About newsgroups and newsreaders

Use newsreaders to gain access to various types of newsgroups, to download and read news messages, and to post replies to them. Newsgroups are a valuable source of information where you can find what your peers think and get information from people who use the same products and technologies you use. You can find newsgroups on practically any subject, and a newsgroup can be an Internet Usenet group or an internal company newsgroup.

If you have not previously set up a newsreader, Microsoft Outlook automatically sets up the Outlook Express Newsreader. This newsreader is a Network News Transport Protocol (NNTP) newsreader, which you can use to download newsgroup content and then work with it when you are not connected to the Internet. You can also browse most newsgroups using your Web browser.

You can send someone the URL of a newsgroup in an e-mail message, and when they double-click the link, their default newsreader will start.