From: Analda Anglin <
analda@nospam.hiwaay.net>
The Alt.Fan.Monty-Python FAQ
(C) Copyright 1998-2004 Analda Anglin
Version 8.1
Last modified October 10, 2005
***Important Notices***
Last link check date: October 10, 2005. If you find any broken links, please notify me at
analda@hiwaay.net.
Remove defunct links to Monty Python Direct Update link to Cardinal Fang's Python Site
Changes for Version 8.1: Editing to create a shorter document.
***FAQ Facts***
This FAQ is written specifically for the alt.fan.monty-python newsgroup. It originally created by John 'Shaggy' Kolesar. In August
1998 it was passed on to Analda Anglin and in February 2000 it was given its own website, www.pythonfan.com. Current FAQ point of contact is
analda@hiwaay.net. This FAQ is posted to the newsgroup on or about the 1st of each month.
Many thanks go to the following people who have helped with ideas/revisions: (In absolutely no sensible order whatsoever) John 'Shaggy' Kolesar: Original writing of the FAQ and several years of maintenance
Bonni Hall: Net Guidelines, Group History Sir David: The Liberty Bell March (MP
theme song) Q & A Dave Morning: Authoritative Cause of Death for Graham Chapman
Dirk Rehberger: Translation of the Funniest Joke in the World Andrew Bromage aka Sir Pseudonym: ASCII Artwork-Foot and Spiney Norman, available for viewing at the website
PART ONE: Posting Guidelines
RULE ONE: Please post sensibly and courteously. This means no large files (scripts, images, sounds). If someone requests a large file
that you can provide, please email the file or furnish directions to an appropriate web or FTP site.
Edit long cascades. Long cascades are posts with multiple follow ups. Delete the lines you're not using in your reply, such as "so and so wrote" headers and
signature files.
Refrain from HTML posting. Many newsreaders do not interpret HTML tags correctly, so HTML posts come across as lines of gibberish.
RULE TWO: Please be polite. Lots of people post here asking for skits, songs, scripts, and facts. Be polite, be friendly, and be helpful if you can. Don't blow them up because they don't know which web or FTP site to go to. We are a friendly, generally amusing, mostly intelligent bunch of folks. We really ought to act that way.
Flames are hurtful and unkind and have no place in this newsgroup. Personal direct insults are right out. If someone is rude, ignore him/her. Do not send
any mail to that person, do not flame in return, and do not post about that person. In short: DO NOT FEED THE FLAMES.
When you see Spam (articles that are cross posted to newsgroups they have nothing to do with), do not post follow ups. That just adds to the problem and
usually creates more cross posts. Like flames, the best thing to do when someone posts Spam is to ignore it.
When in doubt, email instead of posting. If you're not sure whether something will be taken as a joke, it's usually best to restrict the remarks to email instead of posting them for everyone to see. Personal comments, private jokes, and off topic threads are best kept private.
RULE THREE: Please try to keep things on topic. We understand when things become silly. Let's face it--Monty Python was a bunch of very silly/wacky/loony people. Still, in a Monty Python newsgroup posts should be Python-related or Pythonesque.
Direct Python discussions are obviously fine. Posts about Python information, such as this FAQ and requests for Python web and FTP sites, are allowed. So are posts about the newsgroup and announcements of upcoming events in the Python and a.f.m-p communities.
Original humor that has a strong basis in Python is also acceptable. Python based means things such as parodies on Python bits or original works that involve Python ideas in a new way. If you think that other people could read your creation and say to themselves "Hey! That resembles Monty Python!" then it
should be fine. Original humor that has absolutely nothing to do with Python is unfortunately out. While it is probably funny, it more likely belongs in rec.humor or email.
And finally, THERE IS NO RULE SIX!!
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