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Path: mccuts!nessie!uknet!gdt!aber!ccs
From: ccs@aber.ac.uk (Christopher Samuel)
Newsgroups: alt.config,news.groups,news.answers
Subject: Creating a new "alt" group -- guidelines
Summary: RTFSL
Keywords: group creation alt
Message-ID: <alt-config_726155676@aber.ac.uk>
Date: 4 Jan 93 13:54:49 GMT
Expires: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 13:54:36 GMT
Sender: ccs@aber.ac.uk (Christopher "Jd" Samuel)
Followup-To: alt.config
Organization: University of Wales - Aberystwyth - Prifysgol Cymru
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Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
Xref: mccuts alt.config:9055 news.groups:35425 news.answers:4549
Supersedes: <alt-config_723684470@aber.ac.uk>
X-Original-Poster: markw@gvlf8.gvl.unisys.com (Mark H. Weber)
Archive-name: alt-config-guide
Version: 1.4
Last-modified: Mon Dec 7 17:06:05 GMT 1992
Guidelines for the creation of an "alt" group.
There are no rules or guidelines for creation of "alt" groups, However
there does appear to be an established procedure which follows. First a
quick bit of common-sense on choosing the name:
When choosing a name for a group please note the only commandment: Thou
shalt not choose a group name which may cause network harm or harm to a
local machine.
Examples:
alt.fan.enya.puke.puke.pukeSender:
[preceding line to Sender had <CR> deleted; also the
trailing : can cause problems in some news systems]
alt.verylonggroupnamethathasadirectorylongerthanmost\
machinessupportsotherehaha.very.funny
alt.[insert300charactershere].very.long.group.name.\
that.is.too.big.for.newsrc
alt.*.this.name.has.bad.characters.in.it
alt..double.dot.group.name
[ An extra pointer, please don't use the '.' as a word seperator; ]
[ although it causes no real problem it won't win you many friends ]
[ when you take the name to alt.config ]
Now the Guidelines:
-------------------
1) Propose a new alt group in alt.config. The proposal
should include a charter or purpose for the new group, and
some demonstration of the need for the group. It is best to
make it clear in your subject line that you are proposing a
new group. Be prepared to explain why an existing group cannot
be used for this purpose, and why the group should be in "alt"
rather than in one of the mainstream hierarchies (like
"rec", "sci", etc.). Avoiding the complexity of the
mainstream group creation procedure is not a very good
reason, groups should not be created in "alt" just because
it's easier. Many sites do not get any alt groups, so if
you are proposing a serious group, it is worth the effort to
try to get it into a mainstream hierarchy.
2) See what the alt.net.opinion of the new group is. Wait a
few days for replies to trickle in from the far corners of
the net. If the consensus (however you determine that) is
that the group should be created, then proceed to step 3.
(these first two steps are often ignored, which usually
leads to unpleasantness in step 4 below)
3) Post a "newgroup" control message. If you don't know
how to do this, check with your news administrator. If you
ARE your news administrator, and you can't figure it out
from the documentation you have (or don't have any
documentation) send me mail and I will help you. NOTE that
many sites do NOT automatically honor "newgroup" and
"rmgroup" control messages, the news software at these sites
will send mail to the news administrator, who will evaluate
your request and decide whether or not to create the group.
It may take a couple of days for the control message to
propagate and be acted upon, so don't expect instant
availability of the new group, particularly if you post the
control message on a Friday night.
NB: It is good manners to put a description of the new
newsgroup into the newgroup message, along with a
one-line description suitable for inclusion into the
newsgroups file.
4) Let the individual site news administrators decide
whether to honor your "newgroup" message. Most admins
prefer that the message come from a verifiable account,
messages which are obviously forged, or have not been
discussed in alt.config and contain no explanation will
probably not be honored by many sites. Persons opposed to
the group, or admins who feel that the newgroup message was
a forgery may send out "rmgroup" messages to try to sabotage
the group. It may take several iterations of this process
to firmly establish the new group. It has been humorously
suggested that only alt groups which get 100 more "newgroup"
than "rmgroup" messages should be established. However,
these "rmgroup wars" are annoying to news administrators,
and reduce the overall acceptance (and distribution) of the
"alt" hierarchy. This is the reason that steps 1 and 2
above are important.
This may sound like a lot of rigamarole, and it is. The purpose is to
discourage creation of alt groups that might be better off as mainstream
groups, or that might be better off left uncreated.
Don't take this all too seriously, though. The "alt" net is the last
remaining refuge away from the control freaks, namespace purists and
net.cops (like myself) that maintain and enforce the mainstream
newsgroup guidelines.
There is still some room for spontaneity out here on the "alt" frontier.
Successful groups have been created without following these suggestions.
Almost any non-forged, serious newgroup message will at least be
considered by most news admins. Some groups have been created just on a
whim. The concept behind the group better be good (or a least
entertaining), though!
[ If you want more information on mainstream group creation see the post
"How to Create a New Newsgroup" posted to news.answers, news.admin and
news.groups. ]
--
Christopher Samuel, c/o Computer Unit, UCW Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth, WALES
RFC: ccs@aber.ac.uk UUCP: *!mcsun!uknet!aber!ccs JNT: ccs@uk.ac.aber
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