Using Usenet at UIC

Netnews, or Usenet, is a large collection of public bulletin boards. The ACCC no longer runs a news server, so, before you start, you should pick a news server; there are a number of free news servers on the Web. Or use a Web news reader, such as Google Groups.

Newsgroups can be read directly on a PC with Netscape Messenger program.

Posting from a UNIX account is easily done from within tin or trn; posting is possible from Pine, too, by using control-R to bring up the "rich header" and filling in the newsgroup name.

The Getting Started section in "Related Links" below includes links to a number of Netnews/Usenet "new user" messages, which include important advice on the etiquette of participating in newsgroups. Please check them out before you begin posting.

There are also UIC rules for appropriate email and news messages; see Electronic Mail Etiquette, Smilies, Emoticons, and Abbreviations.

We do not offer this service any more.

• Blackboard has richer features than Usenet and may be more suitable for a class discussion. CourseInfo uses its own (Web) interface, rather than a standard newsreader.
• LISTSERV Lists are better if you prefer to have your group discussions via email rather than by checking news. It's also needed if you will have non-UIC members in your discussions.
• UIC Announce is preferred for making public announcements to a UIC audience.

• What is Netnews/Usenet?
• What is Netnews/Usenet? a second opinion
• Netnews/Usenet primer
• Netnews/Usenet rules for posting
• Netnews/Usenet hints on writing style
• Emily Postnews Netnews/Usenet Netiquette
• Netnews/Usenet *.answer newsgroups
• UIC rules and tips for appropriate email and news messages: Electronic Mail Etiquette, Smilies, Emoticons, and Abbreviations.
  
  
• ARL Office of Scholarly Communication: Directory of scholarly and professional email lists
• The Internet FAQ Archives: All Netnews/Usenet FAQs

• getting started with Netnews/Usenet on UNIX
• Pine email and newsreader for UNIX
• tin (newsreader)
• trn (newsreader)
• xrn (X Windows newsreader)