[SpamCop-List] News Admin: Newsgroup Charter?

[Sue Morton]

Good Morning Mr. News Admin and Everyone Else!

I was just reading through a thread in the .help newsgroup from a soul that
wanted to know why SpamCop didn't report his spam.  Unfortunately, he also
committed all sorts of heinous crimes against the newsgroup in the process
(attaching a spam, full spam, wrong group for including a spam, etc. etc.
etc.)

Of course this is not the first time that's happened.  I myself did a
similar thing when I first came to SpamCop and this newsgroup and even some
variations since!

What happens though is we folk get treated to a round of "thou shalt nots"
regarding newsgroup posting.  That does accomplish the purpose, we don't do
it again (at least, we don't repeat what we think we did wrong).  But we are
bewildered -- what did we do that was so bad to merit a forceful response?
It takes being here awhile to realize it's just the rules being enforced by
multiple parties, that's all.

So get to the point, Sue.  OK.  In other newsgroups I frequent, at regular
intervals (once a month, typical) a Newsgroup Charter is posted across all
groups.  It is not meant as end-all be-all but rather is a brief synopsis of
the rules -- covering what can be posted in each group, conduct, etc.

I wonder if that practice would help here.  Many of us newbies that come to
SpamCop read the FAQ but don't fully understand it -- not because we're
stupid but because we have no frame of reference yet.  And of course some
don't read the FAQ.  And we all forget, especially if don't immerse
ourselves in this day-to-day.

Bottom line: I don't think you can stop the newbie from doing the wrong
thing here.  But perhaps a Charter posted at regular intervals would serve
to inform and remind?  Just a suggestion.  Comments and opinion welcome.

Last comment.  I posted a question about a spam in one of the groups, then
posted the full spam in .spam.  My question was answered, but I was also
told "you did not need to post the full spam.  Just the tracking URL was
sufficient".  How would I know this?  No explanation was given and since it
miffed me I just let it go.

Deputies etc. I know you are very tired of answering the same issues over
and over and over again.  But would you please include an explanation?  Make
up a form letter and paste it in.  Or point to the Newsgroup Charter if we
have one.  Thanks.

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Sue Morton --- remove digits to reply