(0) - INTRODUCTION (0.1) - Introduction / Reading Tips Hello! Welcome to the VR.5 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list and Episode Guide, your #1 source for VR.5-related information. I'm Augie De Blieck Jr. , the FAQ list maintainer. My goal is to make this a useful, readable, and timely reference for you, and I hope you'll come back often. It's your help and support that makes this resource possible. PURPOSE OF THIS FAQ. As you follow a newsgroup like alt.tv.vr5 for some time, certain topics come up again and again. Like, "Is Oliver the guy in those 'Taster's Choice' commercials?" Or, "Where can I find a VR.5-based web page?" Or even, "What is VR.5?" These are good questions, but eventually, even the most helpful people on the newsgroup tire of answering them over and over, or of correcting wrong or incomplete answers. This article tries to answer some of the most frequently asked questions by providing clear, succinct answers and posting them regularly. When a question can't be answered definitively -- like, "How does Sydney go into VR?" -- I've tried to present the "best" of the different opinions that've been posted, so time won't be spent going over topics that were discussed months ago. HOW THE FAQ WAS DONE. At about the end of March, the newsgroup "alt.tv.vr5" was formed. (More in section 7.2.) The folks there discussed various elements in VR.5 enthusiastically. The traffic on and propagation of the group were initially low, but steadily grew, and by late April, people were calling for a FAQ. Todd Palino posted the letter he'd gotten back from vr5@delphi.com. (Part of it is in section 1.3.) The VR.5 FAQ started from that letter. Jon Gan added subjects that'd been discussed since early April, organized the FAQ into seven main sections ("IN GENERAL," "THE CHARACTERS," and others), and posted a first draft to the newsgroup on 28 April 1995. The FAQ grew from a 101KB one-part document to a huge reference file greater than half a megabyte in size. I have since made it leaner and meaner. The large FAQ can still be found at Jonathan Gan's web site. It's also spawned a miniFAQ and several other documents filled with various things, like VR.5 fan fiction and conferences with members of the VR.5 production team. In July 1996, Jonathan Gan stepped down as FAQ maintainer to pursue other ventures, such as the Piers Anthony FAQ. I've taken control of the FAQ and have modified it with two goals in mind. Firstly, I want to make it much smaller and more manageable. The Internet already has enough problems dealing with lack of bandwidth. I don't wish to contribute to it. Yet. Secondly, I want to add in all the newest and most talked-about material, such as the music and the fan-fiction. Much of this FAQ is lifted verbatim from the last update of the FAQ, which can still be found at http://www.eskimo.com/~raquele/vr5-faq.html It is a much more comprehensive document than this one, but is also much larger and in some places, out of date. THE FAQ TODAY. As long as people keep reading it, enjoying it, making suggestions, and adding material, I'll continue to update this FAQ. It's a living document, and I need your help to keep it current. If you see anything you want to add or change in this list, or if you have any questions, send me e-mail. SOME INFLUENTIAL FOLKS READ THIS FAQ. This FAQ's been read and endorsed by members of the VR.5 production team, including writers, producers, and actors, people involved in the virtual reality and entertainment industries, people at various networks, and people in charge of content at commercial online services. Most haven't endorsed it *officially* -- they've just said to me personally (or indirectly) that they like it or use it. So at least you know that there's at least *something* right in this FAQ. Thanks to them for their support. USING THE FAQ. Tips: 1. Don't print out this FAQ. Unless you feel more comfortable reading a lengthy document on paper, most will find the FAQ more useful in digital form. Why? * The FAQ is updated frequently; you can easily pick out what's new and go there. (When sections are updated, you'll see a "!" or a "+" marker to the left of them in the Contents.) * It's easier to search the FAQ for keywords or stuff you're interested in. * If you need to skip to, say, section 7.2, you just search for "(7.2)" with your text editor or word processor. 2. Allow lots of time. Generally, people tell me that they read the FAQ over a weekend. It's more difficult to read something on the screen then on paper, so allow more time. *Don't* read it at work, for example, because you'll get distracted. (Unless your boss likes VR.5!) Or use the FAQ strictly as a reference, and ignore tips 2 and 3. 3. Remember to take breaks. This FAQ list is *long*. Look away from the screen and walk around every ten minutes. And drink something! :-) 4. Share. Contribute something. If you've enjoyed this FAQ, do something for the online community. The reason why the Internet's grown as large as it has is because folks like you and me benefit from it and then do their part to help it grow. If you've benefited from VR.5: * write some fan fiction. (Lots of examples in the VR.5 Fan Fiction Archive. See section 7.16 for info on how to get it.) * digitize a VR.5-related sound or picture and post it. * set up a web page. * participate in our discussions. * contribute something to this FAQ. * sign the Virtual Storm's petition. (See section 7.17.) Or... * write a FAQ. * set up a web page. * start a newsgroup. * help moderate a group. * help Usenet grow by participating in the discussions in alt.config and news.groups. Thousands of people have -- that's why you see FAQs, newsgroups, and web pages on everything under the sun. That's why the Internet exists. If you've enjoyed something available here, do your part to make something available for someone else. It's fun, too! Thanks for reading! Virtually yours, Augie De Blieck Jr. North Haledon, New Jersey Jonathan Gan San Jose, California (0.2) - Finding this FAQ List There are two ways to access this FAQ file for the time being. The first is by looking into alt.tv.vr5, where it will be posted every three or four weeks. If that fails, look for it in its home on the WWW at http://www.nic.com/~augie/vr5/index.htm (0.3) - Basics If you don't understand terms like "flaming," or "ftp," or you're new to Usenet, jump over to the message conference (newsgroup) called "news.announce.newusers" and read some of the messages posted there. The info there will help you understand Usenet culture, Usenet etiquette ("netiquette"), and various terms and abbreviations. For example, it's always a good idea to "lurk" (read messages and not post them) when you join a new newsgroup. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) lists like this one will appear, and you'll be able to understand what topics are discussed. It's also a good idea to check over a message for errors in spelling and grammar before posting it. Make sure you're typing in lower case or mixed case (NOT UPPER CASE) to avoid nasty e-mail. If you want to ask a question about the Net, please ask in the newsgroup "news.newusers.questions." Welcome to Usenet! Stop back here and contribute to the discussion when you can. (0.4) - Abbreviations There are some VR.5-specific abbreviations and nicknames that have entered general use by VR.5 fans on Usenet. Here they are: Syd Sydney Bloom (see section 2.9) Sam Samantha Bloom Mr. Taster's Choice Oliver Sampson VR virtual reality TC The Committee The Other the person who is brought into VR "Many Faces," "Alex" "The Many Faces of Alex" Dunc Duncan PTB Powers That Be (like: "Oh, if only the PTB renew VR.5...") splinter group, The The Committee faction trying to link up Splinter Faction, minds (and kill Sydney) that Abernathy TSF belonged to OS Oliver Sampson (usually: "OS/ASH") ASH Anthony Stewart Head The Man, The Keeper, Sydney's unnamed Keeper, revealed in The Tall Mysterious "Reunion" Stranger, Mr. X VS, VStorm Virtual Storm JSY John Sacret Young, VR.5 executive producer/creator Stormers, members of Virtual Storm; fans who like Virtual Stormers and promote VR.5!