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From: George Wenzel <gwenzel@telusplanet.net>
Newsgroups: alt.comp.virus,alt.answers,news.answers
Followup-To: alt.comp.virus
Subject: ALT.COMP.VIRUS POSTING GUIDELINES - READ ME FIRST
Summary: What to post, and not to post, to alt.comp.virus.
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COMPUTER VIRUS NEWSGROUP POSTING GUIDELINES

The latest version of this document is available at:

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/computer-virus/posting-guidelines

Name: 
  alt.comp.virus
Status: 
  Unmoderated
Description:
  Forum for discussion of computer viruses and, their prevention/detection,
  as well as techniques and procedures for recovery from a virus infection.
 

INTRODUCTION
====================
The purpose of the alt.comp.virus newsgroup is to provide a forum for 
discussion of computer virus issues.

"Computer virus issues" are defined as follows: issues relating to the 
creation, dissemination, prevention, detection, and removal of computer 
viruses.  Note that the discussion of these is not the same as doing them.
For example, discussing the dissemination of computer viruses is OK, but 
spreading them via the newsgroup is not.

"Computer viruses" are defined as programs (blocks of executable code) 
which attach themselves to, overwrite or otherwise replace another program
in order to reproduce itself without the knowledge of the PC user. See the
alt.comp.virus FAQ for a more thorough definition.


ON-TOPIC POSTS
====================
Posts of the following types are expected (these are merely examples; 
other topics may come up that are not listed here, but are nevertheless 
still on-topic):

a. Questions concerning computer viruses and anti-virus products.

b. Experiences with viruses and anti-virus products.  

c. Discussions of tests of anti-virus products.

d. Announcements of conferences, conventions, etc. related to computer 
   viruses.

e. Announcements of anti-virus product updates or new anti-virus products. 
   Announcements of a commercial nature are acceptable, provided they are 
   brief and to the point (announcing a URL is usually the best way to do 
   this).

f. Conjecture as to the future of computer virus/anti-virus technology.


UNWELCOME POSTS
====================
Posts of the following types are considered to be unwelcome (Types of
posts not listed here may be considered unwelcome as well; these are
just the most common examples):

a. Binaries of any sort.  If you want to distribute binaries of any sort, 
   put them on a web page or FTP site (with the sysadmin's approval) and 
   post the address where they may be found.  That way, you don't abuse 
   UseNet in the process.  

b. Source code that is not relevant to the discussion.  Posting snippets
   of source code to elaborate on a point or further the discussion is 
   fine, but posting source code without relevance to the discussion is 
   unwelcome.  Post it on a web page or FTP site (as above) or in the 
   newsgroup alt.comp.virus.source.code.

c. Posts warning of 'viruses' which are in fact hoaxes.  See:

     http://www.kumite.com/myths 

   and check if this new 'virus' is listed before posting the hoax message 
   and propagating the hoax further.  Asking about hoaxes is fine, but 
   don't post the full text of the warning (just the name of the 'virus'
   will suffice to check whether it's a hoax).

d. Advertising or product announcements of non-virus related items.

e. Posts that do nothing more than ask for viruses or source code.  If you 
   want viruses, look for them yourself.  They aren't that hard to find.


OTHER GUIDELINES
====================
Please avoid posting in HTML.  It isn't readable by a significant portion 
of the group's members.  Plain ASCII text is universally readable, so it is 
preferable.

Please try to limit cross posting of posts outside alt.comp.virus.  Posting
to directly-related groups is fine, but keep in mind that follow-ups to 
your post will also be posted in cross-posted groups.

Check your headers before you post anyway, just to make sure where your 
post is going.

Occasional jokes are welcome. If you don't find any humor in life, try 
another newsgroup.

Trolls will be subjected to bone-crushing wrist locks and the occasional 
wedgie.

These guidelines do not restrict how you talk about computer viruses, as 
much as they restrict the conversations to computer virus related issues. 
We are suggesting guidelines for this newsgroup so that it will be 
enjoyable for everyone, without limiting people’s right to express their 
views openly, even if they are unpopular. We don’t like the idea of 
censorship. We do like the idea of proposed rules of conduct and common 
courtesy.


ENFORCEMENT
====================
Enforcement Provision: Posts clearly in violation of these guidelines (i.e. 
posts of virus binaries) will often result in complaints by readers of 
a.c.v. to the Internet Service Provider of the person posting the unwanted 
material. Alternatively or in addition, readers of the group may killfile 
or otherwise ignore the offender.  UseNet is a lonely place if nobody 
replies to your posts.

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