What are Usenet and Newsgroups?
The Usenet is a collection of topics (called newsgroups) that is available worldwide. The Usenet and newsgroups are arranged hierarchically by subject. The highest level of the hierarchy is the classification category, some of which are listed below: alt – This is a generic heading that is usually applied to groups that are not sponsored or moderated by any specific organization. comp – Anything under this heading will refer to computers or the computer industry. rec – Recreational groups biz – Business related groups A typical heading may be: comp.macintosh.software This particular group will most likely contain information about (you guessed it) software for the Macintosh computer. The more headings there are in a newsgroup name from left to right (separated by periods), the more specific that newsgroup will tend to be. The Usenet is accessible to anyone who has an Internet-connected computer. More about newsgroups Newsgroups consist of posted articles usually arranged by thread.
