Csplk/THE.ASCII.ART.EMPORIUM · Datasets at Hugging Face

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particular graphics file format;
* an ASCII picture is also hundreds of times smaller in file size than
its GIF or BMP equivalent, while still giving a good idea of what
something looks like;
* it is easy to copy from one file to another;
* it's fun to do!

2. What isn't ASCII art?

The following specialized artforms are not ASCII art and are not
welcome in the ASCII art discussion groups.

1. ANSI or `extended ASCII' art. Many computer systems have an
extended character set of 256 or more characters, based on the
ANSI or Unicode character sets and having the first 128 characters
identical to ASCII. These characters should not be used in ASCII
art because many types of computer system do not support them, and
even those that do may not display them in a standard way (for
example, the Windows ANSI character set is different from the Mac
ANSI character set).
2. HTML art. HTML, the language used in Web pages, can be used to add
special effects such as colours, font size, and blinking text to
ascii art, and HTML can be read by some newsreaders. However, the
key word here is `some'. To many newsreaders, HTML art will just
appear as a jumble of <TAGS> and will be totally unrecognizable.

If you want to create HTML art, do so by all means, but put it on
a Web page and post the page address (URL) to the appropriate
discussion group. Advice on how to do this can be found at http://
www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/9334/asciionpage.htm.

3. ASCII art animated using JavaScript. This relies not only on the
newsreader being able to display HTML, but also being able to run
JavaScript. As with HTML art, put it on a Web page and post the
address to news:alt.ascii-art.animation.

Not all "ASCII" is ASCII! Certain computer operating systems use their
own specific character sets which are modified hybrids of the original
128-character ASCII set. These "strains", if you will, have been
deceivingly dubbed as "Extended ASCII" or "High ASCII" as they have
added symbols beyond the first 128. Realize that while these extra
characters may seem to give you more flexibility in your artwork, you
are severely limiting your viewing audience to those who use the same
operating system as you -- thus defeating the purpose of ASCII
entirely!

Please refrain from using these special characters in addition to the
33 special control codes in the real ASCII character set. Remaining
within the 32-126 range benefits everyone in a multitude of ways. Not
only by maximizing the number of potential viewers, but it also
ensures proper interpretation of your artwork by others and will alter
the way they perceive your abilities. This is just one of the
necessary disciplines of becoming a true ASCII artists. [RaD Man]


3. What goes on in the ASCII art discussion groups??

In the ASCII art discussion groups people discuss ASCII art, post
ASCII pictures, post improved versions or variations of pictures other
people have drawn, and generally have fun.

Types of messages which we usually enjoy seeing include:

□ look, here's an ASCII picture I drew ...
□ REQ: xyz (ie, has anyone got any ASCII pictures of xyz?)
□ suggestions on, or improvements of, other people's ASCII pictures
□ hey-guys-love-your-work-type messages!

Types of messages which we usually don't enjoy seeing include:

□ messages with the subject `ASCII art' (try to be a bit more
informative, please)
□ make money fast!!! ... (yawn, yawn, snore)
□ heres the adress of my web site, come see it pleez (why should
we?)
□ don't read this, this is a test (that's what alt.test, misc.test,
and many other `test' newsgroups are for)

There are three ASCII art discussion groups.

1. news:alt.ascii-art is the main group, where most of the discussion
takes place.
2. news:rec.arts.ascii is identical in purpose to news:alt.ascii-art,
but it is a moderated group -- all messages pass through an
intermediary (the moderator) who checks them for appropriateness
before sending them to the group itself. The advantage of this is
that there isn't any unwanted advertising in the group; however,
the frequency of postings to news:rec.arts.ascii is very low at
the time of writing (it was resurrected in November 1997 after the
previous moderator, Bob Allison (`Scarecrow') retired in December
1996).

If your news server isn't set up to allow direct posting to
news:rec.arts.ascii, e-mail your message to the moderator, Don
Bertino <bertino@netcom.com>.

3. news:alt.ascii-art.animation is specifically for discussion and
postings of animated ASCII art [see Question 12].

particular graphics file format;

* an ASCII picture is also hundreds of times smaller in file size than

its GIF or BMP equivalent, while still giving a good idea of what

something looks like;

* it is easy to copy from one file to another;

* it's fun to do!

2. What isn't ASCII art?

The following specialized artforms are not ASCII art and are not

welcome in the ASCII art discussion groups.

1. ANSI or `extended ASCII' art. Many computer systems have an

extended character set of 256 or more characters, based on the

ANSI or Unicode character sets and having the first 128 characters

identical to ASCII. These characters should not be used in ASCII

art because many types of computer system do not support them, and

even those that do may not display them in a standard way (for

example, the Windows ANSI character set is different from the Mac

ANSI character set).

2. HTML art. HTML, the language used in Web pages, can be used to add

special effects such as colours, font size, and blinking text to

ascii art, and HTML can be read by some newsreaders. However, the

key word here is `some'. To many newsreaders, HTML art will just

appear as a jumble of <TAGS> and will be totally unrecognizable.

If you want to create HTML art, do so by all means, but put it on

a Web page and post the page address (URL) to the appropriate

discussion group. Advice on how to do this can be found at http://

www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/9334/asciionpage.htm.

3. ASCII art animated using JavaScript. This relies not only on the

newsreader being able to display HTML, but also being able to run

JavaScript. As with HTML art, put it on a Web page and post the

address to news:alt.ascii-art.animation.

Not all "ASCII" is ASCII! Certain computer operating systems use their

own specific character sets which are modified hybrids of the original

128-character ASCII set. These "strains", if you will, have been

deceivingly dubbed as "Extended ASCII" or "High ASCII" as they have

added symbols beyond the first 128. Realize that while these extra

characters may seem to give you more flexibility in your artwork, you

are severely limiting your viewing audience to those who use the same

operating system as you -- thus defeating the purpose of ASCII

entirely!

Please refrain from using these special characters in addition to the

33 special control codes in the real ASCII character set. Remaining

within the 32-126 range benefits everyone in a multitude of ways. Not

only by maximizing the number of potential viewers, but it also

ensures proper interpretation of your artwork by others and will alter

the way they perceive your abilities. This is just one of the

necessary disciplines of becoming a true ASCII artists. [RaD Man]

3. What goes on in the ASCII art discussion groups??

In the ASCII art discussion groups people discuss ASCII art, post

ASCII pictures, post improved versions or variations of pictures other

people have drawn, and generally have fun.

Types of messages which we usually enjoy seeing include:

□ look, here's an ASCII picture I drew ...

□ REQ: xyz (ie, has anyone got any ASCII pictures of xyz?)

□ suggestions on, or improvements of, other people's ASCII pictures

□ hey-guys-love-your-work-type messages!

Types of messages which we usually don't enjoy seeing include:

□ messages with the subject `ASCII art' (try to be a bit more

informative, please)

□ make money fast!!! ... (yawn, yawn, snore)

□ heres the adress of my web site, come see it pleez (why should

we?)

□ don't read this, this is a test (that's what alt.test, misc.test,

and many other `test' newsgroups are for)

There are three ASCII art discussion groups.

1. news:alt.ascii-art is the main group, where most of the discussion

takes place.

2. news:rec.arts.ascii is identical in purpose to news:alt.ascii-art,

but it is a moderated group -- all messages pass through an

intermediary (the moderator) who checks them for appropriateness

before sending them to the group itself. The advantage of this is

that there isn't any unwanted advertising in the group; however,

the frequency of postings to news:rec.arts.ascii is very low at

the time of writing (it was resurrected in November 1997 after the

previous moderator, Bob Allison (`Scarecrow') retired in December

1996).

If your news server isn't set up to allow direct posting to

news:rec.arts.ascii, e-mail your message to the moderator, Don

Bertino <bertino@netcom.com>.

3. news:alt.ascii-art.animation is specifically for discussion and

postings of animated ASCII art [see Question 12].