Posting Tips for Usenet Users

Tweaknews gives you full access to post to supported newsgroups, but effective participation requires knowing the expectations of the broader Usenet community. This guide will help you post clearly, avoid common mistakes, and follow proper etiquette.

1. Choose the Right Newsgroup

Before posting, identify the most appropriate newsgroup for your message. Usenet is structured by topic, and each group has a defined scope.

Use the Big 8 hierarchies (comp, sci, rec, talk, soc, news, misc, humanities)
Read the group charter or FAQ if one is available
Avoid cross-posting to unrelated groups

Posting to the wrong newsgroup can result in your message being ignored, flagged, or filtered out.

2. Format Your Headers Correctly

Usenet relies on properly structured headers to route and display posts. Your newsreader should handle most of this automatically, but you should double-check:

From: Use a valid email-style address (even if anonymized, it should follow standard format)
Subject: Keep it concise and descriptive
Message-ID: Automatically generated, but should remain unique
Newsgroups: List only one or two, and only if relevant

Malformed headers may result in rejection errors such as 440 – Header Not in Internet Syntax or 441 – Posting Failed.

3. Keep the Tone Constructive

Usenet thrives on thoughtful discussion and information sharing. When posting:

Be direct and respectful
Avoid inflammatory language
Use plain text (not HTML)
Don’t “top post” unless replying inline is impractical
Credit your sources if referencing external information

Even in debate-heavy groups like talk.politics.*, civility goes a long way.

4. Limit Cross-Posting and Follow-Ups

Only post to multiple groups if the topic is truly relevant to all
If cross-posting, set a Followup-To header so replies go to one place
Don’t repost the same message repeatedly if it receives no reply

Respecting these conventions helps reduce clutter and improves discussion quality.

5. Test Before Posting Frequently

If you're posting regularly (e.g., announcements, questions, or structured information), test with a few variations to ensure formatting looks correct.

Preview your post in your newsreader
Avoid unnecessary formatting characters (e.g., tabs, long quote blocks)
Make sure your identity and email aren’t being posted unintentionally, unless you want them to be

6. Observe Before Posting

If you’re new to a newsgroup:

Read for a few days first
Learn what topics are on-topic
Pay attention to how others interact
Look for regular posters and how they structure replies

This helps you avoid redundant questions or violating unspoken norms.

7. Respect Access Guidelines

Tweaknews accounts must be activated for posting. If you see an error when attempting to post, contact Tweaknews Support to request activation.

Additionally, some groups are moderated. Posts may not appear immediately or could be subject to review.

Final Thoughts

Posting to Usenet is like stepping into a long-running global conversation. When done right, it can lead to meaningful exchanges and access to expert knowledge.

Use your Tweaknews access thoughtfully, and your posts will find the right audience.