Readme.txt
Hi all,
here are a couple of suggestions that may be of some use for those accessing this group and others.
Rule #1: Get a good news provider
Some Internet Service Provider (ISP) are offering free newsgroup access to their subscriber through their own news server. A VERY VERY bad idea! These ISP can track all your upload and download...
Subscribe to a good one. Read the headers of those who are posting to know wich news server they are using and avoid the providers used by the complainers typically saying "your post is missing this and that parts" proving that their news provider doesn't have a good completion (meaning the posts are incomplete)
Rule #2: Get a good news reader
Some are free some aren't. Make sure the one you are using is yEnc capable (yEnc is just another protocol for encoding all you can read on the newsgroups)
For my part, I use Xnews (do a Google search) because it is FREE and very complete.
No matter witch one you are using, learn to know it and if you are satisfied with it, stick to it!
There is a learning curve to everything, including using a newsreader. So, ask for help if you are in trouble.
Lastly, NEVER NEVER use Outlook Express or any Microsoft product to access Usenet and the groups other than those of Microsoft (this group in particular).
Rule #3: Get the right tools
You will need the following programs to enjoy your Usenet experience:
-J.A.S. (Just Another Splitter) (Free)
-Winrar (Free)
-Quickrar (Free)
-A FREE universal video reader such as Media Player Classic and a FREE universal image reader such as Irfanview (Google it!)
-An Encryption program (http://netsecurity.about.com/cs/hackertools/a/aafreecrypt.htm)
Rule #4: Obey the Netiquette
When I first accessed the newsgroups, I read a lot and never posted anything for years.
I learned the following:
- The poster is always right
- If you are not satisfied with a poster, leave his post untouched or PLONK (kill filter) that poster. That way, you will not even see what he/she is posting
- In case of problem, open a thread, expose your problem and ask for help
- For anything else, see the first item
Rule #5: Passworded RAR files
For obvious reasons, passwords are a way of protecting both the posters and the occasional lurkers from accessing files that could be offending or even illegal in your country.
If the poster has not mentioned how to open these files, forget it...
If the poster has mentioned a way of opening these files, do your research and obey the Netiquette. Otherwise, you will end up being plonked right away and flamed by the other lurkers that did their research, with no good result.
Rule #6: Usenet is not Internet
Usenet is the ancestor of Internet (believe it or not...). It is a very old protocol of communication, far behind the prowesses of HTML, Flash etc. But it also has some strenght, one of them being in my opinion that it is uneasy to use and thus, keeping away the masses. There are many new tools made to ressemble Internet (NZB files is one of them) but the obvious difficulties the newbies are experiencing are sometimes worth the trouble. You are free to decide. If you are not satisfied with Usenet, just leave and go try to get what you are looking for with other tools such as mIRC, eMule etc
Best wishes to all
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