I. Getting Along
A Guide for Newbies to alt.support.autism

Gary (a.k.a. Tigger), a suspected Aspie from the newsgroup posted something which typifies this newsgroup:

You just walked into a room of 100 people. Most of us have no idea who you are. Most of us are involved in a number of different conversations. You are standing in the middle of the room wondering why no one is addressing your problem. I have no idea who you are, why your here or how that involves me. I would be glad to try to talk to you, but I have no idea what that would be about. I am not used to people wanting to talk with me. So I tend to stay close to the few people who respond to me with a little kindness. The least amount of negative general expression destroys my ability to do anything more than observe.

Alt.support.autism is a newsgroup for everyone touched by autism. It is an un-moderated, Usenet group with no restrictions on membership or posting; however it has been said that we have a more "intimate" and relaxed atmosphere than most newsgroups. We are generally an open and friendly bunch, but before launching in to posting, there are a few things you, as a Newbie (that is, a new person) might find useful to know:

Contents

  1. Usenet Basics
    1. Formatting
    2. Replying and Quoting
    3. Trolls and Flame-Throwers
  2. Posting
    1. "On" or "Off" Topic?
    2. Negative statements on autism
    3. The Miracle Cure
    4. Advertising
    5. Virus Warnings and Urban Legends
  3. The Group
    1. Introducing Yourself
    2. "The Clique"
    3. Roll Call
    4. Photo Album
  4. Aspie Communication
    1. Asking Questions
    2. Are you being insulted?
    3. "Black-and-white" thinking
    4. Free-association (Tangents)

For more about the group members and how we feel about autism, see: Insiders: Personal Perspectives

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Originally compiled by Anna Hayward on behalf of the alt.support.autism newsgroup, November 2000. Original site design and HTML by Kalen Molton. Please address any general queries to Mike Stanton. Broken links and problems of a technical nature should be addressed to John Muggleton by entering details in the comments box of the form here. Any opinions expressed in this article are personal and should not be construed as medical advice. We are not representatives of any of the companies discussed, nor do we receive any form of commission.

The latest version of this faq is at www.mugsy.org/asa_faq