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  MOX.FULDER / AL RUFFINELLI: an a.t.x-f* FAQ
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This message is intended for those who are new to the
newsgroup, and for anyone else who wants to know a few
places to find some answers to questions about
mox.fulder/Al Ruffinelli.

This is a great place to discuss the X-Files with
fellow fans from around the world.  You probably can't
wait to get started, and you must have many questions.
There are quite a few web sites and resources that can
help you with most of them.  There is also Al Ruffinelli,
a self-appointed watchdog here who purports to do his
best to save us from repeat-offending spammers and
trolls by acting as a sometime-resource with a bite.  

If you are brand new to the newsgroup in general, you
may find these most recent/current threads helpful:

Re: Who is the Lone Gunman?
Re: When I Was 'New' (was: What's MOTW?)

For easy access, you may find these and other related
threads in this very newsgroup at this very moment if
they are still on your server.  If they are not here,
try the DejaNews service on the World Wide Web at
http://www.dejanews.com, where you may do a search on
those topics.

Won't you take a few moments and have a look?  That way
you'll know a little about which Al-insults and fib.gob-
flames have already been made many, many times on atx-f,
and you'll get the most information and enjoyment out of
the time you spend here without having to be the recipient
of a well-intentioned (yes, some will and do dispute
this, and this is just what this FAQ is here to tell
you) wake-up smack.  You will find that if you are
offended by Al and want to tell him so, most of what you
have to say to him in anger has *already been said* and
that it has NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER on his style of Help.
While the exchanges between Al and various posters may
either amuse or infuriate you, you should know that you
will not force him to go away by repeatedly flaming him
with angry words. If you wish to engage him in intelligent
and serious conversation he may or may not respond in
kind.  Proofread carefully, however, to make sure that
your Al-directed words are indeed benign, or prepare to
suffer the consequences of your possibly inadvertent
sarcasm or condescending suggestions.  This is not to say
that Al likewise edits his posts, but this is His Way and
you need to *expect* (if not respect? ;) it if you prepare
to tango.  

If you choose to take this as a challenge and proceed to
flame away angrily upon encountering the Al-monster for
the first or tenth time, know that many of us here have
probably already heard what you are going to say and have
an idea what kind of response it will garner. While you
may find Al wearisome or something else entirely, the
fib.gob flame-wars are no less tiresome to some, and
especially to the Al Secret Admiration Society who are
often glad that Al does the dirty work for the newsgroup
and does/doesn't help to maintain a reasonably low amount
of repeat offending cluelessness. (Yes, even/also as he
may be doing some damage to tender newbie egos.)  [Am I
achieving Swiss-style neutrality here?  God knows I'm
trying my best! <G> ]  On the other hand, there are the
Go Al Go Contingent who are suspected of doing a daily
fib.gob search hoping to find an amusing/inflammatory/pre-
football-match-tackle-inspiration exchange or two. 


There you have it.  The Al FAQ. I had to do it because
sometimes the Al-flames from new people who have yet to
see anyone else "speak up to the intimidator" (or old
people who make it their diligent duty to watchdog Al
right back)  make me groan as much as the x-on-window-WHY
question does. [On the other hand, depending on my mood,
sometimes it doesn't bother me a bit.]  And of course,
this isn't going to do any more good than the FAQ
sometimes seems to do, and in fact, even LESS good because
I'm not planning to post it weekly.  I just couldn't
resist doing it ONCE, though! :D

"And one more time, with feeling: Welcome to alt.tv.x-files!"
Have mercy! ;)

!!!apologies to Beagle, who holds all rights, etc. etc. etc....!!

*[Do a www search on X-Files (sites, FAQ's, etc.) for actual
*show-related* info (rather than this a.t.x-f stuff), or look
for the FAQ's periodically posted here, because this
particular post obviously wasn't intended to provide you with
that. ;) ]

-Gil
who just wrote a FAQ on the subject of flames, so g'head. *duck*

-- 
Terminology Champion * Semantic Guardian * Grammar Watchdog
* Well-versed in   Alphabet-related  Subjects  *  Member:CotHP
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