THE TOP SECRET FAQ ABOUT BOYS AND BOYLOVERS (Draft 1.0)
Read Me First:
* About this FAQ
If you are reading this FAQ, you have found The Fort.
Congratulations and welcome! This FAQ has been put together
by a group of boy lovers who care very deeply about boys and
the men who love them. The information in this FAQ has been
gleaned from sources all over the internet and Usenet. Some
of the material is original. All of it is provided with the
intent of helping you figure out some confusing things you
are beginning to discover about yourself. We are compiling
and writing this information for boys and so it will NOT be
technical. We hope it will be fun however, and above all we
hope it will be useful to you.
* How to use this FAQ
This FAQ will pose questions that may have already arisen in
your mind. Then we answer them, which we thought would be very
convenient. You will see that we have several categories below
that break down larger issues, like how to stay out of trouble,
which is an important issue because you have stumbled upon some
secret and forbidden issues that our society tends to freak out
about. This FAQ will be posted regularly in The Fort and some
of our related newsgroups. It will change as time progresses
because as you have discovered, boys change and issues change;
but because the needs of boys do not change we want to remain
relevant in the future.
* How can I add to the FAQ?
The FAQ is a text document, though you may see a web friendly
version floating around, it is very possible that you have an
idea, experience or question that would be important to share
with everyone. To add your contribution simply reply to the
FAQ post you are reading now, and in the subject line add the
word (UPDATE) in all caps and with parentheses. Your subject
line should read something like this:
Re: Fort FAQ (UPDATE)
This will alert The Fortmen, who maintain this FAQ, to your
change. Then simply insert a new line with your idea in the
appropriate place in the FAQ. Your new line will not have
indent arrows > and will stand out easily.
* About Not Getting Into Trouble
This section is SO important that we stuck it way up here in
the beginning. If you have found The Fort, it is because you
were looking for it. If you were looking for The Fort there
was a reason, and it is not just because it is a great place
to hang out and have fun. It is because you are a boy with
questions about sexuality (yours and other peoples) or it is
because you are a guy (a boy or man) who is interested in boys.
Most of us live in a world where adults lose their sanity when
the subject of boys and sexuality come up. When the boys in
question may be interested in other boys it gets crazier, and
when the boys in question have a relationship with a man the
craziness goes off the hook. If you are reading this FAQ then
you have either found The Fort on Usenet, or you have found
The Fort through a search engine like Google groups. Either
way, the subject matter here may cause your parents eyes to
bug out. Some of the subject matter may even be illegal in
your jurisdiction. Whatever is the case for you, we need to
keep you safe. Safe from whom and what you ask? Safe from
predators that exist here and elsewhere in the real world,
safe from yourself because it would be easy for you to make
an innocent mistake that could create embarrassing questions
for you; and finally safe from serious mistakes you could
make that might lead to unwanted attention from the legal
authorities.
* Basic Usenet Safety Guidelines
Each thing you do has a different level of risk, and depends
on where you live. Posting only text means minimal risk.
Posting pictures that are usually thought to be legal can mean
some risk because accidents can happen. Posting pictures that
are known to be against the law in most places equals a little
bit more risk. (Before attempting this, learn ways of keeping
your identity secret so you won't be identified. Suggestions
on good precautions to take will be discussed later). Posting
pictures that are known to be against the law in most places,
THAT IS KNOWN THAT YOU CREATED poses the highest risk. Don't
get identified and take the highest precautions, because the
law *will* come after you. Don't make it easy for them.
Be *very* careful. Lurking, of course, is relatively safe.
If you're not accessing newsgroups through your internet service
provider, no one will know you're there. And unless someone
who has access discovers questionable content on your computer,
there is no reason to expect a banging at your front door.
More about that later on.
* Basic Dos and Don'ts
Concerning posting to Newsgroups:
Posting is the act of sending a message to a newsgroup. It's sort
of like sending an e-mail, except it is sent to the newsgroup you
selected. Do not post to the newsgroups through what your Internet
Service Provider (ISP) gives you for newsgroups access. Do not post
through Google. They keep records of who you are and what you do
and will give them to anyone who asks properly. Use a newsgroups
service provider that does not keep a record of what you do, and
does not show who you are and your computer address in your posts.
You may have to pay money for this service.
Be aware that posts of *any* kind, even just text, can get you
noticed by the wrong people. ALWAYS be careful.
Don'ts
* DO NOT POST -->
Pictures:
Of yourself at any age. NEVER, NEVER do that.
Of anyone who knows who you are.
Of where you live, or where you have ever lived, or
anything that can be used to identify the city.
Of any documents that can be used to identify you.
Information:
Your real name, or any part of your name, or any
nickname that you are known by outside of the
newsgroups, or any nickname that relates to your
real name.
Your age.
Date of birth.
What you look like.
What your home looks like.
Specific information about your possessions, such
as what kind of car you have and it's color, and
exactly what kind of computer you have.
Were you work, and what you do there.
Where you went or go to school, and what degrees you
earned.
Exactly what health problems you have, or had in the
past.
About anyone who knows you, and who you know.
What company provides your internet connection.
Any real email address that is not secure.
www.hushmail.com is good for basic secure email,
and it's free.
All of the above advice should also apply to EVERYTHING you do
through the internet that might involve the subject matter you
visit these groups for. Please be careful in exchanging emails
or any private communications with anyone you meet in the
newsgroups. You can never be sure who they are. LEA have been
known to impersonate posters and worse, to get private information
from posters. Even if you have proof your email or messaging buddy
isn't out to hurt you, that can change in an instant after an
argument, and result in all the private information you gave him
being spread all over the internet. This HAS happened! Even if he
remains your steadfast friend, that doesn't guarantee that he
keeps good computer security. Someone else might be able to see
what information he has about you from saved emails and saved
chat transcripts. And would you trust him not to turn you in
if it means less time in prison for him if he is caught?
Realistically, who knows what any of us would do in that kind
of situation? There is also the possibility that your internet
communications could be intercepted. So, please be careful with
your private communications. Your freedom depends on it.
Beware of the possibility of someone giving you false information,
especially about security. There are, sadly, people would harm you
with lies. If someone says you are safe, do not assume they are
being truthful. As in everything else, get a second, third or
fourth opinion.
* About The Fort
What is The Fort?
The Fort is at its core a Usenet newsgroup. More importantly
it is a place where boys and the men who love them can play
together safely. The Fort was created by a ten year old boy
named Tommy back in February of 1998. He had a brand new WebTV
and was looking for a virtual hangout for himself and his
friends. Of course, a boy would want to hang out in a Fort
with his friends! It could just as easily have been the
Treehouse. Tommy, who is now a grown up, still plays in The
Fort and perhaps you will see him too.
Who is in The Fort?
The Fort is largely populated by men who are attracted to
boys. These come in two varieties: pedophiles and boy lovers.
Some are active and vocal, you can see their personalities and
funny nicknames on the screen. The vast majority of people in
The Fort are lurkers, that is to say, they are watching, but
are too bashful or inexperience or scared to post and become
active. There are other men here too who do not really care
much one way or another about boys, these are called Trolls.
There are also boys here. Some people think just a few, others
suspect there are MANY. Some of the boys actually participate
and play here most of them are sort of lurking in the shadows
and watching....and learning.
The Fort is also a state of mind. It is a community of people
who care about boys. You will often see us using our imaginations
and pretending that we are all in the same place interacting,
when in fact we are from all over the world. For many of us,
The Fort exists in our heads and hearts.
What is a Boy Lover?
A boy lover is a male who considers himself attracted to other
males younger than himself. The usual situation is a male past
puberty who is oriented, sexually or not, toward pre-teen or
teen-aged boys.
Like every other facet of one's personality, being attracted
to boys on whatever level is hardly a matter of choice. Every
boy lover has definitely not chosen his orientation. Rather,
like everyone else in humankind, his orientation has chosen him.
Therefore, it is a moot point to discuss the causes of this
attraction, or to ask the question, "Why would someone choose
such a lifestyle?" Perhaps this is easier to understand if
the point is considered that nobody would choose a lifestyle
which is so socially reprehensible, and filled with such legal
pitfalls.
Boy lovers often discover their feelings at a very early age,
when they themselves are boys. They usually notice that they
prefer to be around younger boys, or have a special talent at
communicating or dealing with boys. Later in life, or at the
same time, they may discover that their feelings are also erotic.
Although one's sexuality is a very important facet of one's life,
for a boy lover who feels so, the fact of being sexually attracted
to boys is not in itself the critical feeling. This fact is
ignored by most people, and by legislation intended to curtail
the rights of individuals to speak about their feelings. What
is most important is the way in which the boy lover feels
emotionally, and this almost always determines how he will act
toward boys. He discovers that not only do boys have a special,
almost romantic, place in his heart, but that he has very few
problems in befriending and generally communicating with boys
if the opportunity presents itself. Boy lovers make the best
teachers and child-care workers due to the fact that they are
most sensitive to boys' needs, and to the needs of children
in general.
Boy love is the condition of being a boy lover. Although it
can describe a variation of homosexuality, it does not necessarily
confine itself to such a description, since many boy lovers have
no sexual attraction to boys. For mostly political reasons, a
boy lover is not "gay".
What is a pedophile?
A pedophile is a person who is sexually attracted to children.
Furthermore, a pedophile is one who actively seeks out sexual
gratification with children, whether through pornography or
physical contact. For purposes of definition a pedophile can
also be considered one who puts his or her own sexual needs
ahead of other considerations, particularly those of the child
who may be the target of sexual interest.
Newsgroups
Here is some basic information on Usenet News Service Providers
The most recommended newsgroups service providers are listed
below with a brief description. There are others. They have
various price ranges.
www.teranews.com
For a one time service fee of US$3.95, you can download up to
50MB/day, and do unlimited uploads, if they are done before the
daily download limit is reached. Posting to some newsgroups is
restricted. They have a less than average completion rate (are
the posts all present and accounted for?), and poor propagation
(do the posts make it to all of Usenet?), and don't list the
contents of some newsgroups of interest.
www.newscene.com
Middle price range. Superior completion but retention (how long
posts are available on the servers) averages two to three weeks.
Good security.
www.easynews.com
Good prices. Very good completion. Retention improving, depending
on price schedule. Has censorship issues, doesn't carry some
groups of interest (you will not find The Fort on Easynews). Due
to recent changes, security behavior is unknown.
www.news.astraweb.com
For just one fee of US$10, you can download up to 25GB with no
time restriction, and do unlimited uploads. Good completion and
retention, and has all the newsgroups. They have positioned this
option specifically as a backup server, and for those with dial-up
connections. It's also very easy, unlike most other providers, to
successfully, and anonymously, request them to include a new
newsgroup. This is the only provider that I've ever been successful
in getting a new group to show up in. They restrict the posting of
large file sizes. I do NOT recommend posting anything illegal
through them. They will act on the lightest of complaints and
contact LEA.
www.Usenetmonster.com
VERY good price for their basic account. Good retention and
completion.
www.bubbanews.com
Free 50MB download a day, but requires credit card to sign up.
NOT for private things. They do not seem to have anything on
their web site to indicate anything about privacy or security
and they don't list the contents of some newsgroups of interest.
News Service Providers to be avoided
These have any combination of:
(1) poor security
(2) poor propagation
(3) poor completion
(4) posting restrictions
(5) missing newsgroups
(6) zealous cooperation with the Law
(7) bad payment options
Athenanews 1, 2
Uncensored-news 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Giganews 1, 4, 6
Newsfeeds 1, 2, 3, 5
Usenetmonster 5 (many) But extremely inexpensive.
Newshosting 2, 3, 4, 7 (for posting)
How the posting process works:
Some service providers lease server space from other, bigger,
service providers, and in different ways, but most of them
have their own servers with which they receive the posts made
by their subscribers. So, when you post a message, your post
first goes to the receiving server, where proprietary information
is added to the post?s header, such as the provider?s name and
the propagation path entry. It then gets routed to other servers
(local), and to other providers (propagated), using a complicated
time schedule. It can happen that a post can be on a different
provider's server, before it is seen on the server of the company
it is posted to, because of different update schedules. Your post
is, in turn, propagated to other providers, and so on, until it
reaches the server where others see it. Each server it passes
through, will add more information to your post's path entry.
Different providers use different software to do this, and they
are not all compatible. There can be all kinds of problems in
this process, and there are many opportunities for file corruption.
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Don't be fooled by imitations, accept only the Genuine Fort FAQ
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