######################################################################### ALT.COMP.FREEWARE FAQ by Me.Here dated 27 Oct 2008 ######################################################################### ========================================================================= TABLE OF CONTENTS ========================================================================= 1. What is a FAQ and what's its purpose? 2. What is the Usenet? 3. What is alt.comp.freeware (ACF)? 4. Is ACF moderated (controlled)? 5. What should I try to avoid posting in ACF? 6. Should I mention payware/warez if no free versions of a software exist? 7. If I have some freeware binaries, where should I post them if they aren't welcome in ACF? 8. I have found a great new freeware game, should I post about it in ACF? 9. What should I post about in ACF? 10. I've seen many conflicting view points in ACF about what constitutes "FREEWARE". What is freeware and which one do I use? 11. What about other definitions like nagware, adware etc., used by some to describe "FREEWARE". Do I have to use them? 12. Do I need to use the "Pricelessware Glossary" definitions if I want to post about "FREEWARE"? 13. I've seen references to Pricelessware (PW) - what is it? 14. What is the best "" freeware program to use? 15. Are there any posting conventions in ACF I need to follow? 16. What kinds of Subject title conventions are there? 17. Are there any Signature conventions? 18. What is "Netiquette"? 19. Should I cross-post into other newsgroups? 20. Should I use HTML to post in ACF? 21. Should I post using my real email address? 22. What do people mean by "mungeing" your email address? 23. Should I regularly change posting pseudonyms (nyms)? 24. I've seen references to or PLONK! at the end of posts. What does it mean? 25. What is a kill-file? 26. How do I kill-file someone or filter a thread? 27. What should I do if I have a problem with someone in ACF? 28. Do I need to let people know I've kill-filed someone? 29. What do I do if my newsreader doesn't have advanced filtering? 30. Why do people have a problem with "top" posting? 31. Am I required to use a certain posting style in ACF. 32. What should I do if someone tells me to post in a certain way? 33. What is a "NetCop" and there any in ACF? 34. What is "flaming" and what is a "Flame-Warrior"? 35. What is "e-bashing"? 36. Do I need to quote the entire message when responding? 37. Should I post with minimal headers? 38. Should I use the X-No-Archive header? 39. How do I view or search for old ACF posts that are no longer stored by my provider - is there an ACF archive? 40. Are there any other ACF FAQ's for me to look at? 41. What is alt.comp.pricelessware (ACP)? 42. What is alt.comp.freeware.games (ACFG)? 43. What is alt.comp.freeware.discussion (ACFD)? 44. What is alt.binaries.freeware (ABF)? 45. Where can I download Usenet Newsgroup Control Messages? 46. What are all these meaningless combinations of letters and punctuation I see in the articles like LOL, PITA, ROFL or MYOB? 47. Is typing posts using all capital letters acceptable? 48. Are there any limits to how much I can post in one day? 49. Where can I find statistics for ACF? 50. Where can I find a summary of links posted to ACF? 51. What are some common links to popular freeware repositories? 52. Where can I find the Pricelessware Lists? ========================================================================= 1. What is a FAQ and what's its purpose? ========================================================================= Put simply, it is a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that appear with uncommon regularity within a newsgroup or forum. Its purpose is to alleviate regular posters from continually having to answer some of those questions. Many Usenet groups have a FAQ for this purpose. A FAQ *isn't* a rule set - it's simply answers to frequently asked questions. For a more detailed explanation of FAQ, please check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FAQ ========================================================================= 2. What is Usenet? ========================================================================= Usenet evolved in the late 1970's from the old UUCP (which allowed servers to transfer files and email between themselves). It is a means of allowing people to post and disseminate public messages to a large, world-wide audience. For a much broader description see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet ========================================================================= 3. What is alt.comp.freeware (ACF)? ========================================================================= It is a Usenet newsgroup set up to discuss free software. It was created in late December 1995 by Terry Knab. It does not have a charter. Related to ACF, are several sub-groups and a binaries group. They are alt.comp.freeware.games (ACFG), alt.comp.freeware.discussion (ACFD), alt.comp.pricelessware (ACP) and alt.binaries.freeware (ABF). See Q.41, Q.42, Q.43 and Q.44 for further details. ========================================================================= 4. Is ACF moderated (controlled)? ========================================================================= No, it is an unmoderated newsgroup which means no one is in charge and there are no laid down rules for you to follow, including what is posted within this FAQ, however, if you want to make the most out of the time spent in ACF, you'd be well advised to stay within the yellow lines. ========================================================================= 5. What should I try to avoid posting in ACF? ========================================================================= Preferably, anything contentious. The following are good examples of what *not* to post in ACF because they will get you kill-filed quicker than anything else: - Shareware and Commercial Software (payware) - Hacks and cracks to the above (aka Warez) - Spam, advertising and surveys - Hoaxes and scams (including chain letters) - Viruses, trojans and other malware - Flames and troll bait - Usenet Floods (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet_flood) - Binaries (although you can link to them) ========================================================================= 6. Should I mention payware/warez if no free versions of a software exist? ========================================================================= No. If you need a reason, refer to Q5. ========================================================================= 7. If I have some freeware binaries, where should I post them if they aren't welcome in ACF? ========================================================================= The appropriate place is alt.binaries.freeware (ABF). It was set up in December 1999 specifically for this purpose. ========================================================================= 8. I have found a great new freeware game, should I post about it in ACF? ========================================================================= Yes, however, you are encouraged to use alt.comp.freeware.games (ACFG) instead which was created in January 2001 specifically for the purpose of discussing freeware games (binaries will still need to be posted to ABF though). See Q.42. ========================================================================= 9. What should I post about in ACF? ========================================================================= Short answer, FREEWARE. Longer answer, anything to do with free software (Freeware/Open Source). For a specific breakdown of the types and definitions of software, please refer to the ACF GLOSSARY. Reference http://mehere.fileave.com/acf_glossary.txt ========================================================================= 10. I've seen many conflicting view points in ACF about what constitutes "FREEWARE". What is freeware and which one do I use? ========================================================================= The only criterion for being classified as freeware is that the software must be fully functional for an unlimited time with no monetary cost. Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware ========================================================================= 11. What about other definitions like nagware, adware etc., used by some to describe "FREEWARE". Do I have to use them? ========================================================================= No. You are free to define and categories software in a way that works for you. I've provided a list of the most commonly used software definitions in the ACF GLOSSARY, however, you are *not* required to use or follow any of them. Reference http://mehere.fileave.com/acf_glossary.txt ========================================================================= 12. Do I need to use the Pricelessware Glossary definitions if I want to post about "FREEWARE"? ========================================================================= No. The Pricelessware Glossary (which is posted in ACF by Susan Bugher as alt.comp.freeware's Ware Glossary) was written by a couple of ACF posters as a means of providing a common language for discussion and voting during the Pricelessware process. It has been used at various times in ACF to discuss software but it's use within ACF (as with all Glossaries) is contentious, therefore, I recommend you categorise the definition "freeware" for yourself to suit your own needs. ========================================================================= 13. I've seen references to Pricelessware (PW) - what is it? ========================================================================= It is a list of freeware that some members of ACF believe represents the "best" in a particular category. It was created in 1999 as the successor to "The Big List" hosted by Son Of Spy. Years of in-fighting by those within the PW community itself, as well as, some regulars within ACF has seen it decline to the point where it's no longer considered the definative source of the "best of the best" in freeware. See Q.41 and Q.52 for further details. ========================================================================= 14. What is the best "" freeware program to use? ========================================================================= Regardless of what people have told you, there is no singular "best" program for anything. Software, like most things in life, is subjective. What might be the best word processor for someone using 3.0GHz Vista Laptop with 4GB RAM may not necessarily be the best word processor for someone using a 533MHz Celeron Win 98E desktop with 512MB of RAM. You should be aware of this when taking peoples recommendations into account. The "best" program for a particular task is the one that best suits you. ========================================================================= 15. Are there any posting conventions in ACF I need to follow? ========================================================================= No, this is an unmoderated newsgroup so you are free to post what you want, how you want and when you want. That said, contained within this FAQ are several conventions commonly used in ACF to make life easier. You are not required to follow them, however, it will be appreciated if you do. ========================================================================= 16. What kinds of Subject title conventions are there? ========================================================================= Some people like filter out posts that they are not interested in and some like to highlight posts that they particularly wish to be informed about. You are not required to follow these conventions, however, it is seen as a courtesy and is appreciated by those readers in ACF. Using the following subject line conventions aids that filtering / highlighting process: - Off-topic posts are normally preceded with: (OT), {OT}, [OT], or OT: - Software update posts are normally preceded with: (UDPATE), {UPDATE}, [UPDATE], or UPDATE: - Posts deemed as SPAM are normally preceded with: (SPAM), {SPAM}, [SPAM], or *SPAM* - Posts regarding Pricelessware discussions are normally preceded with: (PL), {PL}, [PL], , PL:, or [PL....] where .... = year - Software requests are normally preceded with: (REQ), {REQ}, [REQ], or REQ: ========================================================================= 17. Are there any Signature conventions? ========================================================================= The following advice is the generally accepted netiquette in regards to signatures. Please keep your signatures as concise as possible because people do not appreciate having to pay to continually download them every time they view one of your posts. 3 or 4 lines is usually plenty. Long signatures are definitely frowned upon, as is drawings, pictures and other graphics in your signature. Including such material in your signature is considered as extremely rude by other readers and you invite a barrage of nasty posts by including them. ========================================================================= 18. What is "Netiquette"? ========================================================================= Short answer - showing online courtesy. Longer answer - have a read of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette ========================================================================= 19. Should I cross-post into other newsgroups? ========================================================================= There is nothing stopping you from cross-posting an article, however, you need to be aware that many readers (in ACF and other newsgroups) consider excessive cross-posting to be a bad thing and many drop (kill) messages that have been cross-posted to more than 2-3 groups. It is also considered highly inappropriate to broadcast your message to a wide selection of newsgroups merely to have more people read it. Most readers now consider wide cross-posting as SPAM. When replying to posts, you should pay particular attention to the headers to ensure you aren't further spamming. More info may be found by reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crosspost. ========================================================================= 20. Should I use HTML to post in ACF? ========================================================================= HTML may be "prettier" but it's definitely not recommended for Usenet posting. Most Usenet readers prefer plain text unless otherwise specifically stated. Many have their newsreaders set to display plain text only in Usenet so posting in HTML will lead to them seeing a page of HTML code which in turn will lead to some nasty responses coming your way. ========================================================================= 21. Should I post using my real email address? ========================================================================= The best advice I can give is no, I don't recommend it. There are two reasons for this, the first is to reduce spam harvesting (best described by reading http://www.faqs.org/faqs/net-abuse-faq/harvest/) and the second is to avoid being stalked. Unfortunately, there have been past incidents within ACF where some people have gone to great lengths to try and stalk others (stemming from a disagreement about something). You can imagine how nasty the situation gets if the stalker manages to obtain your real email address. A way to avoid those two scenario's is to use a free email address (Hotmail/Yahoo etc) and munge it. ========================================================================= 22. What do people mean by "mungeing" your email address? ========================================================================= "Mungeing" is simply a means to disguise your email address from robots but allow humans to extract it easily. An example of a munged email address would be: . If you are interested in mungeing email addresses, I recommend you read the following: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munge ========================================================================= 23. Should I regularly change posting pseudonyms (nyms)? ========================================================================= The choice to change your posting nym is solely up to you. When and how often is also your choice, however, you should be aware that if you change your nym too often, readers may start to think your sole purpose for doing so is either to spam or get out of kill-files. You should be aware that many ACF regulars frown upon nym changing and it isn't tolerated very well. Further reading on nyms or pseudonyms may be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudonym. ========================================================================= 24. I've seen references to or PLONK! at the end of posts. What does it mean? ========================================================================= It's Usenet jargon indicating that a poster has been added to someone's kill-file. More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plonk ========================================================================= 25. What is a kill-file? ========================================================================= A kill-file is simply a method of ignoring posts from certain people. Most newsreaders have a means to accomplish this by using "message filters", however, it may be termed differently such as - "Block Sender" or "Twit List", etc. More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_file ========================================================================= 26. How do I kill-file someone or filter a thread? ========================================================================= This is almost impossible to answer in a FAQ due to the huge differences in the implementation of message filters in individual newsreaders, however, almost all require you to identify a message header to filter on. This header value must be unique to the poster or thread you want to kill (drop) or you run the risk of killing more than the required posts. Filters commonly use the following headers: - From (although this header can be faked) - Message-ID (good for identifying forgeries) - NNTP-Posting-Host (good for identifying forgeries and spammers) - Subject (useful for dropping or highlighting interesting threads) - User-Agent (useful for weeding out spammers and sporgers) - X-Newsreader (useful for weeding out spammers and sporgers) - X-Mailer (useful for weeding out spammers and sporgers) - X-Complaints-To (useful for weeding out spammers and sporgers) - X-No-Archive (useful for weeding out the certain types of posters) ========================================================================= 27. What should I do if I have a problem with someone in ACF? ========================================================================= Ignore them and their posts by putting them in your kill-file. Everyone has been allocated a certain number of minutes in their lifetime and using them worrying about some anonymous poster in Usenet is not worth wasting a single minute. Simply kill-file them and be done with it. ========================================================================= 28. Do I need to let people know I've kill-filed someone? ========================================================================= No, not really, however, it's your choice. Some people like to let other posters know that they have kill-filed a person in the hopes it will encourage others to kill-file him/her as well (especially if the filtered person is a troll), some like to show the offender that they have been kill-filed (puts them on an imaginary power trip) and some just like to let the offender know why they won't be getting any further responses. ========================================================================= 29. What do I do if my newsreader doesn't have advanced filtering? ========================================================================= The simplest answer is to use a 3rd party NNTP filtering program like NewsProxy (aka Nfilter) or Hamster (Google them). I've included some NewsProxy filtering examples in ACF FILTERING. Reference http://mehere.fileave.com/acf_filtering.txt ========================================================================= 30. Why do people have a problem with "top" posting? ========================================================================= No real reason other than it's a personal thing. Some (actually, it's almost always the bottom posters that complain) believe it breaks the flow of the message but that's absolute rubbish especially given today's propensity towards interleaved posting (which also breaks the flow but is rarely complained about). Personally, I believe it goes back to the days of dumb newsreaders and over-zealous netcops. You can read more about posting styles here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style ========================================================================= 31. Am I required to use a certain posting style in ACF. ========================================================================= No, however, most readers of ACF seem to prefer bottom or interleaved posting and there are those who would kill-file you for daring to breach that commonly accepted posting style netiquette. ========================================================================= 32. What should I do if someone tells me to post in a certain way? ========================================================================= Ignore them - they have *no* authority over you or anyone else in ACF for that matter because it is an unmoderated newsgroup. You are free to post whatever, however and whenever you like. The only person you're accountable to, is you. ========================================================================= 33. What is a "NetCop" and are there any in ACF? ========================================================================= Rather than simply tell you what a NetCop is, you'll get a better appreciation by simply following the link I give in the question about "Flame Warriors". Unfortunately, ACF is not immune to this type of behaviour and like many other newsgroups we have a few here who try to netcop everyone else. Since ACF is an unmoderated newsgroup, your best weapon against these people is to simply ignore them and their requests (even kill-file them). ========================================================================= 34. What is "flaming" and what is a "Flame-Warrior"? ========================================================================= Flaming is a hostile interaction between posters usually stemming from a provocative posting by one of the posters. A more detailed description may be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaming_(Internet). As for flame warrior, the best description I can give you is to point you in the direction of Mike Reed's site: http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/ ========================================================================= 35. What is "e-bashing"? ========================================================================= E-bashing is a form of intimidation. It is normally conducted by a group of friends against a poster who happens to slight one of the the group. The group then gangs up and verbally attacks the poster until he/she leaves or apologises. Unfortunately, these groups exist in almost every newsgroup. Most have an agenda and as soon as that agenda is threatened, they come out of the woodwork in defence. My advice is to kill-file the entire group once they become evident. In the long run, this action will prove to be the best option. ========================================================================= 36. Do I need to quote the entire message when responding? ========================================================================= This is not easily answered. Sometimes it's required and sometimes it's not. I guess it depends on what you're responding to. If you decide not to quote the full text, you must be careful not to quote out of context (sometimes referred to as selective quoting) because you could end up changing the entire meaning of a post and then you'll be the brunt of some nasty responses. For a greater understanding of how quoting out of context can effect the messages meaning, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacy_of_quoting_out_of_context ========================================================================= 37. Should I post with minimal headers? ========================================================================= Personally, I don't recommend it. Some readers tend to drop (kill) posts that don't have certain header fields. There are many reasons for this, however, one stick out more than the rest. Simply, readers like to know who they are conversing with and when you completely anonymise your post by employing minimal headers, you'll end up being categorised as anyone of the following trying to avoid detection: - a spammer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spammer) - a forger/sporger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporgery) - a sockpuppet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_sock_puppet), - a troll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll) ========================================================================= 38. Should I use the X-No-Archive header? ========================================================================= That's up to you. This header was introduced in 1995, primarily as a result of privacy concerns by posters worried about having their posts archived for all time, however, recently it's use has been linked to forgers, sporgers and sockpuppets who wish to remain as anonymous as possible by having servers delete traces of their posting path. It is now considered by many as a good item to filter on - ie. if you use it, chances are you don't stand by what you post anyway, and therefore, it's no skin off anyone's nose if your post get dropped (killed). That said, some people use it to avoid internet stalkers and identity theft. As I said earlier, the choice to use it is up to you. Further info regarding the header may be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-No-Archive. ========================================================================= 39. How do I view or search for old ACF posts that are no longer stored by my provider - is there an ACF archive? ========================================================================= Google Groups is the easiest method. The following link provides you with access to all posts in ACF except those that contain the X-No-Archive header (which are only held by Google for 5 days before being deleted): http://groups.google.com/advanced_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware ========================================================================= 40. Are there any other ACF FAQ's for me to look at? ========================================================================= Yes, John Fitzsimons created one and maintains it on the following site: http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/faq.html ========================================================================= 41. What is alt.comp.pricelessware (ACP)? ========================================================================= ACP is an unmoderated Usenet newsgroup set up to discuss and vote on all things Pricelessware. It was created in January 2005 by Bill Roberts. It's charter is: "This group is for discussion regarding pricelessware. Binaries are not allowed. No advertising will be tolerated." To the best of my knowledge, it has never been used for the purpose in which it was created. ========================================================================= 42. What is alt.comp.freeware.games (ACFG)? ========================================================================= ACFG is an unmoderated Usenet newsgroup created by Brian (Aguydude) in Jan 2001. It has a lengthy charter which I won't post here, however, it's prime focus is the discussion of freeware games which would include providing information about new freeware games, requesting the location of freeware games, providing assistance with troubleshooting, requesting information about the creation of freeware games, and requesting help winning freeware games. ========================================================================= 43. What is alt.comp.freeware.discussion (ACFD)? ========================================================================= ACFD is another unmoderated Usenet newsgroup created by GruppenSchnitzer users in 2001 as a chat room for ACF participants. It has no charter and is rarely used. ========================================================================= 44. What is alt.binaries.freeware (ABF)? ========================================================================= ABF is an unmoderated Usenet newsgroup created by geronimo816@cybcon.com in December 1999 specifically for posting freeware software and requests for such posts. It's charter states: "This group is open to all who wish to post freeware or a request for freeware. Commercial advertising and / or solicitation is not allowed. The posting of warez and cracks or the request for such posts is not permitted." It was hatched as a direct result of discussions in ACF in regards to freeware that had become difficult to find (ie. last freeware version) as time marched on. ========================================================================= 45. Where can I download Usenet Newsgroup Control Messages? ========================================================================= In the resources section of http://www.isc.org/index.pl You will need an FTP client. ========================================================================= 46. What are all these meaningless combinations of letters and punctuation I see in the articles like LOL, PITA, ROFL or MYOB? ========================================================================= They are a form of Internet Shorthand. A comprehensive list of these acronyms can be found at: http://www.netlingo.com/index.cfm ========================================================================= 47. Is typing posts using all capital letters acceptable? ========================================================================= While there is nothing physically stopping you doing this, it's considered extremely rude to type a post using all capitals because on the Internet, capital letters are considered the equivalent of SHOUTING. My advice is to use capital letters sparingly unless you like being the brunt of nasty responses. ========================================================================= 48. Are there any limits to how much I can post in one day? ========================================================================= No, however, you should be aware that if you post rubbish, you'll likely be tagged as a spammer and kill-filed by everyone. ========================================================================= 49. Where can I find statistics for ACF? ========================================================================= Currently, you can view the Google ACF archive statistics at http://groups.google.com/group/alt.comp.freeware/about ========================================================================= 50. Where can I find a summary of links posted to ACF? ========================================================================= Mark Carter's SOUL (Summary Of Usenet Links) can be found at http://www.mcleod-schmidt.id.au/~mcarter ========================================================================= 51. What are some common links to popular freeware repositories? ========================================================================= This is not a complete software repository list, just those more commonly visited by denizens of ACF: - http://www.freewarehome.com/ - http://www.freewarefiles.com/ - http://www.majorgeeks.com/ - http://www.nonags.com/ ========================================================================= 52. Where can I find the Pricelessware Lists? ========================================================================= The following is a list of sites serving up the Pricelessware List: - http://www.pricelessware.org/ - http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/ - http://bearware.info/ #########################################################################