AnswerMan Conference, December 28, 1995 Main Stage, 9 P.M. ET
Host: Kevin Savetz
Topic: Newsgroups and How To Use Them
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CJ Ellen: Good evening and welcome to the AnswerMan Event!
Netanswers: Greetings!
CJ Ellen: Tonight Kevin Savetz, the AnswerMan (screen name "Netanswers") is going to tell us about newsgroups and how to use them. If you have newsgroup questions, now's the time to send them up! Click on "Interact with Host" to do so. Kevin, how about starting us off by telling us what newsgroups are and where to begin with them?
Netanswers: Certainly, Ellen. Newsgroups, also known as Usenet, are the "bulletin board of the Internet." It's a public messaging system where you can talk about anything you can imagine: from automobiles to bonsai to movies to science, to, well, whatever you can think of. There are over 15,000 newsgroups, individual discussion areas in Usenet. Usenet is a great way to get information, meet people, chat and generally have a good time.
CJ Ellen: Kevin, we have a basic question to start with. From Roguebot:
Question: How are new Usenet groups formed and maintained?
Netanswers: Good question. Newsgroups are formed and maintained by committee. Now, there isn't a Usenet Group to manage the newsgroups. The newsgroups are managed cooperatively by all the users. There's a detailed process for creating newsgroups.
Netanswers: Briefly, if you think a newsgroup on a particular topic should exist (there are over 15,000 now, so chances are there's already one focused on the topic you are interested in), you write a proposal, and Usenet users vote on whether it's a good idea. If it's approved, a system administrator actually creates the newsgroup.
Netanswers: The only exception to this are "alt" newsgroups. Alt groups, ("alt" means "alternative"), because they have different rules, can be created by literally anyone who knows the technical secrets. This is part of the reason there are so many WEIRD alt groups, like alt.destroy.the.Internet and alt.barney.die.die.die :-)
CJ Ellen: Kevin, how about telling us how you go about subscribing to newsgroups on AOL?
Netanswers: Well, you can just go to keyword: NEWSGROUPS. There you will find basic information about newsgroups, and some simple choices. You can "read my newsgroups" to see messages in your favorite newsgroups (the first time, you'll see you've automatically subscribed to some popular newsgroups),
Netanswers: "search the newsgroups" (say you want to find that newsgroup talking about bonsai), and so on. For more basic information about using Usenet, you can go to keyword: AnswerMan, then press "Accessing the Internet via AOL" then press "Newsgroups." Lots of good info is there.
CJ Ellen: Here's a question from Athenee:
Question: What do the different names like comp., alt., soc. mean?
Netanswers: Newsgroups are named in various "hierarchies". Each "word" in the newsgroup name is separated by a ".", (called a "dot"). So, comp.sys.mac.games is pronounced comp dot sys dot mac dot games. The first word of the name, comp, sci, and so on, tells you generally what the newsgroup is about. Comp means computer-related topics (users, programming, comp science, etc).
Netanswers: Sci means science topics (usually technical talk there.) Talk. newsgroups are for open-ended discussion (usually heated topics like the death penalty are found here...) Soc.is for discussion of social issues and cultures. And then there's alt newsgroups, which are in many topical areas.
CJ Ellen: Kevin, J Avenger needs help with food:
Question: Hi, I'm looking for a recipe to season a prime rib for this weekend. Any suggestions?
Netanswers: Well, that's a good question, but rather than telling you a good recipe newsgroup right off, let me quickly explain how to find this yourself. Go to keyword: newsgroups and press "search all newsgroups". In the box provided, enter some search words like "food and recipes." The program will quickly list several potential newsgroups, like rec.food.recipes. (There is also rec.food.veg for vegetarian fare, and several others.) Hope this helps, no matter what you're looking for.
CJ Ellen: Another question from Athenee:
Question: If I want to post a message in a newsgroup, how should I do it? I don't want to get flamed.
Netanswers: When you're reading newsgroups, you will see a button called "Post". This will let you send a message to that particular newsgroup. Many users post to Usenet before they're really ready, before they really understand the "rules of the road", so to speak.
Netanswers: I recommend that you read a newsgroup for two weeks before you post to it. That way you can get a feeling for the discussion topics, the tone of conversation, and see the mistakes that other people make :-) Remember, Usenet has been around for a long time, and some of the people there may get upset if you do the virtual equivalent of strutting in like you own the place. Play it cool for a while at the start.
CJ Ellen: And a related question from Biff45220:
Question: Even if newsgroups are on related topics, isn't it impolite to post the same message in more than one newsgroup? Are people who do multiple posts at risk for "retaliation" from other newsgroup users?
Netanswers: Yes. It is considered a very bad thing to post one message to multiple newsgroups. In some instances, it is acceptable IF you have news software that allows "cross-posting". This means that although a message appears in multiple newsgroups, only ONE copy is sent to the Internet. HOWEVER---AOL's news software doesn't currently allow crossposting. So just pick one newsgroup, pick wisely, and post one copy of your message there.
CJ Ellen: Kevin, let's take a break and ask you to tell the audience about AnswerMan and the AnswerMan area.
Netanswers: Sure thing. The AnswerMan area (keyword: ANSWERMAN) is AOL's online area for Internet "newbies" (that's a new Internet user, like you!) There you will find frequently asked questions and answers about the Internet, a message board where you can ask questions about the Internet without fear of ridicule, and four-nights-a-week chats about the Net (like this one.) Chats are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 6 P.M. pacific (9 Eastern time.)
CJ Ellen: Tuesday and Thursday will be here in the Main Stage, and Wednesday and Friday in the AnswerMan Conference Room.
Netanswers: (By the way, we used to be at 10 Eastern Fridays, but that's changing.)
CJ Ellen: Ok, let's move on. Here's a question from Wingrow:
Question: How can I read my news groups off line?
CJ Ellen: Hmmm, you can't read your newsgroups offline with the AOL software, but they're working on it. :)
Netanswers: Thanks, Ellen.
CJ Ellen: Kevin, what are some of your favorite newsgroups?
Netanswers: Well, goodness. There are so many interesting ones. I like alt.internet.services, a newsgroup where people announce new Web pages and other new Internet services. I am also fond of rec.humor.funny, a "moderated" (I'll get to that in a second) newsgroup where you'll find current, and hilarious, jokes. By the way, a "moderated" newsgroup is one in which there is a "filter" person (or people) who must approve postings before they go to the newsgroup.
Netanswers: This helps insure, for example, that the stuff on rec.humor.funny is really indeed funny! Let's see, I also like comp.risks, a moderated newsgroup where people discuss the risks of using computers. That's usually pretty interesting. When I am feeling less nerdy, I read rec.pets.cats for discussion of cats.
CJ Ellen: Our last question of the evening is from Smokeylady:
Netanswers: (Rec, by the way, are 'recreational topic' newsgroups.)
Question: What's the difference between a newsgroup and a list?
Netanswers: A mailing list is a lot like a newsgroup. It is a public discussion that takes place on the Internet, but mailing list discussions take place in email rather than in a special newsgroup area. Mailing lists are perceived as more private than newsgroups, because you must ask to subscribe to get on the list.
Netanswers : There are more "lurkers" in newsgroups (people who read, but don't post messages.) Also, since you can read and write email offline with AOL, mailing lists can be more convenient. However, newsgroups are a little easier to use and browse than mailing lists. They're both great ways to have a discussion.
CJ Ellen: Well, we're out of time for tonight.
Netanswers: Awwww.
CJ Ellen: Kevin, how about mentioning AnswerMan one more time before we say goodnight?
Netanswers: Sure. It's keyword: ANSWERMAN, and it will help you get going on the Internet, even if you are a complete "newbie"!
