ABSTRACT
Usenet is a globally distributed discussion system. It consists of newsgroups covering practically every conceivable topic. Articles are posted to a newsgroup by computer and Internet users using news software, usually found within an e-mail program. Many newsgroups are moderated in that the articles are sent to a moderator for approval prior to posting. Newsgroups often allow questions to be submitted and answered by subscribers to the group. These groups may be limited to certain servers and networks, but most are available over the Internet. Thousands of subscriptions are available. Subscriptions are organized by newsgroup hierarchies. The most utilized hierarchies are comp (computers), rec (recreation), sci (science), soc (society), and news. Newsgroups fall into categories under these headings. An example of a newsgroup is <rec.photo.equipment.35mm>. It is obvious that this newsgroup discusses 35mm photographic equipment.
