It is assumed that since you got this far, you know how to operate your newsreader properly. However, if you have any really burning questions about your newsreader, ask!

Rec.pets.cats.anecdotes is a text-only family orientated newsgroup created for the purpose of sharing stories about cats. While off topic banter is generally permitted as it gives the place a friendly feel, there are a few things that aren't allowed.

7.1 WHAT NOT TO POST

Also see the "Taboos" section

7.1.1 Posts in HTML format

Usenet (except the obvious binary groups) is a plain text only place. Pretty colours, pictures and sound are for the Web, not newsgroups. Posts in HTML format take up bandwidth and cost those people who have to pay for their downloads extra money. Some newsreaders also don't understand HTML and it just comes out as gobbley gook. If you don't know the difference and post in HTML, there are people here who will be happy to tell you that you are posting in HTML, and will also (hopefully) be able to tell you how to turn it off.

7.1.2 Files and attachments

Again, anything other than a plain text message is not welcome. Opening files and attachments from an unfamiliar (and even familiar) source is a great way of catching computer viruses - most people won't open them even if you put them there for our own benefit.

7.1.2.1 But how are you supposed to see this adorable picture of my cat if I can't attach it to my message?

Rest assured, we do want to see pictures of your cat. Just not posted to this newsgroup. There are several ways of showing people pictures of your cat. They are listed in order of increasing preference:

1. Telling people that you have a picture of your cat, and will e-mail it to anyone who asks
2. Posting the picture to the newsgroup news:alt.binaries.pictures.animals and then telling this NG what to look for in that newsgroup. The disadvantage with posting to the binaries newsgroup is that not every ISP carries it, and it tends to have a very quick expiry time
3. Getting the picture up onto the Web Page and posting the URL (link) to the picture. Places like Angelfire offer free homepages to everyone. If you don't want to make your own homepage, you can also show off your cat pics at places like Webshots. (http://www.webshots.com). The advantage to this method is that that people can access the pictures at any time, even six month later if you haven't moved it. (as someone who reads NG's off line, I cut & paste the URLS I want to visit into a big file, and then I go on a big surf, visiting all the URLS I've accrued for that fortnight or so. It's the only way I get to see people's kitties as I have a very expensive pay-by-the-minute ISP)

For free photo pages, try these sites:

1. http://www.zing.com/
2. http://www.shuttercity.com/

For free webpages, try these popular sites:

3. http://www.cityslide.com/
4. http://geocities.yahoo.com/home
5. https://www.angelfire.com/
6. http://www.webspawner.com/
7. http://www.i-love-cats.com/freewebsites.htm

7.1.3 Huge Signature Files

Its all about bandwidth. Signature files should be kept to a maximum of 4 lines of text. Just like in the main message, no binaries, music files, pictures or HTML is permitted in signature files either. Any advertising you feel you must do should be done here.

7.1.4 SPAM

A very quick summary: All forms of Spam are not permitted.

7.1.4.1 Sex

This is a family orientated group and no X or R rated material, whether advertising or in content, is not permitted. No doubt someone will complain to your ISP

7.1.4.2 Commercial advertising

This is a place for sharing cat anecdotes. If we wanted to go shopping, we would have. Most people here have a policy not to buy anything from a spammer.

7.1.4.3 What about cat related products?

This NG is a place to share cat anecdotes, not sell products. If you have a vested interest in a product, it may be wise of you not to advertise lest you be accused of spamming, a great sin in most Usenetter's eyes. If you simply must advertise, put the URL (link) in your signature line and otherwise contribute normally to the group. Your advertising will be far more welcome if you are considered a contributing member as well.

Discussion as to the merits (or otherwise) of various cat related paraphernalia are permitted, but vested interests ought to be declared from the start (and be careful it doesn't turn into spam)

7.1.5 Netiquette and Spelling Flames

As explained before, this is a friendly place. Flames aren't friendly.

7.1.6 Being A Jerk

General nastiness, personal attacks and just plain being a jerk isn't allowed either. You'll find that while the group is usually friendly and easy going, we will rally around anyone who we see is being unfairly treated. We are not above reporting offenders to their ISP if the flaming/trolling/jerkness gets out of hand, but mostly we'll just killfile the offenders.

7.1.7 Bonsai Kittens

Bonsai Kittens have been added to this FAQ because the group seems to be regularly inundated with posts asking us to sign petition, write letters etc to take down the site http://www.bonsaikittens.com and to report the "abuse" to various humane organisations.

Now we'd all probably agree that the site isn't funny, but we know that the site is just a joke, albeit on in very bad taste.

By sending e-mails and posts about this site, by calling people's attention to it, you are playing into the hands of the site's designers – you are dong their advertising for them. Its not surprising that the Bonsai Kitten site is one of the most popular on the web. After all – its being advertised all over the place by people who keep sending outraged messages about it.

Please refrain from posting outraged messages about Bonsai Kittens - it doesn't acheive anything and is just wasting bandwidth. Ifyou have to tell someone how disgusted you are, tell the Bonsai Kitten webmaster - they'll be delighted to receive your e-mail.

This is an extract from http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/bon sai.htm. (A similar debunking can also be found at http://www.urbanlegends.com/ulz/bonsai.html) :

If all you want to know is whether bonsai kittens are real, you need read only the following paragraph:

Bonsai kittens are not real. Nobody is making bonsai kittens. Nobody is selling equipment to help people make bonsai kittens. The Bonsai Kitten web site is a joke, not an actual promotion for the making of bonsai kittens. Investigations by law enforcement agencies have already determined that no real cats were harmed in the creation of the pictures used on the Bonsai Kitten web site. Signing a petition to shut down the Bonsai Kitten web site will not prevent any kittens from being harmed, because no kittens were harmed in the first place.

(How could you know this? Because the process described is impossible: Animals so treated would die long before they could be "molded." Because the web site offers no way to purchase the materials advertised. Because "Bonsai Kitten" displays no actual pictures of molded kittens.)

Now, here's the rest of the sociological stuff:

"Bonsai Kitten" is a site that purports to be "dedicated to preserving the long lost [Oriental] art of body modification in housepets" (by raising them inside jars so that they remain small even when mature and their bodies take on the contours of the vessel used). It's actually a bit of fictional humor put up just before the end of the year 2000 by some MIT grad students to satirize "the human belief of nature as commodity" and to "punish the hypocritical and easily offended by upsetting them, and to amuse those who understand."

Plenty of people who didn't get the joke (or who got it but didn't find it funny) complained, so first MIT gave "Bonsai Kitten" the boot, then a commercial ISP kicked them off as well (after initially responding to protests by defending the "Bonsai Kitten" operator's right to free speech). "Bonsai Kitten" can still be viewed at various mirror sites.

The "Bonsai Kitten" web site does a reflect a very dark, disturbing trend in our society, and it has nothing to do with animal abuse. It has to do with an ever-increasing sense of entitlement which proclaims that if you don't like what someone else has to say, the best and most proper way of handling your displeasure is to force the other person to shut up. Emotions are no longer a private affair; your outrage is meaningless unless it's expressed publicly. It's pointless for you to privately scorn or simply ignore speech you don't agree with. You have the right (and therefore the duty) to use any legal means available to quash that speech, in as public as fashion as possible (since your outrage isn't validated unless everyone else knows about it) -- even if that effort includes fabricating reasons why the other person's speech is "dangerous."

7.2 OTHER GUIDELINES

See section 4.1 on Manners

7.2.1 Lurk for a while

Possibly the best guideline for any newsgroup you have just joined: just lurk for a bit. Just by reading the general assortment of posts for a few days, you will get the general idea of what is acceptable and what isn't. However, since you are this far into the Faq, you've probably got a good idea already.

7.2.2 The "my mother may be reading this" guideline

This is a family newsgroup. If you would feel at all uncomfortable with the thought that your mother or young sibling might end up reading what you wrote, perhaps its best if you don't write it. If in doubt (funny story but a bit "naughty") tell the group that you have this cool story but it has 'adult content" and you'll e-mail it to anyone who asks. If it would rate as "adults only" if it was a movie, its probably not a good idea to post it here. But if you can censor it down to a "Parental Guidance Recommended" than feel free. Use your common sense and judgement.

7.2.3 Use of Warning Tags in the subject line

A few people here are regular keyboard destroyers, meaning that when people read their posts, they spontaneously laugh with a mouthful of coffee or other beverage, consequently ruining their keyboard and upsetting the resident cat(s). The use of the [BW] tag (meaning "beverage warning") has tried to prevent this sort of occurance. The use of "Hi, All" as the first line of a post generally serves the same purpose. It is considered polite to include the following warning tags in the subject line if you think they are appropriate:

The use of a question mark "?" can be used with the tags if you aren't sure how funny/sad/off topic etc the post is, and there are no restrictions on how many tags can be on the subject line. But remember, many programs trim the end of the subject line down to a certain number of characters, so a miniature essay in the subject line would be pretty pointless (and very annoying)

7.2.4 Crossposting

Cross posting is a means of sending the same message to numerous different newsgroups. Think of it as similar to an e-mail message with numerous recipients. It saves on bandwidth because only one message (with one message ID) is propagated and if things are going well, if you read a crossposted message in one newsgroup it will be marked as read in all the newsgroups it was crossposted into. Crossposting is achieved by putting more than one newsgroup in the "Group" area of the headers. Although generally frowned upon, it is appropriate in some circumstances. But please be certain that any ensuing discussion would be on topic and welcome in all the newsgroups you have posted to.

7.2.4.1 Trimming newsgroups

Sometimes a subject that was originally was appropriately crossposted to a number of groups drifts far enough off topic that the conversation is no longer appropriate for some of the groups. When you reply to such a message, please take out the newsgroups that are no longer warranted. Some newsreaders even allow you to set followups so that although your message goes out to all the newsgroups in the list, the replies only go to where you have set your follow ups to. If you use this facility, please mention it in your post.

7.2.5 Multiposting

Multiposting is when the same message is posted to numerous newsgroups as an individual message. Think of it as sending out exactly the same e-mail to your entire address book, but cutting and pasting and sending it to one person at a time, rather than including your whole address book in the one "To" line. It wastes an enormous amount of bandwidth as each message will have a different ID and therefore be propagated as different messages, and will not be marked as "read" in all the groups it appears in until you open each and every copy.

Just don't do it. Well, Ok, it happens as an afterthought that perhaps you should have posted your message to another group as well, but by and large multiposting is considered a Bad Thing. If you want to reach several different newsgroups with the same message, cross post it.

7.2.6 Replying

7.2.6.1 Placement of the Reply

Strict netiquette says that all replies should always go under the original message. The overall opinion of the members of RPCA is that it is up to the individual as to whether they reply at the top, at the bottom, or somewhere in the middle of the original message. Use your common sense and place your reply where you think its adds most to the conversation.

7.2.6.2 Quoting & Snipping

When replying to a message, its nice for the reader to know what you are replying to. However, there really isn't much point repeating the whole message if you are only going to say "me too" or want to reply to only some of the post.

The use of the "<snip>" can show that you have removed part of the conversation you feel is not necessary for the reader to re-read to get the gist of your new points.

A good example would be:

David Yehudah wrote:

<snip of really funny story about Cherokee>

Good one Dave!

> and Patty is still mad at me.

Poor Patty! I hope she forgives you Real Soon Now.

The <snip> saves on a lot of bandwidth, and although you won't get flames for not using it, it is very much encouraged that you do.

7.2.6.3 Attribution

Please keep the attribution lines in. They are the ones that tell you who write what. Even if it's a nest of 5 or more authors, with heaps and heaps of >>>>, its good to know who said what. Feel free to snip e-mail addresses and message ID's but at least make it clear who said what and when - it makes the thread easier to understand

7.2.6 Off Topic

We all know that conversation wanders off the original subject. Because we encourage conversation over strict netiquette, off-topic banter is just part of the social glue that has made us all friends. Mostly people don't bother to change the subject line to indicate that the subject has drifted away from cats. However, if you are considering making a new post that is off topic, consider whether most members of the group would be interested, and also try to remember to tag it with an [OT] Warning Tag. Note that the subject of food comes a close second to the subject of cats on this group. A food thread does not need the [OT] label as it has become a"on" topic by sheer popularity. Books come third.