CLAX86 (comp.lang.asm.x86) Policy & Technical Issues FAQ

I. Policy Questions

1. Why is CLAX86 Moderated?
CLAX86 is moderated to eliminate spam; to control flame wars; and to keep the discussions on topic.
2. What is "on topic" for CLAX86?
The official topic for CLAX86 is programming for the Intel 80x86 family of processors (aka IA-32). However, in the greater sense, any technical topic which would be of general interest to the group is acceptable.
3. Who are the moderators?
The only currently active moderator is Chuck Crayne.
4. Must I use a real name when I post?
As long as the message reaches the moderation address, you can post from any name you like. However, the focus of spam prevention is now on validating the sender's address. If you do not use a valid address, your posts may disappear into a black hole. In addition, the moderators are under no obligation to try to figure out how to send you a message if there is something wrong with your post.
5. But won't I get spammed if I use my real address?
To protect posters from spammers, the clax86 moderation software replaces the address portion of the "From:" line with "spamtrap@crayne.org". For example, "John Q. Poster <john@aol.com>" will become "John Q. Poster <spamtrap@crayne.org>".
6. I know what I am doing. How can I use my real address without it being changed?
The moderation software maintains a list of addresses which it should not alter. To have your address added to this list, send an empty email from that address to "clax86-realfrom@crayne.org", or post a message from that address, using "real from address" as the subject.

II. Technical Questions

1. Why does it take so long before my post shows up in CLAX86?
The CLAX86 moderators are human volunteers who can only approve posts when they are not working, eating, sleeping, etc.

2. How long should I wait before deciding that my post has been lost in transit?
If your post hasn't shown up in 24 hours, then there is probably something wrong. If you don't want to wait that long, check the headers of the posts which do show up. If most of them are dated later than your post, then it would be reasonable to contact the moderators for help.

3. Why is the Date: header in my posted article different than the date and time at which I sent it?
The clax86 moderation software does not change or replace the original Date: header. However, when the moderation software posts your message to the local news server (INN), inews unconditionally replaces the Date: header with the current date and time. Since inews is distributed as part of the INN package, it is not practical for the moderator to maintain a non-standard version.