ASBNLL FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions for (v1) alt.sports.basketball.nba.la-lakers

Subject: 1. Introduction

This document is intended to serve as an immediate resource for the readers of the newsgroup alt.sports.basketball.nba.la-lakers. If you would like to make an addition to the FAQ, contact the author at ASBNLL@Shouses.com

Q1. What is ASBNL-L?

ASBNL-L or ASBNLL is a newsgroup in the alt. hierarchy of USENET.

Q2. Ooh, ooh, I just found ASBNL-L and I want to post!

Lurk (i.e. read the newsgroup for a while to see what's an acceptable post)
Do a Dejanews search at http://www.deja.com to get a feel for the group.

Q3. What is an acceptable posting format?

The following things will increase your chance of being considered an SBN:

No content messages with the question entirely on the subject line.
Posting entirely in CAPITALS.
Posting in these stupid UpPy DoWnY lEtTErS.
Posting in HTML (which many newsreaders cannot read)
Not bothering to <snip> long messages when you reply.
Posting binaries.

Q4. What is an SBN?

There was a classic post which answered this question. It is archived here.

Q5. What is the official Lakers Website?

http://www.lakers.com

Q6. What is spam?

A lunchmeat (http://www.spam.com). However, in Usenet spam is unsolicited postings pushing something. Be it an ad or an urge to vote on a proposition, if it's off-topic and posted to multiple newsgroups it's spam. The origins hearken back to Monty Python's Spam sketch that is set in a cafe with one table occupied by a group of Vikings with horned helmets on.

Q7. What are trolls?

In ASBNL-L, trolls are fans of teams other than the Lakers who post things like "Kobo sucks!" Check this The Art of Trolling

Q8. Why are people from AOL or WebTV sometimes put down on the basis of their ISP?

Because they've earned a bad reputation. If you have one of these services just post about the Lakers and people will soon know you by your screenname, not your ISP.

Q9. Who are the regulars in ASBNL-L?

Lurk and find out.