In spite of the crude nature of some of the pictures and sounds posted to the newsgroup, many of its regular contributors have displayed considerable talent. Computer graphics artists often visit alt.binaries.slack to show off their latest experimental works, along with underground musicians who want to expose their music to a "unique" audience.
Shortly after its creation in 1995, the newsgroup was targeted by warez traders, who tried to use it for the distribution of pirated commercial software. The users of the newsgroup responded by forming their own internal "police force" for the newsgroup, known as the SubGenius Police, Usenet Tactical Unit - Mobile (SPUTUM). This group of Internet-savvy people embarked on a successful campaign to drive the warez traders out of the newsgroup. They then turned their resources and skills towards the ongoing problem of spam on the Internet. As a result, the users of alt.binaries.slack pride themselves on having one of the most spam-free binaries newsgroups on Usenet.
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