From: jerod23@well.sf.ca.us (Jerod Pore)
Subject: Frequently Asked zine Questions
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 22:03:11 GMT

General information about FactSheet Five -  Electric.  Updated 6
September, 1992.

This file is Shareright.  You may (and please, please, pretty please
with Aspertane(tm) on it do) copy, reproduce, replicate and distribute
this information however, whereever, in whatever format and as often as
you wish.  The only proviso is that you may NOT copyright it as everyone
else in the Universe is allowed to copy (etc.) it, even from you.
The primary email address for FactSheet Five - Electric is:
jerod23@well.sf.ca.us

For anything that can't be sent electronically, which is most of the
stuff we deal with;  comments, questions, feedback, donations, zines and
other contributions to the defense of free expression rights around the
world should be sent to:

FactSheet Five
1800 Market St.
San Francisco CA   94102

A brief history of zine time.

FactSheet Five was the zine of zines, the central clearinghouse of
information about the small press.  Mike Gunderloy produced 44 issues of
it before having enough of the thankless task.  There is a book in this,
somewhere.  Somebody should write about it.  Not me, though, as I am too
cynical.  There is a longish article in the Usenet newsgroup alt.zines
that describes one person's take on the final days of Factsheet Five
under the guidance of Mike.
Hudson Luce took over, put out issue 45, and was similarly overwhelmed.
Overwhelmed by the quantity of stuff, overwhelmed by life in general but
mostly overwhelmed by unrelenting criticism of his efforts.  *Some* of
that criticism was justified, but most of it was mean-spirited and
counter-productive.   Hudson has since bailed out of the magazine
business and a printed version of Factsheet Five, produced from a
central location, was no longer happening.  I get at least one email
note a day suggesting that I can make a lot of money by printing zine
information on paper.  HAH!  But more on that later.
Between the time issue #45 hit the streets and Hudson gave up, I opened
my big mouth (or, more precisely, let my uncensored fingers post this
wild idea) about distributed reviewing over the Net.  We all get zines,
right?  You, yes YOU wouldn't be reading this unless you were the
slighest bit interested in small press publications.  We have opinions
about these zines, many of us produce our own and write about these
other zines.  Why not share all that data?  We could collect reviews of
zines from around the world, Hudson could use the reviews he needs and
that would take some of the load off of his shoulders.
Two weeks later I got 350 pounds of paper in ten big boxes from Hudson.
I sorted the zines into categories and started reviewing.  FactSheet
Five - Electric was born.

Where are we now?

We've been reviewing those zines, and zines are still being sent to Mike
and Hudson.  Hudson has another 500 pounds of zines to send to me.
Publicity about this project is spreading, albeit slowly, through the
clogged bandwidth of the great, unwashed, anarchistic network of zines.
As we got started, the Armpit Gallery of San Francisco produced a two
week long show entitled "Irrigate the Media Wasteland" that included
zines among the examples of alternative media.  Paper Tiger TV, Klub
Komotion and Artists for Televison Access had two zine and video fairs.
Out of the roundtable discussions, networking over too-loud muzak, beers
at lower Haight street bars and slacking at cafes came the San Francisco
Zine collective.  Like all good anarchists we want to work (but not too
hard) together (but retaining our individuality) to promote and
distribute information about zines (and other alternative media).  The
San Francisco Bay Area is becomming a nexus of sorts for small press and
other alternative media.  One of many (I hope).

We're also attempting to revive the printed version of FactSheet Five.
Paper has its advantages and disadvantages, and currently the
disadvantages and problems are numerous.  BUT only about 10% of the
producers and 35% of the consummers of zines have access to The Net.
Plus paper lets us print ads, publish columns and artwork, and it can
sit on a newsstand for a couple of months.  The paper version will also
carry reviews of music and perhaps video and some other artifacts.  IF
we involve ourselves in any way with Mail Art, it will be through a
third party.  DO NOT SEND US YOUR MAIL ART!!!  Questions, comments,
donations and subscription business for the printed version of FactSheet
Five should be sent to:

Seth Friedman
PO Box 170099
San Francisco CA  94117-0099.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

How does one obtain the reviews of zines?

The files that comprise Factsheet Five - Electric are available for
online reading or downloading from WELL, via ftp from either
nigel.msen.com (IP address 148.59.1.8) in /pub/newsletters/F5-E, or
src.doc.ic.ac.uk in /literary/newsletters/factsheet-five; via WAIS from
nigel.msen.com and via email from me.

What is the best method of receiving the review files?

The WELL is the "best" place.  Not only is The WELL the greatest BBS in
CyberSpace (no, I don't get a kickback;  I pay $30-50 a month to be on
WELL) it's the homebase for F5 - Electric.  The most recent files are
there.  Online zines that are sent to me are there.  News, gossip and
rumours about zines and other underground media are there.  Mondo 2000,
2600, Full Disclosure, bOING-bOING and other zinesters are there.  The
WELL is, however, somewhat expensive at $15.00 a month and $2.00 an
hour.  After WELL, ftp is the next best way of getting the files.  Our
ftp sites accept anonymous as a login and your return address as a
password.  I don't do WAIS, so I can't say how good or bad it is.  Any
questions you have about ftp or WAIS should be directed to emv@msen.com
That's Edward Vielmetti who set up the ftp site, the WAIS service and
alt.zines.  Edward is a saint and a true freedom fighter.  Finally there
is email.  For some people, especially those of you on FidoNet,
Compu$erve and other services with email-only gateways to The Internet,
email is the *only* way to get the files.  Just ask and I'll send you
any or all of the files.  The files are getting out to people who run
Bulletin Boards, so they are available in places about which I have no
knowledge.

How does one subscribe to FactSheet Five - Electric

One does not subscribe, not yet anyway.  The WELL doesn't support
ListServer and I haven't figured out a way to fit the files into a
mailing format.  F5-Electric was just made for ftp.  I which files have
been updated in alt.zines and in the f5 conference on the WELL.  It's up
to you to figure out what you want.  This makes things difficult for the
Fido and other independent sysops, to be sure, but we'll think of
something.  I'm open to suggestions.  The ftp sites have readme files
which list what's new.

May the files be reprinted or posted elsewhere?

All files (just like this one) are shareright.  You may reproduce the
information contained within them freely as long as others may reproduce
that same information.  In other words, you may use but not copyright
these files.  Shareright does not prevent you from charging money (or
whatever your preferred medium of exchange is) for distribution.
Including pertinent parts of this file, and giving credit to the
reviewers is especially good for your karma, but not absolutely required
to use what you wish of the review files.  We're more interested in the
widespread dissemination of the information.  BBS operators are
especially encouraged to make whatever files you deem appropriate
available to your users.

How does one submit reviews?

For now, email the reviews to me.  This could be subject to change, once
we work out everything.  Each file will have reviews of one or more
zines that are somehow categorized together by subject matter or by
reviewer.  Also feel free to post to alt.zines reviews of zines you have
come across or to hype your own zines.  I have this nerdy format that
was based on a browser program that will probably never be written.
While sticking to the format is nice, it is not necessary, as long as
all pertinent information is included.  However, if you want your
reviews to be considered for the printed version of F5, then you had
better do them this way.  One of the things we are doing as part of the
printed version is an entry program for reviews.  Please keep all
reviews in vanilla ASCII format.  Also keep them shareright.  We are
especially in need of reviews of zines that are published outside of
North America.  Now, I get zines from Australia and, since I used to
live there, I understand the dialect and cultural references.  I sort of
understand the zines from Britain.  But the zines I get from other parts
of the world....it's all I can do to list the title, the address and
take a guess at the subject matter.  We'd love to get Flemish reviews of
Flemish zines.  After all, if somebody wants to read a zine then they
have to be able to read the language.  F5-Electic should not be an
English only publication!  If you want to get zines for review, post
your name to alt.zines and tell the world what interests you.  *I* take
no responsibility for the opinons or honesty of people who volunteer to
be zine reviewers.  I'll say from whom I do get some reviews.
Reviews I do are in the following format:
%Title:  The name of the zine with issue number(s).
%Descr:  A description of the contents of the zine.  As long or short as
needed.
%Info:   Price, address, number of pages and size of the page.

How does one get the zines?

When ordering zines, cash is the best medium of exchange.  Forget what
your mother told you about evil thieves stealing one dollar bills out of
mail boxes.  If you absolutely must send a check or money order (and a
money order is preferred over a check), then make it out to the name in
%Info: which may or may not be the name of the publisher or the zine.
Many zines, especially personal zines, science fiction fanzines and
anarchist zines are available for what is quaintly known as "The Usual."
"The Usual" is your zine or tape or record or calendar in trade, or a
well-written Letter of Comment on the subject of the zine, or $2.00.
Be warned about a few things.  There are no guarantees.  Checks are
likely to be thrown away.  Some zine names with especially offensive
titles have often had their mail thrown away by self-righteous born-
again postal workers, I kid you not!  If the name of the zine is apt to
offend your third-grade teacher, don't put it on the envelope.  Some
zines published in rather provincial parts of the world won't get their
mail if the publisher's name isn't on the envelope, so whatever the name
is in %Info:, that's the name that should go on the envelope.  I can
work only with what information is provided me.  I'll post any special
requirements that are conveyed to me.  If a zine is free, you may want
to help out with some stamps.  Free often translates as "The Usual," and
many anarchists will accept food stamps.

What's this Zine Exchange stuff?

Now *I* don't have a hell of a lot of room for zines, so here's the
deal:  along with your zine, send an SASE, the bigger and more postage-
packed the better.  And we'll send you some of the zines we get.  That's
right, not only will we review them, but we're doing a zine exchange.
Don't ask for specific titles, as you won't get them.  Types of zines
can be requested, but are subject to availability and what has been
reviewed when we get your envelope and what is on the top of the pile of
zines that have been reviewed.  So it's pretty random.  How much you get
depends upon such factors as what you send, how many copies of your zine
you include, how big the envelope is, how much postage is on it, what we
have available and what we're feeling like at the time.  Some people,
who are either greedy or stupid, have sent the postage-paid envelopes,
BUT NO ZINES.  I know all of us computer types aren't stupid, so don't
be greedy.  You have to send *zines* (not catalogs, not ads, not long
whining letters about being in jail) to participate in the zine
exchange.
Gary Pattillo is running the Zine Exchange Network.  Send zines and an
envelope, get zines back.  What you get depends upon what you send.
Send your zines to:
Gary Pattillo
5920 Victor Street
Dallas TX  75214

What else can be done to help?

Vote Libertarian.  OK, this is the end of the FAQ file and from now on
this is a political diatribe.  If you got all the info you want about
zines and FactSheet Five, you can stop here.  I'll try to be as brief as
possible while maintaining the importance of voting for somebody other
than the members of the Replicratic Party.  Zines are all about freedom
of expression.  The sub-title for the f5 conference on the WELL, and for
the printed version of FactSheet Five is, "The First Amendment Lives
Here."  What have the Replicrats done to protect our First Amendment
Rights?  The 1990 Comprehensive Crime Act makes *possession* of certain
types of pornography punishable by five years in prison and a fine of
$250,000.  The government has run sting operations, mailing out catalogs
to people on the mailing lists of companies whose assets they've seized
(no trial, no indictment, just seizure of property) and then busting the
people for receiving the catalogs.  RICO statues have lead to cases of
people having all of their personal and business assets seized.  These
are federal laws written and passed by the "Democratic" faction of the
party, signed and enforced by the "Republican" faction.  The
"Democratic" faction, in their Omnibus Crime Bill, had clauses stating
that verbal opposition to the so-called War on (some) Drugs would have
been considered treason and punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
It's bad enough that these "Democratic" laws have lead to the practice
of seizing all the property of people suspected (not convicted, not
tried, not indicted, just *suspected*) of being involved in illegal
drugs.  Such "laws" have lead to the wholesale looting of the property
of citizens by local, state and federal agencies.  But to consider
opposition as treason?  Face it, the goverment, from the President on
down to your local police department is out of control.  They do not
obey the laws which they are sworn to obey.  They do not protect our
rights which they are sworn to protect.
There are many things you can do to protect your rights to free
expression, and voting is the cheapest and easiest.  If you don't vote,
or if you vote for "Democrats" or if you vote for "Republicans" you are
supporting their tyrranny and you are just as guilty.  The Libertarian
Party is on the ballots of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The Libertarian Party is committed to the rights and freedoms as stated
in, and supposedly guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.  I'm sure that the
Green and Peace and Freedom parties are more committed to protecting the
rights of individuals than are the Replicrats, and there may be elements
of the Green or Peace and Freedom party platforms that are more
important to you.  Then vote Green or vote Peace and Freedom, but I'll
bet that there will be at least one office up for grabs where you live
for which the *only* alternative candidate is a Libertarian.
Newsgroups: alt.zines