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FAQ: NL-newsadmins-FAQ (in English)

Cross-posted to 4 groups.

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Archive-name: nl/newsadmins-faq.en
Posting-frequency: monthly, each 2nd day of the month
Last-modified: Sat 13 Sep 18:03:53 CEST 2025


		NL-Newsadmins-FAQ
		-----------------

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

Subject: Introduction

This FAQ is prepared by Adri Verhoef <a3@a3.xs4all.nl> for the mere
purpose of helping news admins all over the world to configure their
news system for the nl.* Usenet-newsgroups (also known as "nl-hierarchy").
The nl-hierarchy is the Dutch news hierarchy, mainly used by people from
The Netherlands, a country in Western Europe.

Please send your comments and suggestions to a3@a3.xs4all.nl.

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

Subject: Table of contents

	 1. Recent changes
	 2. Who administers the nl-hierarchy?
	 3. What does nl-admin do to administer the nl-hierarchy?
	 4. Which groups should I take on my site?
	 5. How should I configure my newssite for the nl-hierarchy?
	 6. What is the configuration for moderated groups?
	 7. Are there any other sources with useful information?
	 8. Where can I find an up-to-date list of nl.* newsgroups?

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

Subject: 1. Recent changes

07-06-2025: Change of PGP-key (see: 5).
01-01-2011: Change of address (see: 2).
09-08-2007: Change of nl-admin (see: 2).
15-10-2005: postings to moderated groups should go to %s@nl.news-admin.org.
27-04-2004: URL now pointing to nl.news-admin.org (see: 7).
31-05-2001: Change of nl-admin (see: 2).
08-05-2001: Changed address of URL for PGP public key for nl-hierarchy (see: 5).
28-02-1998: Change of nl-admin (see: 2).
11-05-1997: Change of "From" address in cntrl messages as of 1-6-1997 (see: 5).

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

Subject: 2. Who administers the nl-hierarchy?

In May 1995, two persons were accepted to administer the nl-hierarchy.
Together they are called "nl-admin"; you can reach them at this address:
	nl-admin@stack.nl

At this moment nl-admin consists of:
	Johan van Selst <johans@stack.nl>
	Adri Verhoef <a3@a3.xs4all.nl>


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

Subject: 3. What does nl-admin do to administer the nl-hierarchy?

Nl-admin takes care of sending control messages for creating and
removing nl.* newsgroups.

Discussions about new nl.* groups take place in "nl.newsgroups".
The document that describes how to create a new nl.* newsgroup is
posted there once a week.

A "checkgroups" control message for nl.* is being posted each 21st
day of the month.

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

Subject: 4. Which groups should I take on my site?

That is up to you to decide.  However, if you're taking a "full feed",
then you should accept the periodic control messages for the nl.* groups
issued by nl-admin (and by nobody else).  You may of course decide to
take less than a full feed.

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

Subject: 5. How should I configure my newssite for the nl-hierarchy?

Nl-admin uses PGP to sign the newgroup, rmgroup and checkgroups
control messages.
If you are using the PGP control system, too, then you can have the
newsgroup server automatically handle nl-admin control messages.

The PGP public key for the nl-hierarchy can be found on the following URL:
	http://pgp.surfnet.nl/  (search for "nl.newsgroups")
By FTP:
	ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/pgpcontrol/PGPKEYS

Specification:
	nl.newsgroups
	  4096 bit RSA key D2F2595DDA5AC504, created: 2024-04-27

For technical details and a list of public keys, see:
	ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/pgpcontrol/README
or	ftp://ftp.isc.org/pub/pgpcontrol/README.html


  CONFIGURATION
  -------------

Cnews [with PGP]
-----
	nl	nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl		cnr	p	nl.newsgroups

Cnews [without PGP]
-----
	nl	nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl		nr	y

INN [with PGP]
---
	checkgroups:nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl:nl.*:verify-nl.newsgroups
	newgroup:nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl:nl.*:verify-nl.newsgroups
	rmgroup:nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl:nl.*:verify-nl.newsgroups

INN [without PGP]
---
	checkgroups:nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl:nl.*:doit
	newgroup:nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl:nl.*:doit
	rmgroup:nl-admin@nic.surfnet.nl:nl.*:doit


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

Subject: 6. What is the configuration for moderated groups?

Normally, postings to a moderated newsgroup are being sent to a server
that keeps an up-to-date list of moderators.  For the nl-hierarchy,
you should use:

Cnews (file "mailpaths")
-----
	nl.*	%s@nl.news-admin.org

INN (file "moderators")
---
	nl.*:%s@nl.news-admin.org

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

Subject: 7. Are there any other sources with useful information?

The following URL contains all relevant links for the nl-hierarchy:
	http://nl.news-admin.org/info/  (in Dutch)

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

Subject: 8. Where can I find an up-to-date list of nl.* newsgroups?

On each 7th day of the month, an actual list is being posted in the newsgroup
nl.newsgroups.announce (in Dutch).
On each 21th day of the month, an actual list is being posted in the newsgroup
nl.newsgroups (in English).

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

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