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I write a monthly column for a newspaper for my sins. And today is deadline day for my latest article (hence working late). Anyway, it's now done. Nothing special as it's written largely for a non-internet audience (it's a general newspaper)... but here you go all the same:

Usenet

For many, the internet consists of email and the World Wide Web, but there are other aspects of the ’net that are perhaps less well known.

One of these is Usenet or newsgroups as they are sometimes known. Regardless of how it might sound, newsgroups have nothing to do with news. They're actually discussion groups that work very much like e-mail, except that anyone can read any messages sent to them.

The number of groups has grown enormously over the years and they cover pretty much every topic imaginable. Today, there are more than 50,000 newsgroups – each categorised by subject.

When not inundated with spammers (people posting adverts) and trolls (people who deliberately attempt to start prolonged conversations), newsgroups can be an excellent way to share information, gain valuable advice or help others.

So… how do you get started with a newsgroup? Newsgroups can be accessed through e-mail software, Usenet software or through Google.

Many email programs such as Microsoft Outlook Express allow you to access newsgroups. Software varies but refer to your ‘help’ files and see if this is something you can do with the program you use.

If your mail software doesn’t offer newsgroup access, or if you simply wish to use some software that specifically caters for Usenet, go to http://www.nntpservers.com/usenetsoftware.html (I personally use the product called Free Agent).

A third, alternative means of accessing Usenet is to view newsgroups via the Web and the best place to do this is probably http://groups.google.com - Google, better known for its search facility, also has a huge Usenet archive dating back to 1995 and consisting of more than 800 million messages to date! To post messages via Google Groups, however, you will need to register.

Once you have chosen your preferred method of access, you will need to select those discussion groups that interest you.

In the words of Google: “Usenet is like a river with thousands of tributaries. The main forks in the river lead to the top-level discussion categories (such as "alt"). Follow one of the river's forks and you'll come to smaller branches (such as alt.animals), which lead to tributaries containing messages divided into even more specific topics (such as alt.animals.dogs). Ultimately, your journey will take you to the smallest part of the data stream; the part containing messages from people who are interested in one particular topic (such as alt.animals.dogs.beagles).”

So there you have it. By following those ‘tributaries’ that cover your general area of interest, you can focus in on specific niche areas in order to identify others with the same specific interests as your own.

When participating in discussions, it’s important to keep in mind that any messages you post can be read by potentially millions of people of different beliefs, cultures and ages. My advice to anyone starting out on Usenet for the first time would be to do what they term ‘lurk’ for a while.

By lurking, you don’t post messages - you simply observe the messages that are being posted by others. This may seem a little dull at first but it’s good to get an understanding of how Usenet works first, what kinds of things are acceptable, and so on. Many newsgroups will have a charter – a set of ‘rules’ that tell you what you can and can’t do. Some newsgroups allow advertising, for instance, but other don’t. If you’re considering posting an advertisement, make sure you know whether it’s allowed first. Posting an advertisement in a group where ads are not allowed could jeopardise your internet account, as it will be a breach in the terms and conditions you must adhere to with your ISP (internet service provider).

Again, in the words of Google: “It turns out there is such a thing as a stupid question. It's the one that gets asked right after someone answered it for the 100th time in a newsgroup discussion. Most discussion forums have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section where commonly asked questions are posted and answered. You'll likely want to read this first upon entering a new group, to ensure your question isn't treated like spam (junk mail). Spammers frequently receive flame mail (heated retorts of a personally demeaning nature) directing them to please read the FAQ.”

Stick to the rules and Usenet could provide you with a goldmine of useful information, whether you are looking to recruit new staff (try uk.jobs.offered) or simply planning your next holiday in the sun (try rec.travel.caribbean).

Paul Johnson is proprietor of The Dedicated Partnership, a leading web design company in Kendal. Telephone: 01539 736677.

Aaron