Manifesto Mini-FAQ

Date: 3 Jun 1995 00:14:09 GMT

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                    A Manifesto Mini-FAQ (6/2/95)


11. "What is this group all about?"

    The purpose of this group is for the presentation and discussion
    of manifestoes on USENET.  Manifestoes can be for individuals,
    organizations, groups, companies, governments, nations or parties.
    Most often they are from individuals, especially those who are
    frequent posters on USENET.


14. "Why?"

    Because it may be interesting.  It might be amusing.  It appears
    to be worthwhile.  Someday, posterity might look back on this and
    find it useful.  Why not?


3.  "What is a manifesto, anyway?"

    A manifesto is a public statement of intentions.  It's your mission
    statement, your purpose.  Why you do what you do. 


6.  "Why is the plural of manifesto 'manifestoes' and not 'manifestos'?
    Why is the name of this newsgroup plural, anyway?"

    Dictionaries in the U.S. say either is acceptable.  I happen to
    prefer 'manifestoes.'

    In the debate on alt.config (the place where new alt groups are
    discussed), Melissa Anne Algeo recommended that the name be plural
    so that people don't think the purpose of this newsgroup is to come
    up with some unifying manifesto for all of USENET (which might be a
    worthwhile project, come to think of it).


9. "Where do these manifestoes come from?"

    People write them and make them available, sometimes in other
    newsgroups, random WWW pages or FTP archives.  Sometimes they are
    submitted here for approval (see below).  Sometimes the moderation
    team stumbles across them and posts them here (we always try to get
    permission first).


12. "How do I submit a manifesto?"

    For most newsreaders, you can just post to alt.usenet.manifestoes
    normally, and the news software will forward your article to
    the proper place for approval.  You should receive a reply to
    indicate that your manifesto was received.  You'll be notified
    of its approval within 48 hours.

    If that method doesn't work, simply send e-mail to manifesto@emf.net
    instead.


1.  "How come propagation is so bad?"

    It's getting better.  For the first month, it was so bad that
    I didn't even get the newsgroup here.  Thanks to diligent
    newgrouping (from David Guntner, Andrew Stephen Damick, Partha
    S. Banerjee, and Alistair James Robert Young) it's now carried
    at most major sites.  If you can't receive it at your site,
    please ask your news administrator.
 

4.  "What gets approved?"

    Everything that is on charter, not commercial, not
    cross-posted, and not full of obscure acronyms.  Discussion
    of previous manifestoes is welcome.  The newsgroup is not
    limited to serious manifestoes: kibo's manifesto is just
    as welcome as the Communist Manifesto.


7.  "Is there an archive?"

    Yes -- point your Web browser to
           http://www.emf.net/~estephen/manifesto.html
    and enjoy.  There is no ftp archive, but please let me know if you
    want one.  With sufficient demand, I can create one.


10. "Why is it moderated?"

    To keep it on charter.  To keep the posts coming regularly.
    The intention is to keep a.u.m. high-interest, low-traffic
    and high-quality.


13. "Can I subscribe by e-mail?"

    No.  Sorry.  Just read it as a newsgroup, or stop by the
    manifesto home page.


2.  "Do you edit the manifestoes?"

    I'm often very tempted.


5.  "Why do you bother?"

    Good question.  See my manifesto (forthcoming).


8.  "Who is the moderator?"

    Absolutely No One Important.  I've lurked here on USENET for a long
    time and wanted to contribute in some way.  May you find this
    newsgroup an interesting place.

__________________________________________________________________________
-- Zeigen (E. Stephen Mack)                               estephen@emf.net
        Zeigen's Dilemma Home Page: http://www.emf.net/~estephen/
                We'll burn that bridge when we come to it.