ARCHIVED: What is a FAQ?

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The term "FAQ" (when pronounced, it rhymes with "back") is an acronym for Frequently Asked Question. A Frequently Asked Question is an inquiry or point of discussion that commonly arises when people first encounter a particular subject or online forum. The term "FAQ" can be used to describe either an individual Frequently Asked Question or a list of such questions. These FAQ lists are posted regularly on many Usenet newsgroups and mailing lists to reduce discussions of topics that have already been thoroughly covered. The term "FAQ" has also been widely adopted to describe a list of questions and answers (either asked or anticipated) in many different contexts; in the technology arena, you may find FAQs associated with web sites, software applications, and protocols, among other things.

Always look at any existing FAQ list for a newsgroup or mailing list before participating in discussion. Failure to do so may make a bad first impression and possibly even provoke flames.

For more information about how to find specific Usenet FAQs, see ARCHIVED: Where can I find a repository of Usenet FAQ files? Also refer to the Internet FAQ Consortium web site. The FAQs for most newsgroups are cross-posted to news.answers.