Don't post in HTML or with MIME-encoded attachments. This applies to both frequency and content of posts. But don't ask in alt.tv.er , you'll be in the wrong place. Go ask in news.newusers.questions , and read the articles in news.announce.newusers . Don't feed the trolls.
Trolls are posts that are deliberately inflammatory.
If you read something that pisses you off, and it sounds pretty outlandish, don't bother replying. It's just not worth it. A complete primer on IRC is beyond the scope of this FAQ, but suffice it to say that if you hunt around long enough, you'll probably find a FAQ dedicated to Internet Relay Chat. Be aware that this is IRC, complete with all the weirdness that involves. After I took over the alt.tv.