<!-- <?xml version="1.0" ?> <!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.1-Based Variant V1.0//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd"> --> <chapter id="knode-journey"> <title>A journey in the World of Newsgroups</title> <anchor id="anc-knode-journey"/> <para>This chapter is supposed to be glance over the World of Newsgroups and their <quote>inhabitants</quote>; someone who has never dared to go there before will encounter some strange customs, which may give you a feeling of being a lonely alien without backup; but stay calm, it is not like this. The Usenet is a meeting place for all kinds of normal and not-so-normal folks; it is here where they are distributing a lot of information but also gossip and other stuff.</para> <tip> <para>References to more detailed and qualified essays on the Usenet can be found at <link linkend="knode-more-info">More Resources</link></para> </tip> <sect1 id="about-news"> <title>What are ...</title> <anchor id="anc-about-news"/> <sect2> <title>... online-readers?</title> <para>An online-reader connects to a newsserver and gives you access to its content. &knode; is an online-reader: you are reading your News and publishing your own <glossterm>articles</glossterm> while the online-reader stays connected.</para> </sect2> <sect2> <title>... offline-readers?</title> <para>An offline-reader connects to the Server and fetches only the headers of new articles; then, the connection is closed and you can mark (offline) the articles you are really interested in. When you connect next time the offline-reader fetches the articles you marked and sends the articles you have written whilst offline.</para> <para>There is no connection while you are reading or writing articles.</para> </sect2> <sect2> <title>... newsgroups?</title> <para>You can look at newsgroups as public bulletin boards and forums, where everybody is allowed to participate. Articles you have published in a newsgroup can be read by everybody subscribed to this newsgroup and, normally, everybody is allowed to publish their articles in a newsgroup.</para> </sect2> <sect2> <title>... news?</title> <para>News is the collective term for articles published in a newsgroup.</para> </sect2> <sect2> <title>... threads?</title> <para>A thread is a topic of discussion in a newsgroup.</para> </sect2> </sect1> <sect1 id="nettiquette"> <title>Online Manners</title> <anchor id="anc-nettiquette"/> <para>There are lot of different people meeting and talking in newsgroups; it is seen as some kind of courtesy to obey some rules of manner, the basics of which are listed here.</para> <orderedlist> <listitem> <para>Before you ask questions be sure you have read the newsgroup's <acronym>FAQ</acronym> (Frequently Asked Questions) and didn't find the answer.</para> </listitem> <listitem> <para>If you take part in a discussion be aware of the fact that everybody can read the answer: do not say anything that you would not say to the others if you were facing them; avoid insults.</para> </listitem> <listitem> <para>Try to avoid crossposting: do not ask a question in more than one newsgroup when you do not know which is the right one. Ask in one newsgroup; if it is wrong, you will be told which is right one.</para> </listitem> <listitem> <para>Formulate your articles accurately; nobody likes to read an article with lots of typos, even with content worth a Pulitzer. Think of your articles as letters: your letter speaks for you; it represents you; somebody reading your article will draw conclusions about you from it, wrong or right.</para> </listitem> <listitem> <para>Remember, nobody sees your grin when you are writing an ironic sentence: it may be funny for you, but it can be very serious for the person reading it. It is very difficult to include emotions in an article.</para> </listitem> <listitem> <para>The most important rule: use your common sense when you are answering or publishing an article.</para> </listitem> </orderedlist> </sect1> <sect1 id="usenet-slang"> <title>The Usenet language</title> <anchor id="anc-usenet-slang"/> <para>You will not be surprised about English being the main language on the Usenet; however, there are special trees for German (de.*), French (fr.*) and many other languages. If you are unable to determine the main language of a newsgroup the only possibility is careful listening or a possible explanation in the description of the group in the grouplist.</para> <para>In addition, over the time the Usenet has developed its own language but it is easy to learn.</para> <sect2> <title> <acronym>RTFM</acronym> and other typos</title> <para>When you read news, after some time you will read some strange combinations of letters; for example, you can get a reply like:</para> <para>RTFM</para> <para>Nothing else. Strange, but absolutely intended; to solve the riddle: those, most of the time, are shortcuts, acronyms. It is easier to drop some letters than to write the same sentence over and over again.</para> <para>But what is the meaning of <acronym>RTFM</acronym>? The writer is asking you to read the manual, documentation or <acronym>FAQ</acronym> before asking questions in the newsgroup. It stands for: (R)ead (T)he (F)...ing (M)anual; <acronym>BTW</acronym> this is advice you should adopt.</para> <para>Wait, what is <acronym>BTW</acronym> now? Another often-seen acronym which means (B)y (T)he (W)ay. It is easy when you know it; to avoid you having to continuously speculate over the meaning of acronyms there is table at he end of this section containing the most-often-used acronyms.</para> <para>This table does not try to be complete and is based on a list by Martin Imlau.</para> <table> <title> Acronyms on Usenet</title> <tgroup cols="2"> <thead> <row> <entry> Acronym</entry> <entry> Meaning</entry> </row> </thead> <!--TRANSLATORS: Write the translation in the second column in brackets! --> <tbody> <row> <entry> <g></entry> <entry> grins</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> AAMOF</acronym> </entry> <entry> As a matter of fact</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> ACK</acronym> </entry> <entry> Acknowledge</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> AFAIK</acronym> </entry> <entry> As far as I know</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> AFAIR</acronym> </entry> <entry> As far as I remember</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> AWGTHTGTTA</acronym> </entry> <entry> Are we going to have to go through this again?</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> ASAP</acronym> </entry> <entry> As soon as possible</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> BFN</acronym> </entry> <entry> Bye for now!</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> BTW</acronym> </entry> <entry> By the way</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> BYKT</acronym> </entry> <entry> But you knew that</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> CMIIW</acronym> </entry> <entry> Correct me if I'm wrong</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> CU</acronym> </entry> <entry> See you!</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> CU2</acronym> </entry> <entry> See you too!</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> CYL</acronym> </entry> <entry> See you later!</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> DAU</acronym> </entry> <entry> German abbreviation for the silliest user you can imagine (Dümmster anzunehmender User)</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> EOD</acronym> </entry> <entry> End of discussion</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> ESOSL</acronym> </entry> <entry> Endless snorts of stupid laughter</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> FYI</acronym> </entry> <entry> For your information</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> GOK</acronym> </entry> <entry> God only knows</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> HAND</acronym> </entry> <entry> Have a nice day!</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> HTH</acronym> </entry> <entry> Hope that helps</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> HSIK</acronym> </entry> <entry> How should I know?</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> IAE</acronym> </entry> <entry> In any event</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> IANAL</acronym> </entry> <entry> I am not a lawyer</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> IIRC</acronym> </entry> <entry> If I remember correctly</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> IMCO</acronym> </entry> <entry> In my considered opinion</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> IMHO</acronym> </entry> <entry> In my humble opinion</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> IMNSHO</acronym> </entry> <entry> In my not so humble opinion</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> INPO</acronym> </entry> <entry> In no particular order</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> IOW</acronym> </entry> <entry> In other words</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> LMAO</acronym> </entry> <entry> Laughing my ass off</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> LOL</acronym> </entry> <entry> Laughing out loudly</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> NAK</acronym> </entry> <entry> Not acknowledged</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> NBD</acronym> </entry> <entry> No big deal</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> NFW</acronym> </entry> <entry> No f...ing way</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> ROTFL</acronym> </entry> <entry> Rolling on the floor, laughing</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> RTFM</acronym> </entry> <entry> Read the f...ing manual</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> SCNR</acronym> </entry> <entry> Sorry, could not resist</entry> </row> <row> <entry> <acronym> TIA</acronym> </entry> <entry> Thanks in advance</entry> </row> </tbody> </tgroup> </table> </sect2> <sect2> <title>Smile!</title> <para>Again, such a strange thing. What is this ;-) meant to be? Turn your head so the left side of your screen is on top; got it? It's a smile with a wink? This is a so-called emoticon; emoticons are an often-used possibility to express emotions, one thing missing in conversation on the Usenet (but there is a substitute, remember? ;-)</para> <para>It is very difficult to express emotions in email or news; your joking comment appear to be very serious to the recipient and can lead to unmeant reactions or conflicts (flames); so use emoticons to express your intention.</para> <para>There are a lots of emoticons, which express a great variety of emotions; the interpretation is easy if you turn your head and think of a face.</para> </sect2> <sect2> <title>PLONK!</title> <para>This PLONK! looks like some comic-sound, does it not? And that is exactly what it is used for. The one who reads it knows he was just added to the killfile of a newsreader; normally this means the recipient of the PLONK! annoyed the sender. The PLONK! is meant to play back the sound of the recipients name hitting the ground in the <glossterm>killfile</glossterm>.</para> </sect2> </sect1> </chapter>