posts from the DejaNews service, Google created a web browser interface for purposes of searching through, and reading these postings. Soon after, Google expanded that interface to allow posting to Usenet for those not equipped with access to an NNTP (news) server system. Further expansion by Google saw the creation of "Google Groups" as a competition to Yahoo Groups (tm) which used the same web browser interface used to access Usenet groups. Individuals may create private moderated discussion groups using this interface. While the Google Groups never propagate outside of the Google systems (except by design by e-mail using its mail list feature), posting via this interface to Usenet groups is propagated around the world through the Usenet system. Sadly, Google makes only passing mention within its interface to explain when a person is accessing a Usenet group thus perpetuating confusion on the part of its customer base, and outright annoyance to the Usenet community. If you access rec.nude through Google, you are NOT accessing a Google Group. You are accessing Usenet via their web browser interface. 2. rec.nude rules and etiquette Observing the following guidelines will make rec.nude a worthwhile pursuit for all involved. 2.1. Cross-posting Cross-posting of messages between rec.nude and non-naturist newsgroups is almost always a bad idea. (See Part 5 for a list of other naturist newsgroups.) Cross-posting between rec.nude and the various alt.sex.* newsgroups is unacceptable. Threads get confused and the discussion quickly gets "off track" as well as draing in posts and posters that are far off topic. You should only cross-post between rec.nude and another newsgroup if the discussion at hand is really, truly relevant to both groups. This is rarely the case! Note: Cross-posting to a moderated newsgroup will place the post under the control of the moderated group's moderation team. If the post is rejected by the moderated group, it will not display to rec.nude. As such, when posting, create separate messages for moderated groups. 2.2. Binary posts Posting of binary files ("binary" = not text, e.g. pictures) is not allowed. This is more of a general Usenet rule, rather than a rec.nude rule; binary posts are only allowed on Usenet in groups specifically intended for that purpose (which have the word "binaries" in their names.) Binary posts made to non-binary groups (such as rec.nude) are often canceled by spam cancelers without notice. 2.3. Posting format Some recently-released news programs allow you to post messages in formats other than plain text, such as HTML. Don't do this - not everyone is "blessed" (some would say "cursed") with these programs, and your messages will appear unintelligible or worse to these people. rec.nude posts should be made in plain text to be of benefit to the most readers. (Some programs allow you to post in both plain text and HTML in the same message - this is a waste of bandwidth and should be avoided as well.) 2.4. Replying to messages When following up or replying to posts on rec.nude, it is usually a good idea to quote a few lines from the original message, in order to establish the context. For example, when asking a rec.nude poster for directions to some place the poster has mentioned, you should quote a few lines from the post so that the original poster knows which place you're talking about. But - do not quote the entire original message! Only quote as much as is necessary to let everyone involved know what's being discussed. And don't quote things like signatures, headers etc. 2.5. Harassment, threats, etc. Do not make harassing, threatening, or otherwise inappropriate posts to rec.nude, or follow-up/reply in that manner. Don't say anything in a news post or a mail message that you wouldn't say to that person's face. Let's try to keep a civil and friendly atmosphere on rec.nude. Many people who are completely new to naturism read rec.nude, and we'd hate for them to get the impression that naturists just bicker and fight and call each other names. (Many would-be naturists have already left rec.nude in disgust over this very problem, most of them never to consider naturism again - and that's really too bad.) Note: Some states now carry laws against threats against bodily harm via the on-line medium. As such posters should moderate themselves in this area or you may be subject to due process by the authorities. 2.6. Stay on topic Discussion which is not germane to the topic of naturism should be avoided. It is not my duty as FAQ author to dictate which topics are acceptable and which are not. I suggest that you read rec.nude carefully for several days before posting, to get a feel for what the group considers to be proper discussion. Posting off topic materials or engaging in off topic discussions detracts from the topic of the group and is simply both ignorant and rude. 2.7. This is not a pick-up joint rec.nude is not a place to pick up someone. Personal ads and the like are not appropriate for this group; please investigate the alt.personals.* groups if such is your desire. 3. What is RNEO? (Section deleted 1-Jul-02) (Adding the tag "RNEO" (rec.nude eyes only) within the subject line was an attempt to offer readers a method of identifying postings that were on topic as well as non-spam. However after an initial period of usage it was found this did not work in this newsgroup for many reasons. Among these were varied types of news programs that did not sort such messages into one location or the lack of news reader filters to locate these messages or ignore others. Since this has not been used to any extent in over a year this section has been deleted by the FAQ author.) 4. What to do about spam? First, never respond to spam by posting hate mail to rec.nude. Ever. In 99.9999% of cases, the spammer will never see your post, and you will only serve to increase the amount of off-topic posts. (Especially if you respond to a spam with more spam.) Invariably, people responding to spam by posting to newsgroups waste more time, money and/or resources than the original spam did. If you feel the need to respond to spam, do it in private e-mail. And don't waste your time responding ineffectively; before you respond to spam, please consult The Spam Boycott Page <http://spam.abuse.net/> for good, useful advice on how to do so. A rational, well-directed e-mail response to spam (e.g. by mailing abuse contacts at the offending ISP) has been shown to be much more effective than ranting and raving on rec.nude about it. It is my opinion that nothing will stop spam completely, so if you are going to respond to it, you might as well do it in a way that maximizes the positive results. A moderated newsgroup (alt.nudism.moderated) exists where messages are reviewed by a team of moderators before they are posted to the newsgroup. Readers may want to check into that newsgroup for messages as well. 5. Is it possible to participate anonymously in rec.nude? There is nothing wrong with nude recreation, and one should not be afraid to post to rec.nude. That said, there is the fact that some people are closed-minded and some people may be hassled for posting here; some may lose jobs. These people have some options for posting to rec.nude without revealing their identity: 5.1. Use alternate Internet access For instance, open an account with an Internet service provider (ISP) that will allow you to use a pseudonym as your account name. This will allow you to post not as "johndoe@bigcompany.com" but as, for instance, "nudesurfer@isp.com". A few ISPs exist that will even allow you to be completely anonymous, even to the ISP, if you so desire. 5.2. Use a rec.nude "courier" (Section deleted 1-Jul-02) (The concept of using a volunteer poster to carry anonymous postings to rec.nude was a viable system in Usenet's early days, especially when newsgroups were not widely accessible. Couriers volunteered to handle such postings to the net for said posters. The availability of alternative methods for anonymous posting is now widespread and the volunteers have, for the most part, departed rec.nude. As such this section was deleted.) 5.3. Abuse of Anonymous Remailers Anonymous remailers which allow one to post to newsgroups or send E-mail anonymously were created with the intention of protecting those who had serious personal issues that required that they remained unknown. The corporate whistle-blower fearing for public safety, victims of abuse seeking outreach and information, or those fearing serious retaliations for their outspoken manner are but a few examples. Sadly, in some cases individuals can and do abuse the anonymous remailer services by using them to post slanderous, libelous and untrue information steeped in personal agenda for profit, hate and prejudice, obsessive behaviors, or even mental illness. The discerning reader of any newsgroup should be able to determine whether a person posting through such a service has a genuine need and agenda or whether the poster is simply taking advantage of both the remailing service and the readership for selfish or illegal means. 6. Endmatter Copyright 1998-2008 - Dennis Kirkpatrick All rights reserved. <recnudefaq@sunclad.com> Contributions to this FAQ have been added by numerous persons since the rec.nude newsgroup was founded. This includes the various FAQ maintainers and newsgroups users as well. This body stands as a compilation of these efforts over time and serves as both newsgroup charter and FAQ. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. This document may be reproduced and distributed in any medium, physical or electronic, so long as the entire document, including this copyright notice and the modification date below, remains intact and unchanged on all copies. Commercial redistribution is permitted, but you may not redistribute it, in whole or in part, under terms more restrictive than those under which you received it. If you have questions regarding reproduction and/or distribution of this document, please contact Dennis Kirkpatrick at: recnudefaq@sunclad.com The latest version of the FAQ is always available at the following location(s): NEWSGROUPS: ---------- rec.nude - posted on or near the first of each month or within the first 7 days (+/-) of the month. rec.answers - same as above. news.answers - same as above. Your news reader program can be back-dated if you miss these postings. FTP: --- ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/faqs/nude-faq/ ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/faqs/nude-faq/part1 ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/faqs/nude-faq/part2 ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/faqs/nude-faq/part3 ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/faqs/nude-faq/part4 ftp://rtfm.mit.edu//pub/faqs/nude-faq/part5 Using an FTP or "Anarchie" type program you can access the FAQ from this public archive. WEB: --- http://www.sunclad.com/nfaqs *(www.faqs.org is no longer a reliable reporitory for Newsgroup FAQ files. The site appears to be abandoned and has not updated in several years.) 6.1. Revision History This document will carry a revision history by date. Any time a change is made to any of the five sections of this FAQ the revision date will change on each section to reflect the revision date of the FAQ as a whole. The revision dates will be carried in last to first order with the most recent change at the top of the document. This will allow readers to know when the FAQ was last updated. Revision 1-Jan-08 -Updated various segments to current standards. Revision 31-Mar-07 -Updated various sections to current requirements. Removed www.faqs.org as safe repository for FAQ. Revision 10-Oct-05 -Updated various sections to current requirements. Revision 16-Aug-03 -Updated link to Prodigy Message Board & other updates Revision 1-Jul-02 -Issued various corrections & updates as noted within. Revision 1-Nov-01 -Various updates to links and addresses. Revision 5-Mar-00 -Updated various web links to current requirements. Revision 1-Sep-99 -Updated listings for AOL, Compuserve, Prodigy, and other reference material as necessary and submitted by newsgroup users. Parts 1, 4 and 5 effected. Revision 1-Aug-98 -Updated Posting Locations of FAQ and various URL updates. Revision 1-Jul-98 -Added FTP locations for FAQ. Revision 31-May 98 -Added HTML locations for FAQ and other link updates. Revision 15-May-98 -Changed information for the Nude Travel section on the AOL system in Part 5 of the FAQ. Revision 21-Mar-98 -Corrected URL for Fed de Quebecoise de Naturisme Revision 1-Mar-98 -Adjusted 4 part FAQ into 5 to conform with limits of web browser sizing. Revision 1-Feb-98 - Carried over from previous FAQ maintainer and updated FAQ maintainer contact info and some access info regarding the AOL Naturist/Nudist posting areas. Revisions Prior to January 1998 not documented. Please do not e-mail the FAQ maintainer with questions that may otherwise be answered in the newsgroup FAQ or the associated Beaches FAQ. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= D. M. Kirkpatrick FAQ & Charter Maintainer - Newsgroup: REC.NUDE recnudefaq@sunclad.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= User Contributions: |
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