Path: alphanet.ch!news.uni-stuttgart.de!rz.uni-karlsruhe.de!blackbush.xlink.net!howland.erols.net!newsfeed.cwix.com!166.93.8.12!natasha.rmii.com!news1.rmi.net!not-for-mail From: newgroup-faq@boyznoyz.com Newsgroups: alt.config,alt.how.to.create.a.news.group,news.answers Subject: *TIP* So You Want To Start A Newsgroup? Supersedes: Followup-To: alt.config Date: 3 Jun 1999 18:08:16 GMT Organization: Denver News Group Lines: 92 Approved: newgroup-faq@boyznoyz.com Distribution: world Expires: 13 Jun 99 12:05:49 -0000 Message-ID: Reply-To: newgroup-faq@boyznoyz.com (Bill of Denver) NNTP-Posting-Host: shell.rmi.net X-Trace: news1.rmi.net 928433296 8748 166.93.8.17 (3 Jun 1999 18:08:16 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@rmi.net NNTP-Posting-Date: 3 Jun 1999 18:08:16 GMT Summary: This is the regular FAQ for *TIPS* on creating a new Usenet newsgroup. The poster does not provide technical support, he is only responsible for the regular posting of the FAQ. Keywords: FAQ NEWGROUP NEWSGROUP CREATION RMGROUP CONTROL Posting-Frequency: Posted weekly X-Content-Currency: This FAQ changes regularly. Copyright: public domain Posting-Frequency: monthly URL: http:// Originator: wjobrien@shell.rmi.net (William Obrien) Xref: alphanet.ch news.answers:53289 Posted-By: auto-faq 3.3 (Perl 5.005) Archive-name: ./newgroup-faq One of the more frequently posted questions is "How can I create a new newsgroup?" Briefly, creating a new newsgroup in the comp, humanities, misc, news, rec, sci, soc or talk hierarchies involves first proposing the newsgroup in news.announce.newgroups, then conducting a "vote" among those Usenet readers who have an opinion on the proposed group. The entire process can take up to three months. Creating a new newsgroup in the "alt" hierarchy involves proposing it informally in alt.config, then (if the response is favorable) getting someone to send out a "newgroup control message" for the group if you don't know how to do it yourself. Other hierarchies have different procedures, or perhaps no formal procedure at all. If you want to create a new newsgroup in the (hypothetical!) podunk hierarchy, you might look for a newsgroup called podunk.config or podunk.general, and ask there about the proper procedure. For more details, see the following articles. You can find copies of (or links to) all of them at the following Web address: http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/usenet/newgroup/ (1) "Guidelines for Big Eight Newsgroup Creation", by Russ Allbery (a) in the newsgroup news.groups (b) on the Web at http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/faqs/big-eight.html (2) "How to Create a New Usenet Newsgroup", by David Lawrence [this is the old version of the "Guidelines" given above, and is listed here mainly for historical purposes] (a) in one of the following newsgroups: news.admin.misc, news.announce.newgroups, news.announce.newusers, news.answers, news.groups (b) on the Web at http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/creating-newsgroups/part1/ (2) "Guidelines on Usenet Newsgroup Names", by David Wright and Mark Moraes (a) in one of the following newsgroups: news.announce.newusers, news.groups, news.admin.misc, alt.config, alt.answers, news.answers (b) on the Web at http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/creating-newsgroups/naming/part1/ (3) "How to Format and Submit a New Group Proposal", by Russ Allbery (a) in one of the following newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups, news.groups (b) on the Web at: http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/usenet/newgroup/how-submit.faq (4) "How to Write a Good Newsgroup Proposal", by David Lawrence and Una Smith (a) in one of the following newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups, news.groups (b) on the Web at: http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/usenet/newgroup/good-proposal.faq (5) "So You Want to Create an Alt Newsgroup", by David Barr (a) in one of the following newsgroups: alt.config, alt.answers, news.answers (b) by sending e-mail to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu, with a blank "Subject:" line, and with the following command in the message body: send usenet/alt.config/So_You_Want_to_Create_an_Alt_Newsgroup (b) on the Web at: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/~barr/alt-creation-guide.html (6) "How to Write a Good Newgroup Message", by Brian Edmonds (a) in the newsgroup alt.config (b) on the Web at: http://www.cs.ubc.ca/spider/edmonds/usenet/good-newgroup.html These articles are posted periodically (usually at least once per month) in the indicated newsgroups. If you don't find them there, that simply means that the most recent copies have "expired" on your news server. New copies should be posted eventually. Note: for beginner's information on newsgroups, check out http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Lab/6882/