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Please click here
to read FunnelWeb Internet's terms and conditions before accessing the
newsgroups.
Please click here
to access newsgroups.
A
newsgroup is a discussion group on a particular subject. There are thousands of
newsgroups on the net and they operate like a bulletin board where you can post
a notice for anyone in the world to read.
Newsgroups are categorised into sub-groups and named
accordingly. The first few letters indicate which sub-group the newsgroup
belongs to and the rest gives more specific information.
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alt. –
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alternative
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com. –
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computers
Covers topics of interest to computer professionals and hobbyists.
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sci. –
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science
For sharing practical knowledge and ideas relating to research in or
application of the established sciences.
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soc. –
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social
Primarily address social issues.
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misc. –
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miscellaneous
Covers groups not easily classified elsewhere as well as those that
incorporate themes from multiple categories.
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talk. –
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talk
Normally centered on debate and sharing one’s view/option. Not necessarily
factual and often contains lengthy discussions.
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news. –
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news
Groups concerned with the Usenet network and software as well as some
announcement groups.
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rec. –
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recreational
Groups orientated towards the arts, hobbies and recreational activities.
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Like any small community, the average newsgroup has its own
very distinct set of rules. Most long running groups have an FAQ, or Frequently
Asked Questions list, either on a web site or available by request. These lists
will almost always cover group etiquette, from how to respond to a given post
to whether or not it is polite to post personal ads, as well as answering any
questions that are commonly asked in respect to the group topic.
How to use a newsgroup
- First you need to go to the FunnelWeb
Internet News search page. From here you have the option of logging into
a Local Interest Newsgroup by clicking the links
- doing a search for a newsgroup of
interest to you, or
- logging directly into a Newsgroup that
you already know the address for but is not displayed in the Local
Interest Newsgroup list.
To post a message
Posting a notice to a newsgroup is similar to sending
e-mail. When you have located a group you would like to post to simply click on
the ‘post’ button.
Here you will be asked to enter your name or handle (a name
you make-up), your e-mail address, a subject or heading of the post and a text
message. You also have the option of attaching files to be displayed in the
newsgroup.
When you have completed the ‘post’ form click on the ‘post’
button at the bottom of the form. The tip to using newsgroups is to make your
message clear and precise, try not to ramble.
Latest Items
Retrieves the latest notices for the Newsgroup.
Searching in a newsgroup
The search is performed on the headers in the news group. It is not case
sensitive. If you give several words they will only match if the same 'phrase'
appears in the news headers
Related Items
Takes you back to the newsgroup you last reviewed.
Post Response
Works in a similar way to posting a message. However, here
you create a thread. The subject and text from the previous message
automatically appear on the ‘post’ form for you to amend and add to. When you
have completed the ‘post’ form click on the ‘post’ button at the bottom of the
form.
Last & Next
These buttons work in a similar way to the Back &
Forward buttons on your browser. ‘Last’ takes you to the previous message while
‘Next’ obviously takes you to the next message in the newsgroup.
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