+@vindex gnus-check-new-newsgroups
+If you are satisfied that you really never want to see any new groups,
+you can set @code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} to @code{nil}. This will
+also save you some time at startup. Even if this variable is
+@code{nil}, you can always subscribe to the new groups just by pressing
+@kbd{U} in the group buffer (@pxref{Group Maintenance}). This variable
+is @code{t} by default. If you set this variable to @code{always}, then
+Gnus will query the backends for new groups even when you do the @kbd{g}
+command (@pxref{Scanning New Messages}).
+
+@menu
+* Checking New Groups:: Determining what groups are new.
+* Subscription Methods:: What Gnus should do with new groups.
+* Filtering New Groups:: Making Gnus ignore certain new groups.
+@end menu
+
+
+@node Checking New Groups
+@subsection Checking New Groups
+
+Gnus normally determines whether a group is new or not by comparing the
+list of groups from the active file(s) with the lists of subscribed and
+dead groups. This isn't a particularly fast method. If
+@code{gnus-check-new-newsgroups} is @code{ask-server}, Gnus will ask the
+server for new groups since the last time. This is both faster and
+cheaper. This also means that you can get rid of the list of killed
+groups altogether, so you may set @code{gnus-save-killed-list} to
+@code{nil}, which will save time both at startup, at exit, and all over.
+Saves disk space, too. Why isn't this the default, then?
+Unfortunately, not all servers support this command.
+
+I bet I know what you're thinking now: How do I find out whether my
+server supports @code{ask-server}? No? Good, because I don't have a
+fail-safe answer. I would suggest just setting this variable to
+@code{ask-server} and see whether any new groups appear within the next
+few days. If any do, then it works. If none do, then it doesn't
+work. I could write a function to make Gnus guess whether the server
+supports @code{ask-server}, but it would just be a guess. So I won't.
+You could @code{telnet} to the server and say @code{HELP} and see
+whether it lists @samp{NEWGROUPS} among the commands it understands. If
+it does, then it might work. (But there are servers that lists
+@samp{NEWGROUPS} without supporting the function properly.)
+
+This variable can also be a list of select methods. If so, Gnus will
+issue an @code{ask-server} command to each of the select methods, and
+subscribe them (or not) using the normal methods. This might be handy
+if you are monitoring a few servers for new groups. A side effect is
+that startup will take much longer, so you can meditate while waiting.
+Use the mantra ``dingnusdingnusdingnus'' to achieve permanent bliss.
+
+
+@node Subscription Methods
+@subsection Subscription Methods
+