XPost: alt.pub.coffeehouse.amethyst, alt.answers 
 From: ecscetg@luxor.latrobe.edu.au 
  
 Archive-name: pub-amethyst-faq 
 Last-modified: 1995/01/04 
 Version: 1.5 
 Posting-frequency: Monthly 
  
 Amethyst Coffeehouse (alt.pub.coffeehouse.amethyst) FAQ File. 
  
 Contents 
  
 1: What is this group FOR? 
 2: How is this group different to the other alt.pub.* groups? 
 3: What is this group's charter? 
 4: What does the "pub" stand for? 
 5: Why the Amethyst? 
 6: Why plan on splitting before you even start? 
 7: So how many people read this group anyway? 
 8: So, what is this VR layout - how does it work? 
 9: So, how are we supposed to act here? 
 10: If I want to talk about me, I just have to stand there talking? 
 11: So, is this like a big support group or something? 
 12: Okay, but who ARE you people? 
 13: Why are some people posting in first person and others in third? 
 14: And it's all in present tense? 
 15: No characters at all? 
 16: But then why do people sometimes mention this Galileo person? 
 17: Suppose I want to post something about me and another guy/gal here? 
 18: No alcohol? 
 19: Where can I get the Amethyst Coffeehouse stories? 
 20: Can I post stories here? 
 21: How about poetry? 
 22: What do we do about flames (ie. abusive or insulting posts)? 
 23: What if I have an honest opinion that conflicts with someone else's? 
 24: What other etiquette should I know? 
 25: Any more rules? 
 26: What if I see someone else breaking etiquette or other rules? 
 27: This VR stuff sounds neat - why can't I get a bit more extravagant? 
 28: I want to post, but I don't want some people out there knowing it's 
     me.  What can I do? 
 29: Is there an archive of Amethyst posts? 
 30: What is this TTT thing people keep mentioning? 
 31: What is the silliest song yet written about this place? 
  
 Answers 
  
 1: What is this group FOR? 
 A: It is a Virtual Reality (VR) coffeehouse for conversation, listening 
 and sharing.  If the VR bit sounds weird, just be patient and read on. 
 Things will become clearer.  Basically, what is posted here is pretty 
 much the same as the things we'd say to each other if we were all in the 
 same room, instead of sitting in front of keyboards all over the world. 
  
 2: How is this group different to the other alt.pub.* groups? 
 A: Currently there are three other groups in the alt.pub.* hierarchy: 
 a.p.dragons-inn, a.p.cloven-shield, and a.p.havens-rest.  The first two 
 are VR fantasy inns, while the third is a gathering place for space 
 adventurers.  Those groups involve people posting about the actions of 
 fictional characters in a VR setting.  Amethyst is very different - here 
 we just post as ourselves, and we post about things in Real Life (RL). 
 We still use a VR setting, but we just chat with each other, not weave 
 stories. 
  
 3: What is this group's charter? 
 A: Here's a copy: 
  
 Charter for the Amethyst Coffeehouse. 
  
 This is a newsgroup for the interaction of people in a virtual 
 coffeehouse, where the other posters can be considered as virtual 
 friends.  The idea is that the group is full of friends who live all 
 over the world, rather than in your own city.  Some background for the 
 group and the appearance of the virtual coffeehouse stem from the 
 Amethyst Coffeehouse stories, as posted in rec.arts.prose. 
  
 As a group of friends, posters are able to talk about any subject they 
 like, or which currently interests them.  You can also share news about 
 your own life, like your new job, or a relative dying, or your 
 engagement.  Amethyst is a social place where you meet people, not a 
 debating forum where everyone talks about what's wrong with the world, 
 nor a club where everyone raves about their favourite things. 
  
 Posts made to Amethyst are often made using the Virtual Reality metaphor 
 of an actual coffeehouse.  You can describe your own actions in third 
 person narrative, to give emphasis to body language, or just stick to 
 normal first person speech. 
  
 There are a few simple aims in Amethyst: 
 1. Be yourself.  If you're in Amethyst, you're here to meet other real 
    people, not fictional characters.  You may use your real name and 
    physical description, or a nickname and/or modified description of 
    your appearance if you like, but _behave_ like yourself. 
 2. Don't abuse the Virtual Reality.  Amethyst is a 20th century 
    coffeehouse, so everybody is a normal human being.  There is no 
    magic, no fantasy, no weird science, and no future technology.  And 
    mostly we just talk to each other - not take part in virtual 
    activities. 
 3. Don't flame people.  You can disagree with what they said, but don't 
    be nasty about it.  If someone else flames, don't flame back.  This 
    is not conceding the point - it is being sensible. 
  
 One more, very important, point.  We know that Amethyst will grow in 
 size because of the inevitable expansion of the Internet.  And we know 
 that what happens here might not be exactly to everyone's taste.  So 
 this charter makes provision for expansion into new coffeehouse groups. 
 If someone wants a coffeehouse which is a bit quieter, or a bit noisier, 
 or has a different atmosphere, then they can get some friends together 
 and try to create it! 
  
 Amethyst will help out, and will do so with no hard feelings.  Just 
 because someone would like something a bit different doesn't mean 
 they're abandoning Amethyst - they're using it as a base to colonise 
 cyberspace.  Which is a good thing.  So if someone says they don't 
 really like Amethyst any more, don't criticise them.  Help them create 
 a place they _do_ like.  After all, we're all in this together. 
  
 4: What does the "pub" stand for? 
 A: The original concept was just the word "pub", as in a public tavern. 
 The Dragon's Inn and the Cloven Shield clearly fit this definition.  But 
 Haven's Rest and now the Amethyst Coffeehouse aren't quite the same 
 thing.  Someone once suggested "publish", since the things posted in the 
 first three groups are essentially multi-author stories.  Again, that 
 doesn't quite apply to Amethyst.  Perhaps "public meeting place" is more 
 appropriate.  At any rate, it probably doesn't really matter that much. 
  
 5: Why the Amethyst? 
 A: No reason, but had to have SOME name.  Someone hit on the gemstone 
 idea and we decided that if we ever need to create ANOTHER coffeehouse, 
 it would be named alt.pub.coffeehouse.beryl, and so forth, each with a 
 gem starting with another letter of the alphabet. 
  
 6: Why plan on splitting before you even start? 
 A: Because Usenet/Internet is GROWING!  If this works, a.p.c.a will 
 GROW.  At some point the traffic will get so heavy that a.p.c.b will be 
 needed, then a.p.c.c, etc.  If a.p.c.a takes on a particular flavour 
 which some of you do not like, we can create another with a different 
  
 [continued in next message] 
  
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  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)