Chapter Eight: Usenet Newsgroups

Table of Contents: Getting Started - Tips and Tricks Interlit Web Site Links to Textbook Chapter Resources Required Equipment, Software and Services Course Syllabus Course Assignments and Due Dates Part One: Understanding The Internet Chapter One: Definitions Chapter Two: How the Internet is Changing the World Part Two: Getting On The Internet Chapter Three: Getting Connected Chapter Four: Surfing the Net Part Three: Communicating Over The Internet Chapter Five: Internet Etiquette (Netiquette) Chapter Six: Electronic Mail Chapter Seven: Listserv Chapter Eight: Usenet Newsgroups Chapter Nine: Communicating in Real Time Chapter Ten: Telnet Part Four: Finding Things On The Internet Chapter Eleven: Searching for Information Chapter Twelve: Commonly Found Internet File Types Chapter Thirteen: Downloading From the Internet Chapter Fourteen: Bibliographic Style for Citing Internet Resources Part Five: Creating Web Pages Chapter Fifteen: Web Page Creation Strategies Chapter Sixteen: Web Page Design Chapter Seventeen: How HTML Works Chapter Eighteen: Creating Your Web Page Resume Chapter Nineteen: Putting Images on Web Pages Chapter Twenty: Using Tables for Advanced Web Page Layout Chapter Twenty-one: Making a Local Web and a Home Page Chapter Twenty-two: Publishing Files on the World Wide Web Part Six: Using Multimedia On The Internet Chapter Twenty-three: How Web Browsers Do Multimedia Chapter Twenty-four: Waveform Audio Recording Part Seven: Planning For The Future Of The Internet Chapter Twenty-five: Societal Issues Chapter Twenty-six: Emerging Technology Chapter Twenty-seven: How to Keep Up Send E-Mail: Pat Watson Jennifer Lagier John Ittelson Internet Literacy Home Page

After completing this chapter, you will be able to: Describe how listserv works through e-mail protocols. Understand Usenet newsgroups originated as a grassroots effort by students who wanted a better way to organize conversations over the Internet. Visualize how the hierarchical structure of a newsgroup mirrors the manner in which physical conferences are organized. Use your Web browser to list the newsgroups available through your Internet service provider. Subscribe to the newsgroup(s) of your choice. Read and respond to topics in a newsgroup, and post new topics that you want to initiate. Understand the difference between moderated and unmoderated newsgroups. Know when it is too late to cancel a message that you have written in a newsgroup. Find out about newsgroups in your field of study or line of work. Definitions: Usenet - "User's Network". The cooperative body that distributes newsgroups over the Internet. Newsgroups are special interest groups which have a virtual message board where participants can read and post messages. They differ from mailing lists in that you need newreader software to read the postings, and your Internet service provider must also provide access. Currently, there are more than 20,000 newsgroups covering a broad range of topics. Every newgroup message has a subject (headline). Participants can read a post and reply, or add a new message. Replies are loosely attached to the original messsage and the stream is called a "thread". Usenet uses eight generic categories: alt. alternative subjects, often politics or entertainment biz. business-related comp. computer-related misc. miscellaneous news. not media-type news, but about newsgroups and Usenet rec. recreational activities, hobbies, art sci. science-related soc. social issues and socializing ba. is a typical regional designation meaning San Francisco Bay Area. Online Resources: DejaNews lets you search all available archives of newsgroups EFF's (Extended) Guide to the Internet - Usenet History Usenet Software: History and Sources Reading the News -- Index Master List of Newsgroup Hierarchies Home Page news.newusers.questions Official Home Page Creating New Newsgroups Newsgroups Questions and Answers Go to: Chapter Seven Chapter Nine

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