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+<!-- <?xml version="1.0" ?>
+<!DOCTYPE chapter PUBLIC "-//KDE//DTD DocBook XML V4.1-Based Variant V1.0//EN" "dtd/kdex.dtd"> -->
+
+<chapter id="knode-journey">
+<title>A journey in the World of Newsgroups</title>
+
+<anchor id="anc-knode-journey"/>
+
+<para>This chapter is supposed to be glance over the World of Newsgroups
+and their <quote>inhabitants</quote>; someone who has never dared to go
+there before 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
+mark (offline) the articles you are really interested in. When you
+connect next time the offline-reader fetches the articles you
+marked and sends the articles you have written whilst 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 everybody 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 their articles
+in a newsgroup.</para>
+
+</sect2>
+
+<sect2>
+<title>... news?</title>
+
+<para>News is the collective term for articles published in a newsgroup.</para>
+
+</sect2>
+
+<sect2>
+<title>... threads?</title>
+
+<para>A thread is a topic of discussion 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, the basics of which are listed here.</para>
+
+<orderedlist>
+<listitem>
+<para>Before you ask questions be sure you have read the newsgroup's
+<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 of the fact that everybody
+can read the answer: do not say anything that you would not say to the others
+if 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 do not know which is the right one. Ask in one
+newsgroup; if it is wrong, you will be 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 ironic
+sentence: it may be funny for you, but it can be very serious for the
+person 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 will not be surprised about English being the main language on
+the Usenet; however, there are special trees for 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 has developed its own language
+but 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 to write the same sentence over and over
+again.</para>
+
+<para>But what is the meaning of <acronym>RTFM</acronym>? The writer
+is asking you to read the manual, documentation or
+<acronym>FAQ</acronym> before asking questions in the
+newsgroup. It stands for: (R)ead (T)he (F)...ing
+(M)anual; <acronym>BTW</acronym> this is 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; to avoid you having to continuously speculate over the meaning of
+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 is based on a list by
+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 (Dümmster
+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 f...ing 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 f...ing 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? It's
+a smile with a wink? This is a so-called emoticon; emoticons are an
+often-used possibility to express emotions, one thing missing in
+conversation on the Usenet (but there is a substitute, remember?
+;-)</para>
+
+<para>It is very difficult to express emotions in email or news; your
+joking comment appear to be very serious to 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; 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, does it not? 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! annoyed the sender. The PLONK! is meant to
+play back the sound of the recipients name hitting the ground in the
+<glossterm>killfile</glossterm>.</para>
+</sect2>
+</sect1>
+
+</chapter>