From: Michael_Shappe@cornell.edu (Michael Scott Shappe)
Subject: REC.ARTS.STARTREK.CURRENT Introduction--Weekly
Followup-To: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Summary: A weekly intro/update newsletter/posting type thing
Originator: mshappe@red-dwarf.cit.cornell.edu
Nntp-Filt-2: Fenchurch version 0.3 by Uncle Mikey for Cornell University
Keywords: intro star trek newsgroup weekly
Supersedes: <intro-rasc-weekly_702486301@cornell.edu>
Nntp-Auth: trusted
Reply-To: Michael_Shappe@cornell.edu
Organization: Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Errors-To: Michael_Shappe@cornell.edu
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 14:59:14 GMT
Expires: Sun, 3 May 1992 15:05:01 GMT

Archive-name: star-trek/rasc-weekly

        ^
       ` `
    _ `   ` _             Introduction to rec.arts.startrek.current
  "  `     `  "           Weekly Edition
"               "         9203.26
"   ` .` `. `   "
  " `` _ _ `` "
    `       `

This posting is a work in progress. Constructive comments welcome.
Flames to /dev/null. See ending for Copyright and Trademark info.

NEW THIS WEEK:
* Now being posted to news.answers as well!
======================================================================
  Welcome to the rec.arts.startrek.* experience!

  rec.arts.startrek.current charter:
	Discussion of Star Trek television programs, movies and books
	aired or released for the first time within the past four
	months, information about future programs, movies and books, 
	and speculation of same, if based on information still
	current (such as speculation of cliffhanger resolutions).

In short: if it has anything to do with RECENT Star Trek, it
belongs here.

Postings about Star Trek stories older than four months are frowned
upon, but not prohibited. Whether a posting really belongs here or in
rec.arts.startrek.misc or .tech is left up to the poster. We rely on
your judgement to determine which is the best forum for a given topic.

Personal quarrels, flame wars, and basically non-Trek or non-r.a.s.
related noise do not belong here, period. Postings about RAS
personalities are OK, within reason, and on special occasions.

  Important Things To Keep In Mind
  --------------------------------

* There is some debate as to whether talk on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
    belongs in .current or .misc. My own feeling is stat .misc is more
    appropriate for ongoing discussion, but .current is the place for
    real-live *news* about the new program. It's simple logic: if it's
    news (or even strong rumour), then it's current. Otherwise, it's
    at best far-future, and possibly never (after all, they planned
    a 'Star Trek II' television series back in the mid-70s...)
 
* rec.arts.startrek proper still officially exists. Since this group has
    been renamed, not destroyed, some sites will be aliasing it to 
    rec.arts.startrek.misc for the time being. Others won't. The result,
    unfortunately, will be that some traffic will be mis-routed until
    all sites have accepted and implemented the split properly.
  rec.arts.startrek will be 'rmgrouped' on 26 April by Dave Lawrence.

* Please remember Spoiler Etiquette. Just because this is a newsgroup
    for current information doesn't mean that the Spoiler Warning is
    obsolete--particularly for speculation or information about future
    stories (for example, speculation about Star Trek VII: Sulu Goes
    Pirate DEFINITELY get a Spoiler Warning). Think of posting to
    rec.arts.startrek.* like you think of safe sex: if you can't
    abstain, at least use protection. ;-)


  Everyday things every r.a.s.*'er should know
  ------------------------------------------

New users of rec.arts.startrek.* should make sure they know exactly
what they are getting into before the begin contributing to the
net. There are several sources of information the "newbie" should
consult before digging in:

* The r.a.s. Netiquette Guide by Matt Gertz  describes
    many of the nuances of r.a.s.* communication. After many years
    of discussion, r.a.s.*'ers have developed their own shorthand
    and conventions. This guide describes them.

* The Frequently Asked Questions List by Otto Heuer, as its title 
    indicates, poses and answers many of the questions that new users 
    perennially ask, such as "How many times did McCoy say 'I'm a 
    Doctor not a ______'?" or "How do I submit a story to Paramount/Pocket?" 
    This also contains a comprehensive list of other periodical postings
    to rec.arts.startrek.*.

* The Lists of Lists by Mark Holtz is a sort of companion
    to the FAQ posting. Some information (like "I'm a Doctor...")
    is duplicated, but much is not. Cheaper than a Compendium (:-)
    and up-to-date for TNG as well!

* The Monthly Introduction to r.a.s.* by Mike Shappe )
    is more detailed in answering many of the broad, existential 
    questions of r.a.s.* and USENET.

* The Weekly Introduction to r.a.s.[current|fandom|misc|tech] by Mike
    Shappe. You're reading one of them...now go read
    the others--that is, if you're interested in those newsgroups.

There are four other Rec.arts.startrek.* groups. They are:
* rec.arts.startrek.fandom (r.a.s.f.), unmoderated.
* rec.arts.startrek.misc (r.a.s.m.), unmoderated.
* rec.arts.startrek.tech (r.a.s.t.), unmoderated.
and
* rec.arts.startrek.info (r.a.s.i.), moderated by Jim Griffith, see
    below.

Finally, for general information on Star Trek and USENET, be sure
to peruse:

* rec.arts.startrek.info (r.a.s.i.), moderated by Jim Griffith. This
    no-noise group contains many informative postings
    about Star Trek and personalities associated with it.

* news.announce.newusers (n.a.n.), moderated. This is the closest thing to
    a USENET 'rule book' there is. This group contains regularly
    updated postings defining Network Etiquette and Guidelines for
    behavior. It also carries to official list of newsgroups and
    other useful information. THIS GROUP SHOULD NEVER BE EMPTY.
    NAN articles should expire only after NINETY DAYS,
    and are reposted at least that often.

* news.announce.newgroups (n.a.ng.), moderated by Dave Lawrence. The 
    site of all official announcements regarding the organization of
    new newsgroups. If it doesn't show up here, it's not really
    happening.

* news.groups (n.g.), unmoderated. The site of all official discussions
    regarding the organization of USENET. After a USENET Request
    For Discussion regarding a newsgroup, all discussion should
    focus here, and here alone.

* news.answers (n.a.), moderated by Jonathan Kamens. This is a focal 
    point for periodical postings (like this one). Frequently Asked 
    Questions postings, intro postings, and other similar monsters 
    are cross-posted here.

PS--If your site doesn't carry the news.* groups I mentioned,
beat your Site Administrator about the head and shoulders with
a fish until it does. There is simply no good excuse for not
carrying the three groups that describe and define what USENET
*is*.

Administrivia
-------------

Suggestions for inclusion of information are heartily welcome.

A Call for help: I'm getting a little swamped here at work.
   Although I do desire to continue to coordinate the Weekly and
   Monthly Intros effort, I need some volunteers to lend a hand
   on a regular basis. Interested parties should send me mail 
   with the subject line "Intro Volunteer"...

I hope that this posting has been helpful. Please watch this space
for updates, and send comments, criticisms and ideas for future info
to be included to:

Uncle Mikey
Michael_Shappe@cornell.edu

This posting is Copyright 1992 Michael Scott Shappe. All rights reserved.
Contact the author for information.

Portions blatantly lifted from the Formal Call For Votes for the
Reorganization of rec.arts.startrek.

Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation and related items are Tradmarks
of Paramount Pictures Incorporated, Registered in the US Patent and
Trademark Office.
-- 
--
Michael "Uncle Mikey" Shappe
Michael_Shappe@cornell.edu
"Spring is really coming, it's just so goddamned slow." -- Suzanne Vega
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current