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YOU WANT MP3s, VIDEOS, PICTURES OF FURNITURE, YOU GOT IT!
This note will tell you how to enable Internet newsgroups using a newsgroup reader, such as the one contained in OE or Mozilla, or the standalone reader forte [ www.forte.com ]. Internet newsgroups are discussion groups. Of course there are many html-based newsgroups as well, which do not require setting up your newsgroup reader - you just "go there" using your browser.
The Internet newsgroups are the "original" discussion groups. They date even before the Internet, when UNIX computers would call each other up every night (yes, a "normal" phone call between computers), and "uucp" the newsgroups around. This was in the late 70's, early 80's. Today, you don't have to know anything about newsgroup history at all, since many of the popular web sites have on-line forums conducted through the browser - they are http based. In fact, only about 5% of the Internet population even know they exist, and use them regularly. That may in fact, not be a bad thing. The newsgroups are used more and more for the more "sinister" sides of the Internet, such as porn, warez, MP3 and video pirating. This is not to say there aren't legitimate purposes as well, such as posting pictures of your favorite furniture, e.g. It is unimaginable what is posted out there in cyberspace.
The newsgroups are generally "text" or "binary." Text newsgroups are generally the discussion groups, the binary newsgroups are where all the other stuff resides. More and more in this day and age, newsgroup service suffers because of the massive amounts of binary files being posted/exchanged.
For Outlook Express:
Click on tools -> accounts -> news -> add news. Specify the server. Most servers use standard nomenclature, such as news.mynetwatchman.com, or news.grc.com. BellSouth's is "newsgroups.bellsouth.net." You may have to verify the name of the news server - look on the help page for your ISP. Generally that is the only setting you will need, since most of them use standard ports and procedures. Some of them, such as newsgroups.bellsouth.net requires you to log on, so you would enable this in the settings. Once you have entered the information, and closed the wizard, you are asked if you want to download a list of the newsgroups and subscribe. You would say yes, and then wait. There are tens of thousands of newsgroups, most of them pretty much worthless, as you will see. But there are some real gems in there. Enter a pattern in the box, and watch all the potential candidates listed. Once you see something you like, you must "subscribe."
For Browser-based newsgroups, of course you do not have to setup any accounts, since they all work through the browser. You would recognize these as "forums" listed on some of the popular websites. Go to www.google.com and click on the "groups" tab - I think they have every newsgroup ever invented, and certainly all the original ones archived.
At http://support.microsoft.com , click on the "newsgroups" tab, and you will find support discussion/support groups for any conceivable microsoft product. You can post a question about XP on the XP OS newsgroup and receive an answer within hours. www.dslreports.com (also known as www.broadbandreports.com) also has a fantastic forum on all kinds of broadband topics. The grc.com site at www.grc.com/discussions.htm is legendary for the sheer amount of technical talk and support and the people that hang out there.