FAQ * alt.binaries.world-languages * FAQ
version 2008.02.28


*** Table of Contents ***

Section A: For Newbies

Section B: Requesting and Finding Material (Here and Elsewhere)

Section C: Downloading and Unpacking Files

Section D: How to Use Rosetta Stone (TRS) Files

Section E: How to Post (Upload) Files

Section F: History and Customs of This Newsgroup


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Section A: For Newbies


*** [A1] what is the purpose of alt.binaries.world-languages? ********

This is a forum where you can send and receive digital files that are
designed to help people learn languages. These files can be audio,
video, text, or anything else that can be digitized.


*** [A2] how do I download binary files from this newsgroup? *********

The short is answer is: get a good newsfeed, install a good
newsreader application on your computer and learn how to use it.
For a more detailed answer, visit the following websites that are
designed to teach people how to download files from newsgroups:

http://www.harley.com/usenet/intro.html (Who's computer is this?)
http://www.newsreaders.com/ (Who's computer is this?)


*** [A3] what are the most common mistakes made by newbies? **********

1) Trying to use Microsoft Outlook to access newsgroups. Outlook
is barely adequate to handle e-mail and text-based newsgroups; it
is not a good tool for file-oriented newsgroups.

2) Being unable to decompress or unpack certain types of archives
that they are not familiar with. See section C of this FAQ for
specifics.

3) Seeing a large number of incomplete files and assuming that the
files really are incomplete. Most often the observer is either using
lousy software that doesn't automatically assemble the file pieces,
or is using a lousy newsfeed provider and needs to switch to a
better feed source. The free access to newsgroups that comes with
many ISP accounts is sub-standard; by paying a small monthly
subscription fee to a newsgroup-oriented company, you can get
access to more complete files and the files remain available for
much longer periods of time.


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Section B: Requesting and Finding Material (Here and Elsewhere)


*** [B1] what is the best way to request something? ******************

Politely. Please do not repeat your request more than twice a week.
If anybody who sees your request has the material *and* is willing
to post, they will respond. Repeating your request several times
a day will just annoy people and reduce your odds of receiving
any help.

If you are planning to request Rosetta Stone files, please note
that all the existing Rosetta Stone files are available 24/7 via
bittorrents. The Rosetta files are also frequently posted in
various "warez" (software) newsgroups. Read the next paragraph...


*** [B2] how can I see if the files I want have recently been
posted in this newsgroup or other newsgroups? ************

There are websites that keep track of the binary files that have
been posted in a variety of newsgroups. You can use these websites
to search for the material you want. Here are some examples of this
type of website (many more of them exist):

http://www.binsearch.info/ (Who's computer is this?)
http://alt.binaries.nl/ (Who's computer is this?)
find more options at http://dmoz.org/Computers/Usenet/Search/ (Who's computer is this?)


*** [B3] a great deal of material is available via bittorrents *******

Bittorrents is another method of distributing files on the Internet.
It is a peer-to-peer system. If you are not familiar with it, read
http://wiki.theppn.org/index.php/BitTorrent_Tutorial (Who's computer is this?) and
http://btfaq.com/ (Who's computer is this?) Personally my favorite BitTorrent software is
Azureus, available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X from
http://azureus.sourceforge.net/ (Who's computer is this?) but there are many other options.

Pimsleur audio courses, Rosetta Stone files and other learning
materials are available through torrents. You can also get songs,
movies and TV shows _in_ various languages (with or without subtitles)
from torrents. Use a good torrent search site such as
http://www.isohunt.com/ (Who's computer is this?) or http://www.torrentspy.com/ (Who's computer is this?)


*** [B4] don't forget web pages and podcasts *************************

There are some excellent podcasts available to help people learn
various languages. Likewise there are some good online courses
on the web -- some are free, some require payment. The web can
also be a source of reading material and streaming audio broadcasts
_in_ the language you are studying. Google!


*** [B5] don't forget the library ************************************

Ansel Adams contributed this valuable reminder:

Among the more common language learning programs/methods (Pimsleur,
TRS/The Rosetta Stone, Michel Thomas, FSI/Foreign Service Institute,
Talk Now!, et al.), you may want to check your local library for
these materials before making a request. Many of these programs/
methods are available through your local library, inter-library
loan, or even through the library's online resources. TRS &
Pimsleur are available online "free of charge" through my library's
portal. All I need is my library card number, and I can learn any
or all of the languages TRS and Pimsleur have to offer.

PS I don't want to discourage use of this group, but checking the
library may turn up some gems that we all have been looking for...


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Section C: Downloading and Unpacking Files

*** [C1] how do I unpack files whose names end with ______? **********

Large archives (and large non-compressed files) are usually split up
into numbered chunks before being posted in newsgroups. Smaller
chunks have better odds of moving across the net without getting
corrupted or filtered out. As a result, when you download a large
file from the newsgroup, you may receive a bunch of numbered pieces
that you have to assemble.

(I am using the offbeat word "chunks" because Mac newsgroups and
Windows newsgroups use the words "segments" and "parts" in
contradictory ways. This is one of the few newsgroups where Mac
and Windows users play together in relative harmony.)

So here is a rough guide to the types of filenames seen in this
group and the utilities you will need for unpacking them.


filename.part01.rar
filename.part02.rar
filename.part03.rar -- etc.

Above are examples of a RAR archive. This is a proprietary system
that requires you to install a utility to decompress the files, and
(generally speaking) to pay for a license if you want to keep using it
beyond the free trial period. Some OS-specific tips:

Windows: you can download the trial version of WinRAR from
http://www.rarlab.com (Who's computer is this?) or wait patiently for a cracked version to
float by in the newsgroup alt.binaries.warez
Mac OS X: for unpacking RAR archives and using PAR2 files to repair
damaged downloads, try UnRarX from http://unrarx.sourceforge.net (Who's computer is this?)


big_video_file.avi.001
big_video_file.avi.002
big_video_file.avi.003 -- etc.

Above is a video file (not a compressed archive) that has been split
into numbered chunks before posting. You simply "join" the pieces
sequentially to rebuild the original file. This method of splitting
video files is popular in the multimedia newsgroups and is sometimes
used here. Some OS-specific tips:

Windows, Linux, OS/2: use a freeware join utility such as the one
that can be found at http://www.freebyte.com/hjsplit/ (Who's computer is this?)
Mac OS X: get "AJoiner" or "MacHacha" from http://www.macupdate.com (Who's computer is this?)
or drag the first chunk onto "Split & Concat" (downloadable from
http://www.xs4all.nl/~loekjehe/Split&Concat/ (Who's computer is this?) )
Mac OS 9: drag the first chunk onto StuffIt Expander


big_archive.zip.001
big_archive.zip.002
big_archive.zip.003 -- etc.

Above is a single ZIP archive that has been split into numbered chunks
before posting. Use the joiner utility of your choice (see above) to
re-assemble the file, then unZIP it. ZIP is an open standard, easily
and freely available to users of all operating systems, therefore
some people prefer ZIP over the proprietary Windows-centric RAR
system. Breaking a ZIP archive into numbered chunks allows better
transmission over the net and makes it possible to provide PAR2 files
to go with the segments.


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Section D: How to Use Rosetta Stone (TRS) Files


*** [D1] what are / how does one use TRS / Rosetta files? ************

TRS refers to The Rosetta Stone. The application is described at the
official website http://www.rosettastone.com (Who's computer is this?) To avoid various kinds
of trouble it is best to purchase a legitimate copy from the publisher.
However we have noticed that the Windows version of the application is
occasionally posted in alt.binaries.warez.educational and other "warez"
groups. (The Mac version of the application is rarely seen on the net.
Once in a blue moon it will show up in alt.binaries.mac.applications)

After the application has been installed on your hard drive, you can
burn the files for studying a particular language onto a CD. If you
don't want to burn a CD, you can create a virtual CD-ROM drive using
a Windows program such as Daemon Tools or Alcohol 52%. (Mac users:
the ability to mount CD-ROM image files is built into Mac OS X. The
image must be "locked" or the Rosetta application won't recognize it.)

After you have inserted the language module CD into your CD-ROM drive
or mounted the CD image on your desktop, you can start the application
and it will automatically find the language module.


*** [D2] why does Rosetta have its own section in the FAQ? ***********

It seems like every time a Rosetta Stone file gets posted, one or two
people will post a question like "I click on the data file but
nothing happens. Am I missing something?" Giving the Rosetta fans
their own FAQ section is meant to draw their attention to the
information they need and prevent the endless repetition of the same
question.


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Section E: How to Post (Upload) Files


*** [E1] what are the customary ways to post material? ***************

Newsgroups were originally invented (circa 1979) to spread brief text
messages among closely connected computers. The ability to send
binary files around the world is the result of cleverly incorporating
additional protocols into the existing structure.

To post a binary file in a newsgroup, the file must be converted into
text-like data using a protocol such as UUencode, BinHex, or Yenc.
Yenc is the usenet encoding protocol used most often here. UUencode
is used by those who have older computers for which Yenc software is
not available.

Large files are broken into smaller chunks (these chunks are called
"segments" in Mac newsgroups and "parts" in Windows newsgroups).
Most posters set the maximum size of each chunk to 10 MB or 15 MB.

The posting software automatically breaks each chunk into smaller
units that are posted as individual newsgroup articles. (These
individual articles are called "parts" in Mac newsgroups and
"segments" in Windows newsgroups.) You can limit the number of lines
of encoded text in each article to improve the chances that your posts
will propagate across the net. Ansel Adams offers this advice:

"I read sometime ago that for good propogation among servers
that the line count should be less than 7,500 for UUEncoded
segments. I've kept mine to 5,000 for UUE and 2,500 for Yenc and
have rarely had a problem with decent propogation among even some
of the most horrendous servers."

Compressed data files are customarily posted as RAR archives. If
you are unable or unwilling to use RAR, consider ZIP. Many other
compression formats exist but please make life easy for your
downloaders by using one of the two most common formats, RAR and ZIP.

It is customary to post audio files in MP3 format because this is the
most universal format, i.e. people can play the files on virtually any
device without needing to convert them. When posting new material in
large lossless files such as the .flac format, it is considered extra
polite to post MP3 versions of the same material at the same time.

Sometimes audio files are posted individually; sometimes they are
bundled together in RAR or ZIP archives. Both methods are common and
acceptable. (When files are posted individually, people can download
a sample file and see if it meets their needs before tying up their
connection downloading the whole package. This is a great luxury for
people who have slow connections.)

It is customary to post books in PDF format. If you do not have
Acrobat or other software that can covert scanned page images to PDF
files, you can put the images in a folder, ZIP or RAR the folder, and
post that.

When encoding video files for posting, please use a codec that will
create a file which virtually everyone can watch. The latest greatest
version of some super-trendy codec may not produce files that can be
seen by people using older computers or different operating systems.
(Video is only appropriate for this group if it is language-teaching
material. Entertainment videos that happen to be in foreign
languages, although interesting and maybe useful for language
students, should be posted elsewhere, for example
alt.binaries.multimedia.japanese, alt.binaries.dvd.swedish and
similar groups.)


*** [E2] what about PAR2 files? **************************************

Posting PAR2 files along with your original binaries is a great
courtesy to all potential downloaders. PAR2 is a system that allows
corrupted data-files to be detected and repaired. If a small
percentage of the original file is missing or garbled, it can be
reconstructed based on the data in the PAR2 files. Creating and
posting the PAR2 files takes a little time but greatly reduces the
need for re-posting the same material over and over.

Alsace writes: "I, too, have limited bandwidth, but PARs are
important. Having a good news server doesn't totally solve the
problem -- while everything might show up as complete, it's
not uncommon for files to become mangled by the yEnc encoding and
require a block or two to correct. Even 5% PAR2s would work for most
people. If you're posting with Yenc PowerPost you can have the PAR2s
generated while you're posting the first files, thereby not wasting
any additional time."

Blackfly posted this rebuttal: "PAR files are a luxury, NOT a
courtesy! Large numbers of PAR files waste server space and push
other posts off the server before their time. Many leeches are
jerks, complete assholes, who are too cheap to subscribe to a
decent news service and have no comprehension of the efforts put
into posting..."

Mac users can split large archives into smaller chunks and create PAR2
files with a utility called Split & Concat (donation-ware available
from http://www.xs4all.nl/~loekjehe/Split&Concat/ (Who's computer is this?) )

PAR2 files can be generated for any kind of file. The system is not
limited to working with RAR archives as some people assume. You can
create PAR2 files to accompany a ZIP archive or even a group of MP3
files that are being posted without ZIP or RAR compression.


*** [E3] is it risky to post copyrighted material? *******************

Every ISP and news server keeps track of which account was used
to post each message. Every newsgroup message is given a unique
message-ID number that helps to keep track of it and many ISPs also
embed other identifying information.

Grizzled veterans of newsgroup activity offer a variety of ideas for
increasing one's anonymity. These include: change your pseudonym
often, or use the same nym that several other people are using
(such as the default nym that comes with your software, for example
name: Yenc-PP-A&A , email: Yenc@power-post.org); _always_ post from
a paid newsfeed account rather than your main ISP account; take a
laptop running NetStumbler to a business district and drive around
until you find an unsecured wireless network (including an unsecured
news server) that you can use.

In the United States a copyright-owner has several options to use
against an unauthorized distributor. They can send the offender a
cease and desist letter; they can complain to the offender's ISP or
news server, which will get his accounts terminated; they can seek
monetary penalities in civil court where it is easy to prosecute
people and defendants have fewer rights than in criminal trials.
The situation varies from country to country. In reality this
newsgroup is an obscure backwater of the internet and it receives
very little attention. People who post anonymously and not too
often are not likely to get into trouble.


*** [E4] are there posting limits? ***********************************

Some newsgroup communities ask people not to post more than a certain
amount of material per day, based on the fear that a flood of material
will cause previous postings to expire off the servers prematurely.
To date there has been no discussion of such a limit in this group.

Try to think about the needs of downloaders before unleashing a
multi-gigabyte-per-day flood. Some people have slower connections than
you have. Spreading a huge post over a few days rather than sending
it all at once harms no-one and might benefit many.

Alsace writes: "Also, for your own sanity, consider just posting
an 8-hour chunk each night while you sleep rather than having it
take up your PC all day. That's no fun at all; we can wait for
the files."

Please do not post the same file more than three times in a calendar
month. If somebody requests a file that was successfully posted a
few days ago, it is less annoying to the rest of the group and less
wasteful of bandwidth for you to tell them how to find the previous
posting rather than upping the file again for one latecomer's benefit.
Consider the old proverb "Give a man a fish and you've fed him once;
teach him how to fish and you've fed him for life" (with apologies to
vegetarian readers).


----------------------------------------------------------------------


Section F: History and Customs of This Newsgroup


*** [F1] when and why was alt.binaries.world-languages created? ******

In late 2002 it was noted that a large amount of the traffic in
alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.spoken-word was instructional material
designed to help people learn languages. Some users expressed a
desire to move this material to a new group which would also allow the
posting of book pages, video, software, and other types of material.
After a discussion in alt.config and a couple of ineffective attempts
to send the control message that would create the group, a proper
control message was transmitted net-wide on February 12, 2003.

Quoting two items from that control message:

For your newsgroups file: alt.binaries.world-languages
Files to help in the study of any world language.

Charter:
Files of any type that assist one in the study of a world-language.


*** [F2] what is the best way to discuss an issue? *******************

There has been very little bitching and arguing in this newsgroup.
Mainly because there is very little discussion of any kind; it's
mostly binaries here. If you must comment on something, please try
to phrase your comments in the most constructive manner possible.


*** [F3] who is in charge of the newsgroup? **************************

There is no centralized control. This is a cooperative community.

This FAQ is not an attempt to boss anybody around. It is only a list
of the ways things are commonly done here and a discussion of the most
efficient and most polite ways to distribute data.


*** [F4] what languages may be used in the newsgroup? ****************

Most requests and discussions are in English but there is no rule
about this. We *are* fans of the world's languages, after all, so
a comment in a well-known language such as French or German would
probably get an intelligent response. If you post in a lesser-known
language like Lakota or Sango there might not be anyone in the group
who can read your message.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

- end of FAQ -