Capt. Bill,

Since we are discussing Newsgroup terms and definitions, I wonder if anyone
has ever read the common accepted Newsgroup Netiquette

Newsgroup Netiquette
If you participate in USENET Newsgroups, Web-based Discussion Groups or
Message Boards, there are a few important things to know.
Lurk before you leap. Lurking is the practice of reading the postings in a
group for a week or so before posting a message yourself. No one will know
you are lurking, and you can get a feel for the types of personalities in
the group, what types of things are discussed, and what topics or behaviors
are frowned upon. You may even find after lurking for a week that you do not
want to participate in the discussion.

Know the FAQs. Most groups have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) that will
tell you about any rules that govern the group, and the expectations the
group has for those who will participate.

Do not post "off topic". If the discussion group is about quantum physics,
do not post something about the latest episode of "Friends".

Find the Right Group
Don't stray from the topic of the newsgroup or Mailing List Discussion
Group. These groups have formed for a reason, and their participants are
involved to discuss and share ideas on particular topics. Respect the group
and its members by sticking to appropriate issues. The Internet is a big
place, and you can bet there's a group out there just for you.

Avoid Flame Wars. A Flame is a posting in which one participant attacks
another participant in an overly harsh and personal manner. The person who
is flamed will usually respond in kind, which invites another flame, and so
on. If you are not involved, it is best to stay out of it; and, if you are,
end it as soon as reasonably possible.

Ignore Flame Bait. Flame bait is when someone posts a comment that is
specifically designed to provoke a reaction and start a flame war. This is
also called trolling, and it is often aimed at newbies. Some people do this
just for kicks and then sit back and watch the flames fly. An example of
trolling would be someone in a Mustang car owners discussion group making
overtly negative comments about Mustangs. Don't take the bait. If everyone
ignores the comment, the troller will go somewhere else.

Do not advertise. Like unsolicited email advertising, posting an
advertisement in a discussion group that does not specifically allow this
practice is spamming. This is against our Acceptable Use Policy, as it is
with all reputable ISPs. However, if you are a regular participant of a
discussion group, and the opportunity presents itself, you may be able to
get in a plug. For example, if you are an active member of a photography
discussion group and you also happen to sell antique cameras, it usually
would be appropriate to respond to someone in the group who asks where they
can find antique cameras. If you are a regular member of the group, you will
learn what you can and cannot do. When in doubt, read the FAQ for that
group.





"LaBomba182" wrote in message
...

"The term "spam," as used on this newsgroup, means "the same article (or
essentially the same article) posted an unacceptably high number of times
to
one or more newsgroups." CONTENT IS IRRELEVANT. 'Spam' doesn't mean "ads."
It
doesn't mean "abuse." It doesn't mean "posts whose content I object to."
Spam
is a funky name for a phenomenon that can be measured pretty objectively:
did
that post appear X times?"