If you are involved in posting to news groups it would be a good idea to always consider the simple truth that everything you post is saved forever. A newsgroup is much like a newspaper. Your printed letter to the editor is shown the first day it is delivered, AND, it is archived in libraries around the country for anyone at any time in the future to read. (It is even transferred to microfiche for continued storage.) In the same way, there are archives on the internet which save all of the newsgroup posts. That means whatever you say today will be around for a very long time.

That is good news and that is bad news.

The good news is that you can contribute to the Global Quality of Life by adding your two cents into the newsgroup.

One piece of bad news is that if you go temporarily brain-dead and engage in a flame war your stupidity will be etched in cyberstone for a very long time.

Another piece of bad news is that email address miners will have eternal access to your address for spamming.

There is a simple solution for the later problem. Use Deja.com/usenet. You may sign up with the service and they will provide you with a SPAM free email portal.

There is also a simple solution to avoid having your brain-dead flames saved forever for all to see -- don't engage in flame wars. What is a flame war? You stupid ninny everyone on the internet except for you and your genetically defective parents know. That is a good start for a flame war. Should you decide to reply to such an inflammatory remark with equal vigor you are sure to pour gasoline on the fire and there you have it -- a flame war. A puking of negative emotions from one to the other splashing on everyone in sight. It's a bad idea.

In practice it would be a good idea to stay away from the newsgroups until you get your feet wet and dry out behind the ears. It can be rough. Simple things such as not knowing that TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS LIKE YELLING can get you into trouble. After you've gathered a little more experience you will be able to easily side-step the more obvious land-mines in the newsgroups.