Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Ferg
From: Ferg@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: news.misc
Subject: Questions about UseNet Policies.
Message-ID: <8869@cup.portal.com>
Date: 8 Sep 88 04:24:01 GMT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 54
XPortal-User-Id: 1.1001.5377

I hope this is the proper place to post this, if not, sorry, and please
tell me where to go (on the net that is :) )  
 
I run a small mail order business part time and thought I could stir up
some business on the net.  I remember seeing flames on people who posted
commercial products for sale so I went in search for the rules of UseNet to
see if I could legally advertise my business on the Net.  I found a small
"rules" note in news.announce.newusers that said:

 
This message describes some of the rules of conduct on Usenet.  The 
rules vary depending on the newsgroup. 
 
...Stuff deleted 
 
>Announcement of professional products or services on Usenet is allowed; 
>however, since someone else is paying the phone bills for this, it is 
>important that it be of overall benefit to Usenet.  Post to the 
>appropriate newsgroup -- comp.newprod -- never to a general purpose 
>newsgroup such as "misc.misc".  Clearly mark your article as a product 
>announcement in the subject.  Never repeat these -- one article per 
>product at the most; preferably group everything into one article. 
>Advertising hype is especially frowned upon -- stick to technical 
>facts.  Obnoxious or inappropriate announcements or articles violating 
>this policy will generally be rejected.  This policy is, of course, 
>subject to change if it becomes a problem. 
 
...More stuff deleted 
 
  This is all I found that had anything to do with advertising.  So I went
ahead and posted an advertisement in misc.forsale selling my modems.  I got
several replies, most of which were inquiries about the brand and other
technical stuff.  However I also received 2 complaints.  One stating that I
can't post commercial ads on UseNet, and the other telling me to get it out
of misc.forsale and put it in BIZ.*.  

Now here's my questions (finally!).  Can I advertise my part time business? 
And if so, where?  I can't find any newsgroup titled BIZ.*.  

If I can't do this, where do I go to get a new newsgroup started that might
allow this for any small business?

One last question.  Where can I find a complete rule book on UseNet?
Oh yeah, where should I post other questions I have about UseNet?

I apologize for anything I may have done wrong.
                                              ____
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                                              |  erg

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