[Prefatory remarks]
-------------------

-1.  For those who have asked for a URL for the newsgroup, I'll
   try:  <news:alt.usage.english>

0. Yes, I know that this file is too big for some newsreaders.  If
   you are cursed with such a newsreader, you can ftp this file from
   "rtfm.mit.edu", directory "pub/usenet/alt.usage.english", file
   "alt.usage.english_FAQ".  (It's also on the World Wide Web:
   [<http://www.faqs.org/faqs/alt-usage-english-faq/>]

     [The version of the FAQ at that URL has not been updated
     for obsolete URLs since 1997.  On 18 July 2001, Mark 
     Israel installed at his Web site 
     (<http://www.english-usage.com/faq.html>) an HTML version of his 
     FAQ that has URLs that were up-to-date at that time.]

     [There are documents at the AUE Web site that expand on
     the coverage of this FAQ document.  Those documents 
     include seven "Intro" documents that are mostly intended to be 
     read by newcomers to alt.usage.english,  a document
     called "AUE FAQ Supplement" that is intended to be the place to
     supply new FAQ items, and a fast-access version of Mark Israel's
     FAQ.  The latter version has the FAQ partitioned into
     over 200 separate files, one for each item in the Table of 
     Contents.  The home page of the AUE Web site is at
     <http://www.alt-usage-english.org/>.]

   Or you can send me ([...]) e-mail and I'll send it
   to you in pieces.  

     [Mark Israel has lately given his e-mail address as 
     <MarkIsrael@english-usage.com>.]

Sorry for the inconvenience, but there are
   more of us who appreciate the convenience of a single file.

1. Please send suggestions/flames/praise to me by e-mail rather than
   post them to the newsgroup.  The purpose of an FAQ file is to
   reduce traffic, not increase it.

2. This is in no sense an "official" FAQ file.  Feel free to start
   your own.  I certainly can't stop you.

3. Please don't expect me to add a topic unless (a) you're willing
   to contribute the entry for that topic; (b) the topic has come up
   at least twice in the newsgroup, *or* the entry gives information
   that cannot readily be found elsewhere; and (c) if the topic has
   been controversial in the newsgroup, your entry attempts to
   represent conflicting points of view.  Thanks to all who *have*
   contributed!