Newsgroup Charter... (Was: RE: Millers Oils)

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H.J. Kamps - 18 Aug 2003 11:04 GMT

In the discussion about Millers Oils, the discussion of a newsgroup charter
was introduced. I have been searching through the archives, both for the
usenet control messages and in this group, but it seems as if the group
actually does not have an archive.

This, combined with the fact that there is no official faq, means that there
is little to stop people from posting automobile-related spam in this
newsgroup, as doing so is not against the charter (there is none*) or the
faq (there is none*).

*) that I am aware of

HJ

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H.J. Kamps - 18 Aug 2003 11:11 GMT

Correction:

In a post from the 11th of may 2000, I found the following:

>THE CHARTER of the NEWSGROUP

> The newsgroup <alt.autos.mini> is reserved for those who love, drive,
> admire, repair, rebuild, customize and compete in Austin, Morris, BMC,

BMH,

> Rover and Innocenti Minis, Mini Coopers, Mini Cooper S's, Mokes, Riley

Elfs,

> Wolseley Hornets, and variants and Mini-based kit cars and specials.
>
> The newsgroup for non-Mini microcars is <alt.autos.microcars>. Both of

these

> newsgroups and <alt.autos.fiat> were created by Rocky Frisco as a service

> the worldwide motoring community.

> A reasonable amount of mild profanity is allowed but not encouraged. No
> flames or personal attacks will be countenanced. Such will be vigorously
> reported to the originating ISP.

> Many newsgroups are becoming cesspools of disrespect, flamewars and
> catfights. Those who support and utilize this newsgroup request that all
> such matters be dealt with in private email rather than clog up the group
> with offtopic messages and unpleasantness.

> While handles are allowed, it is strongly suggested that those who would
> like to take part in the newsgroup use a valid email address rather than

> alias or forged address, since accountability tends to support
> responsibility and polite conversation, while anonymity does not. The use

> a spambotproof address is fine as long as the others in the group can

easily

> figure out the real address.

> The use of anonymous remailers to disguise a message's true source will

not

> be condoned in the newsgroup.

> Advertising is allowed as long as it is directly Mini-related, whether it
> originates with an individual with spares for sale or a large corporation
> with Mini-related products or services. Spamming the newsgroup with

multiple

> ads or even daily repeating identical ads is not allowed, nor are ads that
> are addressed to multiple newsgroups.

The above does not appear to be "official", in the sense that it is not
regularly reposted to the newsgroup, and is not found on the web anywhere
(if it is, the website is not indexed by google) and is not officially part
of the original charter.

Not that it actually matters, but I believe it should be regularly
re-posted, in order to be able to enforce the stoppage of spammers, and to
clarify what the group is all about.

Cheers,

HJ

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Photography and Digital Arts
www.photocritic.org

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The Muffin Man - 20 Aug 2003 14:23 GMT

Good plan

The Muffin Man

> Correction:
>
[quoted text clipped - 61 lines]
> Photography and Digital Arts
> www.photocritic.org

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Rocky Frisco - 25 Aug 2003 23:50 GMT

> In the discussion about Millers Oils, the discussion of a newsgroup charter
> was introduced. I have been searching through the archives, both for the
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> newsgroup, as doing so is not against the charter (there is none*) or the
> faq (there is none*).

For some reason I'm not aware of, the bloke at my ISP at the time posted
the control message for me, but failed to post the charter. The only
text that got posted was (paraphrase): "This newsgroup is for English
Minis."

This became a bone of contention a few years ago when the newsgroup was
under attack from a vicious troll and his dirtyratpack.

Austin/Morris/Rover/Innocenti Mini-related "SPAM" would not be SPAM,
since it's on-topic. Any messages not related to these cars would be
off-topic anyway.

It really comes down to what we complain to ISP's about and what we let
go by.

During the aforementioned word-war, I posted a FAQ, but got so much flak
from one or two anal-clenched self-appointed-micromanagers I got
disgusted and didn't bother to read the group for over a year.

If you want a FAQ, we can post one monthly.

-Rock http://www.rocky-frisco.com
--
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