Alt.binaries.slack
Encyclopedia
alt.binaries.slack is a Usenet
newsgroup created for the purpose of posting pictures, sounds, and utilities related to the Church of the SubGenius
, making them available for everyone to see and hear. Because the Church of the SubGenius is well known for encouraging sick and twisted humor, the newsgroup is also home to artists who post humorous artwork of all sorts (including some pieces that may be considered distasteful). A fair amount of the pictures on alt.binaries.slack are adult-oriented, and may be considered offensive by some viewers. The denizens of the newsgroup state that they enjoy deliberately offending those who are too easily offended.
In spite of the crude nature of some of the pictures and sounds posted to the newsgroup, many of its regular contributors have displayed considerable talent. Computer graphics artists often visit alt.binaries.slack to show off their latest experimental works, along with underground musicians who want to expose their music to a "unique" audience.
The clip art
image of J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, the founder of the Church of the SubGenius, is commonly seen on alt.binaries.slack, where he appears regularly in images by many artists. Proper etiquette on the newsgroup dictates that credit be given where it is due, and acknowledgment of the ownership of "Bob's" image by the Church is accepted by the regular newsgroup participants.
Shortly after its creation, in 1995, the newsgroup was targeted by warez
traders, who tried to use it for the distribution of pirated commercial software. The users of the newsgroup responded by forming their own internal "police force" for the newsgroup, known as the SubGenius Police, Usenet Tactical Unit - Mobile (SPUTUM
). This group of Internet-savvy people embarked on a successful campaign to drive the warez traders out of the newsgroup. They then turned their resources and skills towards the ongoing problem of spam on the Internet. As a result, the users of alt.binaries.slack pride themselves on having one of the most spam-free binaries newsgroups on Usenet.
A protracted 1997 flame war erupted between newsgroup users and Mike Enlow, the self-proclaimed "world's most-respected information broker/technology marketing consultant", who spammed the newsgroups with an advertisement that included a picture of himself. ABS regulars began digitally manipulating the photo in various means and setting up webpages of their "Enlow Art". Before long dozens of mirror websites were set up on servers around the world. The length and hostility of the flame war led some ABS regulars to question how far "parody
ing" should go.
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
newsgroup created for the purpose of posting pictures, sounds, and utilities related to the Church of the SubGenius
Church of the SubGenius
The Church of the SubGenius is a "parody religion" organization that satirizes religion, conspiracy theories, unidentified flying objects, and popular culture. Originally based in Dallas, Texas, the Church of the SubGenius gained prominence in the 1980s and 1990s and maintains an active presence on...
, making them available for everyone to see and hear. Because the Church of the SubGenius is well known for encouraging sick and twisted humor, the newsgroup is also home to artists who post humorous artwork of all sorts (including some pieces that may be considered distasteful). A fair amount of the pictures on alt.binaries.slack are adult-oriented, and may be considered offensive by some viewers. The denizens of the newsgroup state that they enjoy deliberately offending those who are too easily offended.
In spite of the crude nature of some of the pictures and sounds posted to the newsgroup, many of its regular contributors have displayed considerable talent. Computer graphics artists often visit alt.binaries.slack to show off their latest experimental works, along with underground musicians who want to expose their music to a "unique" audience.
The clip art
Clip art
Clip art, in the graphic arts, refers to pre-made images used to illustrate any medium. Today, clip art is used extensively in both personal and commercial projects, ranging from home-printed greeting cards to commercial candles. Clip art comes in many forms, both electronic and printed. However,...
image of J.R. "Bob" Dobbs, the founder of the Church of the SubGenius, is commonly seen on alt.binaries.slack, where he appears regularly in images by many artists. Proper etiquette on the newsgroup dictates that credit be given where it is due, and acknowledgment of the ownership of "Bob's" image by the Church is accepted by the regular newsgroup participants.
Shortly after its creation, in 1995, the newsgroup was targeted by warez
Warez
Warez refers primarily to copyrighted works distributed without fees or royalties, and may be traded, in general violation of copyright law. The term generally refers to unauthorized releases by organized groups, as opposed to file sharing between friends or large groups of people with similar...
traders, who tried to use it for the distribution of pirated commercial software. The users of the newsgroup responded by forming their own internal "police force" for the newsgroup, known as the SubGenius Police, Usenet Tactical Unit - Mobile (SPUTUM
Sputum
Sputum is mucus that is coughed up from the lower airways. It is usually used for microbiological investigations of respiratory infections....
). This group of Internet-savvy people embarked on a successful campaign to drive the warez traders out of the newsgroup. They then turned their resources and skills towards the ongoing problem of spam on the Internet. As a result, the users of alt.binaries.slack pride themselves on having one of the most spam-free binaries newsgroups on Usenet.
A protracted 1997 flame war erupted between newsgroup users and Mike Enlow, the self-proclaimed "world's most-respected information broker/technology marketing consultant", who spammed the newsgroups with an advertisement that included a picture of himself. ABS regulars began digitally manipulating the photo in various means and setting up webpages of their "Enlow Art". Before long dozens of mirror websites were set up on servers around the world. The length and hostility of the flame war led some ABS regulars to question how far "parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
ing" should go.
External links
- SubGenius Art Mines – archive of images from alt.binaries.slack (contains adult images)