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<chapter id="knode-journey"> 
<title>A journey in the World of Newsgroups</title> 

<anchor id="anc-knode-journey"/> 

<para>This chapter is supposed to glance over the World of Newsgroups
and their<quote> inhabitants</quote> . Someone who never dared to go
there 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
offline mark the articles, you are really interested in. When you
connect the next time, the offline-reader fetches the articles you
marked and sends the articles you have written 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 evereybody 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 her articles
in a newsgroup.</para>

</sect2> 

<sect2>
<title>... news?</title> 

<para>News are articles published in a newsgroup.</para> 

</sect2> 

<sect2> 
<title>... threads?</title> 

<para>A thread describes a discussion of one topic 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, some basics are listed here.</para>

<orderedlist> 
<listitem> 
<para>Before you ask questions be sure you read the newsgroups
<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 the fact, everybody
can read the answer. Say nothing you wouldn't say to the others when
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 don't know which is the right one. Ask in one
newsgroup. If it is wrong, you are 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 ironical
sentence. It may be funny for you, but it can be very serious for the
one 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 won't be surprised about English being the main language on
the Usenet. There are special trees with 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 developed his own language,
but happily 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 writing the same sentence over and over
again.</para>

<para>But what is the meaning of <acronym>RTFM</acronym>? The writer
demands you, to read the manual, documentation or
<acronym>FAQ</acronym> before asking questions in the
newsgroup. Clearer: (R)ead (T)he (F)ucking
(M)anual. <acronym>BTW</acronym> an 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. Now, for you not to be continously speculating over 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 bases on a list from
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>
&lt;g&gt;</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 (DÂÃÂÂ¼mmster 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 fucking 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 fucking 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? You spot
the smile with a wink? This is a so called emoticon. Emoticons are an
often used possibility to express mimic. One thing missing in
conversation on the Usenet. (But there is a substitute, remember?
;-)</para>

<para>It is very difficult to express emotions in emails or news. Your
joking comment can be very serious for 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. You will see, 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, doesn't it? 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! ticked off the sender. The PLONK! plays back
the sound of the recipients name hitting the ground in the
<glossterm>killfile</glossterm>. The sender turned his back to the
recipient.</para>
</sect2> 
</sect1> 

</chapter> 
