- What is a newsgroup?
-
Newsgroups are
topic-centered electronic discussions that take
place via Usenet (a Users Network, also called Netnews)--a network
of computer networks. Each newsgroup consists of a body of messages
posted by users and passed from computer to computer primarily
via the Internet. The messages are held on news servers, and you
must visit these locations via computer to read them. Some newsgroups
are technically non-Usenet, but you still access and post to them
the same way. And it's still possible to access newsgroups through
computer systems without Internet accounts: Their systems administrators
can set up "newsfeeds."
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- How did newsgroups originate?
-
Usenet started in 1979, when two students at different colleges
scripted a program using Unix, a computer operating system, to
move messages and news between their computers. Other Unix users
could contribute to this ongoing electronic discussion group,
too. The system grew, and in the mid-1980s, an improved protocol
was developed so the Internet community at large could participate
in newsgroups.
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- What's the difference between a newsgroup and a
mailing list?
-
Mailing lists send
newsgroup-style messages right to your electronic
mailbox. Newsgroup conversations are stored for a few days or
weeks on someone else's computer; you visit the newsgroup to find
out what's new.
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- What do newsgroups have to do with
news?
-
Newsgroups actually do contain news about many subjects--for example,
an academic newsgroup about astronomy might publish some new
research findings--but their messages also contain arguments,
questions, theories, jokes, and flirtations, making newsgroups
one of the most exciting and unpredictable communications resources
available today. "Discussion groups" might be a more
accurate term for these exchanges of opinions and ideas.
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Know the lingo
|
Most Web terminology was created in the past few years, but newsgroup jargon
is very user-friendly. Newsgroup terminology evolved from a newspaper
metaphor--you "subscribe" to a "news" group so you can
read its postings, which are also called "articles."
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- What subjects are covered in
newsgroups?
-
You name it, there's a group for it. Newsgroups are collected by
subject in broad hierarchies, with numerous
subcategories in each one. Seven main topics are approved by Usenet for its participating newsgroups.
comp: | You'll find more
computer-related groups on Usenet than you care to count. Read discussions
of the latest product or ask for help in solving that thorny printing
problem. |
misc: | Look here for such groups as misc.jobs.offered,
misc.forsale, and misc.taxes, as well as K-12 groups for
teachers and students. |
news: | If you're new to Usenet, check out this
category, especially news.newusers and news.misc. |
rec: | Here's where to look for groups on sports,
arts, entertainment, games, food, drink, and most things fun. |
sci: | If your buddy doubts that anything important
happens on the Net, send him or her to the science newsgroups. And if you're
a science buff, be sure to tell friends and family where you are before
delving into this Usenet category. |
soc: | Social issues rule here, with subgroups that
range from soc.feminism, soc.couples, and soc.veterans, through some 100 groups in
the soc.culture subcategory. |
talk: | The talk category contains groups
for debating everything from talk.environment to talk.religion. |
Many non-Usenet newsgroups also exist, which are not officially approved by
Usenet and follow no set of rules as far as content goes:
alt: | The infamous alt prefix
stands for alternative. Often controversial, generally free-wheeling, alt
groups aren't carried by all Internet providers. The alt category
is often responsive to current events and interests. |
bit: | These are the Bitnet newsgroups. The more than 250
bit.listserv groups are a nifty way to follow mailing lists without
your mailbox forever overflowing. |
biz: | These business-oriented newsgroups often address a given
company or its products, but they include such useful groups as biz.jobs.offered, for those seeking
employment. |
In addition, Usenet has several place categories, such as la (for Los
Angeles), nj (for New Jersey) and de (for Deutschland, a.k.a.
Germany). For instance, la.general is
the place for general questions and discussions about Southern California;
la.eats is the place to talk restaurants.
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- How do newsgroup titles
work?
-
Let's start by considering a typical Internet newsgroup: rec.arts.books. The name explains
where it fits in the hierarchy. Rec is short for recreation, a
populous and pleasant category. The next part of the title, arts,
describes the basic subject area within recreation, and books shows
which area of the arts is being discussed.
With this in mind, then, it's obvious that rec.music.classical is the place
to go for opera discussions. But you can also find rec.arts.bodyart, for tattoo lovers,
and rec.arts.bonsai, about
vertically challenged trees. Rec.arts.books has its own subgroups,
including rec.arts.books.childrens,
rec.arts.books.marketplace
and rec.arts.books.tolkien.
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Usenet and Unix
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In case you're wondering, the Usenet newsgroups use lowercase
letters and periods between the words in their titles to conform
to the standards of the Unix computer operating system, because
that's where Usenet got its start.
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- Are newsgroups open to all?
-
Newsgroups are available for everyone, but whether or not you
can access them is another story altogether. It's the news administrators
at Internet domains--universities,
businesses, and commercial
access providers--who make the decisions about which of the more
than 17,000 newsgroups to carry.
Some Internet Service Providers and commercial services refuse
to carry or list certain
newsgroups because they contain controversial categories or memory-hogging
photos--alt.sex
and alt.drugs being prime examples. And
if your Internet
account is through your office or school, the management may decide
to block newsgroup access altogether.
If you're setting up your own account with a commercial provider
such as CompuServe or a private
Internet Service Provider, be sure to ask about its
newsgroup policy before you subscribe. Many commercial Internet Service
Providers provide
access to a substantial but not exhaustive set of groups.
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- What are newsgroup discussions like?
-
Questions or statements are posted to the groups along with reader
responses. Users provide the content, both good and bad. You may find rude,
stupid, or inflammatory comments in some groups, or participants who wander
off the subject.
But netizens are generally
a remarkable resource, making Usenet endlessly fascinating, inventive,
and--in the true spirit of the Net--helpful.
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- Is there an etiquette to participating in newsgroups?
-
Yes, you should follow certain guidelines when you're in a newsgroup. Don't
feel compelled to post a message the first time you visit. When you feel
comfortable enough to actually put in your two cybercents, try to avoid the
following:
Do not spam. No one enjoys this, save perhaps the immature prankster.
Do not flame. There may be
people who deserve your wrath, but like screaming in a fit of anger, flames
can not be taken back once sent.
Do not troll. Even if you think it's hilarious, no one at alt.chinchilla is interested in your
desire for the latest chin stew recipe.
DO NOT SHOUT. It discourages people from reading your posts, and it's just
not nice. So don't do it, even if it looks nifty on your screen.
All these things can come back to haunt you. Even though you may not care
who sees your message at the time you write it, you may live to regret
sending it. Remember, anyone with access to AltaVista has the power to see every online document
you've ever written.
As for things you can do to look good in newsgroups, here are a few trade
secrets:
If you want to emphasize something, you can put asterisks on the side, like
*this* or underlines, like _this_.
When you reply to a message, if your e-mail system doesn't automatically
insert little arrows in the left margin to differentiate your message from
the snippets you're quoting, you should add them.
Lest we forget: emoticons. If you
want to communicate humor, you can use the smiley face :^) or variations
thereof.
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- What are the advantages of moderated vs. unmoderated
newsgroups?
-
A moderated newsgroup is monitored by a person or persons--or
sometimes even a computer program--who screen the messages to
decide if they should be posted. This can help avert flame wars,
spamming, overly long threads--a series of related messages, and discussions
that veer too far
from the topic at hand.
Unmoderated newsgroups are just that--anything sent gets posted.
Depending on your viewpoint, this can make for a lively forum
or an uncontrolled free-for-all.
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- How do I find
newsgroups that suit me?
-
Just like their cousins, mailing lists, newsgroups
are so prolific
that they can be hard to keep track of. Here are several comprehensive
Web indexes to help you get started:
Your first stop should be the Usenet Info Center Launch
Pad,
which contains a very extensive primer on newsgroups as well as
listings of newsgroups by hierarchy, with links to each group.
There's even a search
engine to help you locate newsgroups by
subject area.
Internet
Newsgroups is
another comprehensive listing of newsgroups. They're indexed by
hierarchy, with links to each group.
A quick way to locate newsgroups by subject is Find Newsgroups, an
index with its own
search engine. Just type the subject area you're investigating
into a box and up pops a list of related newsgroups, with links.
If you already have access to newsgroups via your newsreader check out the news.lists newsgroup,
which provides an index of newsgroups, and news.announce.newgroups,
which keeps you abreast of newsgroup news.
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New kid on the block
|
If you're new to Usenet, you should check out the sources available to
newbies. Among these is the very useful news.newusers.questions, where
you can ask any question without fear of seeming dumb.
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- How do I access specific newsgroups?
-
Newsgroups can be reached via commercial services such as AOL and CompuServe, through Web-site
pathways, and through software programs called newsreaders.
The way you read and post to Usenet depends on your provider and browser. On
AOL, for example, Usenet comes
to you filtered through AOL's
easy-to-use graphical interface. Here you can simply click on buttons to
perform various actions, such as posting a message in a newsgroup. Netscape offers a similar interface with
its newsreader program.
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- How do I access newsgroups with a Web
browser?
-
In Netscape Navigator 3.0, you have to enter your info in the Mail and News
Preferences under the Options menu. Click on the Servers tab and fill in the
appropriate information. Most important is to identify your news server. If
you can't figure it out yourself, ask your information systems person or
contact your Internet Service Provider for help.
After you get this set up, go to Window and select Netscape News. You will
get a separate Netscape window, divided into three frames. The upper left
will be the newsgroups that you are subscribed to, the upper right will show
the title of the messages, and the lower frame will display the text of the
messages. When you first get set up for newsgroups in Netscape, you will
automatically be on the subscription list for several newbie groups.
To access new groups, open one of the groups you are already subscribed to.
If you can't see the names of the groups, enlarge the field by placing the
cursor on the bar above the frame and dragging it to the right. Next, go to
the Options menu and select Show All Newsgroups. From there, scroll down
the alphabetical list of categories until you find the one you want. If the
folder has a "+" sign in a box next to it, you will find numerous newsgroups
within that category. Click on the one you want, find a message title (in
the upper right frame) that interests you, click on it and read the text in
the bottom frame.
Accessing a newsgroup in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 is somewhat
similar. First, check to make sure that you're set up with Internet mail.
Click on View in the main tool bar and scroll down to Options, then click on
the Programs tab. Your mail setting should be Internet Mail; your news
should default to Internet News.
Go to the Mail icon on the main tool bar. Click and scroll down to Read
News. The first time you access your newsgroups, an Internet News
Configuration box will pop up that prompts you for information about your
computer set up. Key in the information and click Next to continue. A frame
will follow that asks you to enter your name and e-mail address. Click on
Next to continue.
You must now enter your preferred news server. If you don't know which news
server you should use, ask your information systems person or contact your
Internet Service Provider for help. Click Next, then key in the method of
your computer connection. And voila, you are now ready to access
newsgroups.
If you need to change any information you've just entered, go to News on
the Internet News tool bar, scroll down to Options and click the Server
tab. Once you click Finish in the Internet News
Configuration, Explorer will automatically display the newsgroups
available to you from your mailserver.
To access your Explorer newsgroups for the first time, click on the All tab
where
the newsgroups have just downloaded. At other times, click on the Newsgroup
icon in the Internet News tool bar. A list of available newsgroups will pop
up. Click on the newsgroup you'd like to visit, then click the Go To button.
If you like, click the Subscribe button on the right-hand side of the
screen. A newspaper icon will show up next to the newsgroups you're
subscribed to. Newsgroups you subscribe to will pop up each time you click
the Subscribed tab, located below the list of newsgroups.
Once you've opened your newsgroup, double click on the posting you wish to
read. To respond to the message, click on either the Reply to Group or Reply
to Author icons, or pull down the News menu in the Internet News tool bar
and scroll down to the appropriate addressing for your message. If you'd
like to go back to the other newsgroups available to you, click the
Newsgroup icon on the Internet News tool bar.
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- How do I access newsgroups with a
freeware newsreader?
-
Many freeware newsreaders
are available on the Web. All you have to do is download the one you want.
We'll be using Free Agent as an example.
- For PC users:
- Download Free Agent
Download NewsXpress
Download WinVN
- For Mac users:
- Download Newswatcher
Download Yet
Another NewsWatcher
Download Nuntius
For Unix users:
tin, trn, rn, and nn should already be installed in your Internet Service
Provider's software, so that you can just type in the appropriate command at
the prompt in your Unix shell.
From there, you can set up the program with your information and
preferences, select the group you want to read, and start reading. In Free
Agent, go the Group menu, choose Show All Groups, and click on one that you
like.
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Read me
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If, after downloading
a free newsreader, or any freeware for that matter, you
see a read-me file in the contents, read it. Often it will include
installation help and troubleshooting tips that almost always shorten your
learning curve.
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- How do I access newsgroups with a Unix
newsreader?
-
In the Unix newsreader
market, you will hear four names over and over again: nn, rn, tin, and trn.
Which one you choose depends on your preference.
Nn, whose motto is "No News is good news," is a "threaded"
newsreader. It gives you a list of unread messages in newsgroups and lets
you pick what you want to read. The order in which info is displayed is a
bit different than most newsreaders, which could be confusing.
Rn used to be big in Unix newsreader circles, but trn has made it virtually
obsolete. Rn presents you with a single unthreaded message, which may be
hard to follow.
Tin is the most popular Unix newsreader among newcomers because it is
relatively easy to use. It is menu-driven and handles threading very well. A
menu of commands at the bottom of the screen makes it simple to search for
what you want.
Trn is similar to tin, except that instead of displayed topics, it presents
the messages themselves, one at a time. Even though they are threaded, if
you want to see all the topics, trn is not the place to do it.
Since it is the easiest Unix newsreader to use, our examples will employ
tin. You can begin tin in several ways, but the best is to type tin -q at
the prompt. (This tells the host not to ask you if you want to subscribe to
every new newsgroup that comes down the pike.) If you know what group you
want to read, you can add it to the initial command and go directly to it.
For instance, to read the broad Usenet newsgroup about television, you would
type tin -q rec.arts.tv.
The host computer will then give you processing messages until it has found
the group you want and listed it. At that point, hit Enter and you'll see a
list of message threads, each a separate chain of messages on the stated
subject. Let's say one of the subject lines catches your eye. Just move the
cursor to it, hit Enter and you'll see the first posting in the thread.
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- Are all newsreaders about the same?
-
Some newsgroups are home to copious amounts of encoded binary information, such as
picture files or programs. Since those files are generally encoded and
sometimes chopped into several parts, it's a hassle to piece them together
and translate them into something readable. If you often hang out in groups
that regularly include multimedia
files, a newsreader that can decode binary files is a must. NewsXpress,
Free Agent, and Newswatcher are three
newsreaders that handle binaries particularly well.
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Get out that decoder ring
|
Sometimes it's handy to encode parts of your message
(such as sensitive information or punchlines to jokes). If your newsreader
has a decoder function, you can save yourself a lot of time because you
won't have to encode your messages by hand.
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- What does an offline reader do?
-
Some online time costs just enough that you don't want to waste a buck an
hour reading (or whatever you wind up paying). With that in mind, a few
newsreaders let you read Usenet news offline.
After you choose which newsgroups you're interested in, the software logs
on, downloads new posts, sends any messages you've composed offline, and
logs off. Once offline, you can read news--and compose it--at your leisure,
without feeling like you're "on the clock" or in need of a
speed-reading course. Some programs let you save additional time and money
by fetching only the author and subject lines of your favorite newsgroups,
then allow you to choose the specific messages you want to receive in full.
Although offline readers are relatively rare, they are definitely worth
looking for. Currently, Free Agent 1.0 handles online and offline reading.
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- How are my newsgroups managed?
-
Your newsreader, whether it is a browser, freeware, or software,
contains a file called a .newsrc file in which all of your newsgroup
information is stored and sorted. It contains all the newsgroups that the
Internet Service Provider has elected to carry, the ones you have subscribed
to, and the messages you have read. The .newsrc file is very smart and does
not need human interaction. In fact, you should never attempt to edit it.
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- How do I read newsgroup messages?
-
Your newsreader will display a list of your newsgroup's messages in the same
fashion your e-mail program displays your mail. Just put your pointer on the
messages you want to read and click. It's that simple. A separate box or frame will display the message
you're reading. When you're done with that message, move your pointer back
to the list of messages and click on the next message you want to read.
Keep in mind that you do not have to subscribe to newsgroups to read or
post to them.
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Don't overquote!
|
When you reply, since most newsreaders quote the prior message, trim out
all but the essential sections that you are responding to. For instance,
chop off the signature line. If your response
is only a small fragment of what's in the return message, you are probably
not trimming the message enough.
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- How are the messages organized and
displayed?
-
Depending on your newsreader, your newsgroup postings will appear either
grouped by subject or in the order of their arrival.
Newsreaders that group postings by conversational threads--a chain composed
of an original question or remark followed by a series of responses--are the
easiest to follow.
What complicates this is thread drift--when postings on a topic wander off
the subject. For instance, responses to Selling My Motorcycle might evolve
into an argument about Harleys vs. Hondas. If you want to carry on this new
vein, be sure to put Harleys
vs. Hondas in the subject line of any message you post, so those
interested in the original subject "Selling My Motorcycle" won't
get dragged into your debate.
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- How do I sort and search?
-
The ability to search through newsgroups is vital. You'll definitely want a
newsreader that can scan 1,500 posts in alt.internet.services, for
example, and pick out the FAQ file or just the posts from users at your
business.
Kill files are a great help when sifting through newsgroups. These let you
filter out messages about specific subjects or mail from certain people that
you have no interest in. Most kill file functions are based on keywords and
mark unwanted messages as read, so you never even see them. Unfortunately,
not all newsreaders can do this.
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- How do I reply to
messages?
-
You can post a follow-up message, also known as a reply, e-mail a private
message to the author, or both.
In Netscape, after choosing the Netscape News option, look under the Message
menu for Post Reply, Mail Reply, and Post and Mail Reply. Post Reply will
put your message on the newsgroup. Mail Reply will send a private message to
the author, and Post and Mail Reply will do both.
In Free Agent, you'll find Follow Up Article and Reply via Email under the
Post menu. Both programs include icons on the toolbar for each of
these functions, as well.
Remember, if you're posting a message to the newsgroup, you're typing a
public reply for all to see. Often your newsreader will automatically quote
the previous message, which might contain quotes from prior messages, so you
should edit these.
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Crossposting
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If you think your message would be of interest to more than one
newsgroup, you should consider crossposting it. Post as
you would normally, then add the additional newsgroups to the To: field,
separated by commas.
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- How do I join and unjoin newsgroups?
-
As long as your Internet Service Provider allows you access to it, you can
read and, if you want, subscribe to any newsgroup.
Subscribing is like bookmarking a favorite Web
site; when you turn on your newsreader it displays a list of the newsgroups you
subscribe to.
In Netscape, if you check the box next to the newsgroup, you will be
subscribed to the group and it will show up when you open the newsreader. To
unsubscribe, uncheck the box.
In Free Agent, while you have a group highlighted, select Subscribe from the
Group menu. From then on, a newspaper icon will appear next to the
subscribed group. To unsubscribe, choose the Subscribe option again.
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- Does it cost anything to join
newsgroups?
-
No, reading and subscribing to newsgroups is free. The biggest
cost you might encounter is the charge from your Internet Service
Provider for your time online. Reading newsgroups is not different from
surfing the Web in that you or your company won't be billed a surcharge over
your regular time online. Given that reading and responding to newsgroups
can become a time-consuming addiction, you might
want to use an offline reader to
save money.
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- Do I have to post to
my newsgroup?
-
No. In fact, just as in any gathering of people, some will have
a lot to say and others will just listen. It's quite possible
to subscribe to many newsgroups without ever contributing a message
to any of them. This practice is known as lurking, and it's quite
acceptable, if a little less fun, than being an active participant
in the ongoing conversation.
Conversely, you don't have to subscribe to a particular newsgroup
to post to it. You can drop into any newsgroup with a question
or comment. Just make sure you mind your manners if you're new
to the conversation.
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Don't shoot from the hip
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Use common sense when visiting a newsgroup: Check out its FAQ
as well as its ongoing discussions to make sure you aren't bringing
up something that's already been talked to death. And be sure
you stay on the topic: Don't just pop into a newsgroup of dairy
farmers with an offer to sell your used car.
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- Do I have to use my real
name when posting to newsgroups?
-
No, you can send messages anonymously by using a computer service
known as an anonymous remailer
(also called anonymous server).
This free service intercepts and forwards your messages for you,
replacing your real name and e-mail address with a dummy address.
Because these services are generally provided gratis by friendly
members of the online community, they tend to come and go. Check out the Samaritans Web site for instructions.
A simpler way to post to newsgroups without your real name appearing
at the top of your message is to set your e-mail name and preferences
without including your actual name. So the return address and sender name
of a message from Jane Smith could appear as kitty@domain.com
(Kool Kitty).
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Going incognito
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If you're a woman you might want to think twice before mentioning
your gender in some newsgroups, especially ones of a sexual nature,
since other readers can bombard your e-mail address with unsolicited personal
messages. Keep this in mind when you come up with your e-mail
alias, too.
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- Can I post anything besides text?
-
Sure you can. Follow the instructions for either replying to a
message or initiating a posting and then attach the non-text file
as you would in e-mail. In both Netscape and Free Agent, the Attachment
button appears to the left of the address fields in a reply or
new mail form.
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- How do I initiate a posting on
a whole new subject?
-
Write in a concise and polite manner, and remember not to post
unless you've checked to see if the same subject has been covered
already. If your posting involves a question, be sure to check
out the FAQ for the group answers. Then select New News Message
in the File menu of Netscape or use the New Article function under
Post in Free Agent. Give your message a subject and start typing.
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Find that FAQ
|
If you've got a question and can't find the FAQ for your newsgroup, try
looking in the
news.answers group. You will find
literally hundreds of FAQ lists, one of which should supply you with an answer.
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- How can I send a posting or thread to someone who
doesn't follow the newsgroup?
-
This is very similar to forwarding
e-mail to a third party. In
Netscape, while the message is displayed on your screen, go to
the Message menu and choose Forward, or click on the forward icon.
In Free Agent, Forward via Email is located in the Post menu.
With both programs, type in the address of the recipient and hit
Send. Free Agent gives you the option of Send Now or Send Later.
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- How can I save postings for myself?
-
You can save messages as you would any
other file. In Netscape,
you go through the Save As feature under the File menu; in Free Agent,
the Save Article As function is also in the File menu.
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- Are all the messages archived?
-
No. Unlike mailing
lists, newsgroups typically save messages for
about two weeks, and unless they're moderated, you won't find
archives for many groups. In that case, the moderator would be
the one to contact, by sending e-mail to list-request@host address.
You could also try an FTP search tool called Archie or the FAQ for your
newsgroup.
Some online resources archive newsgroup postings. Deja News for example, archives back to
March 1995. Deja News does, however, offer an option to exclude messages from
archiving.
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Watch what you say
|
Many search engines, including AltaVista, can access newsgroup messages. So even if
your boss doesn't have access to a newsreader, he or she can still find out
what you've been posting.
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- Can I start my own newsgroup?
-
Sure, but you should check to make sure your idea doesn't
already exist. Then check out news.announce.newusers for
more information. You might also want to look at mailing lists
and chat rooms to see if the
subject has been covered on some
other part of the Net.
It's a good idea to join any group you think might be interested
in your new group. That way you can feel out the members about
the dynamics of the new group. If you're interested in forming
a new Usenet group within any of the big seven categories, you must fill out a Request for
Discussion and post it to
news.announce.newgroups
as well as any related newsgroups.
If there is interest in your subject, a vote taker will take over
with a Call For Votes. If you get enough votes, you can start
your newsgroup.
However, if you're interested in starting an alt group,
you don't have to do any of the above. All you have to do is post
a proposal to alt.config and, if your
idea generates enough
interest, you can start a successful new group. But remember,
news administrators at Internet Service Providers are the ones who decide
which groups
to carry and do not have to choose yours. You have to convince
them to carry your group so that it will be seen. Check out So
You Want to Create an Alt Newsgroup for tips on new alt groups.
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By Kathryn M. McGrail and M. Trouble Sample, with contributions from Daniel Akst and Kevin M. Savetz.
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