FAQ - News Usenet

^{Translated with DeepL.com}

Which program should I use to read news and what is the best way to get started?

The following newsreaders are installed on the SCC:

* Text newsreaders: tin, slrn, pine

* Graphical newsreaders: Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla,

It is highly recommended to read the introductory texts that can be found on the Usenet NetNews page before getting started on Usenet.
For test postings, be sure to use a test group such as ka.test.

Why do I get e-mails when I post to a test group?

These e-mails come from so-called reflectors and serve to inform the user that his posting has reached the corresponding news server. If you don't want to receive any e-mails, you have to put "ignore" or "no reply" in the subject.

What are the ka- and uka-rules about?

The ka-rules are a set of rules, which were worked out by users of the ka.* hierarchy and confirmed by voting. The rules define e.g.:

* the maximum number of groups an article may be posted to

* that an appropriate Followup-To header must be set

* in which time interval an article may be posted again

* how the creation process of a new group looks like

The uka-rules are similar, but they apply to the uka.* hierarchy of KIT. Especially the creation or deletion of groups works less democratically here.