Newsgroups

What is a Newsgroup?

Newsgroups (sometimes called, USENET, message boards, bulletin boards, forums, or discussion groups in other online services) are areas where members post electronic messages for other members to read and respond to at their leisure. In newsgroups, members post messages to ask and answer questions, offer opinions, share facts, and distribute files that other members can copy (download) to their own computers. While most newsgroups are public, there are also private newsgroups to which only certain individuals have access. In addition, some newsgroups are read-only, meaning you can read the messages but not respond to them or post any new messages.

How do Newsgroups differ from Email and Chat Rooms?

Using a newsgroup is different from using email. When you send a message to a newsgroup, you send it to an area on a computer which all members can see. When you send an email message, you specify the individuals or groups who receive the message.

A newsgroup is different from a chat room, too. People who post messages in a newsgroup are not necessarily online at the same time. Messages that are posted in a newsgroup can be responded to at any time, even up to days or weeks later. Chat rooms are more like conference calls: everyone is online at the same time and talking with each other in real time. In addition, newsgroup messages and replies to those messages remain visible long after they are posted. Chat room dialogue disappears once members have left the chat room.

To refresh all newsgroup files

In all cases below, be sure your newsreader program is closed.

Outlook Express (Windows 95/98)

1. Click on the Start button, then click on Programs, then click on Windows Explorer.
2. You will have, in most cases, a 2-part screen and on the left is a list of drives and folders.
3. Double-click on the Program Files folder and then double-click on the Outlook Express folder and then double-click on the News folder and then double-click on the news.worldpath.net folder.
4. On the right-hand side there will now be a list of files, some of these will be numbered files and then 2 files will be grplist and sublist. (Note: If details is the selected view you may see .nch and .dat after the file names, this is correct.)
5. Click on a file on the right-hand side one time to select it.
6. Go to the File menu command at the top of the screen and click on Edit and then Select All and then press the delete (del) key on your keyboard.
7. When the system asks if you really want to throw the selected files in the recycle bin click Yes.
8. Close Windows Explorer and reopen Outlook Express, you will have to download the newsgroup list again and re-subscribe.

Internet News (Windows 95/98)

1. Click on the Start button, then click on Programs, then click on Windows Explorer.
2. You will have, in most cases, a 2-part screen and on the left is a list of drives and folders.
3. Double-click on the Program Files folder and then double-click on the Internet Mail and News folder and then double-click on the News folder and then double-click on the news.worldpath.net folder.
4. On the right-hand side there will now be a list of files, some of these will be numbered files and then 2 files will be grplist and sublist. (Note: If details is the selected view you may see .nch and .dat after the file names, this is correct.)
5. Click on a file on the right-hand side one time to select it.
6. Go to the File menu command at the top of the screen and click on Edit and then Select All and then press the delete (del) key on your keyboard.
7. When the system asks if you really want to throw the selected files in the recycle bin click Yes.
8. Close Windows Explorer and reopen Internet News, you will have to download the newsgroup list again and re-subscribe.

Netscape Communicator 4.0 (Windows 95/98)

1. Click on the Start button, then click on Programs, then click on Windows Explorer.
2. You will have, in most cases, a 2-part screen and on the left is a list of drives and folders.
3. Double-click on the Program Files folder and then double-click on the Communicator folder and then double-click on the News folder.
4. Ensure you are in the News folder and go to the File menu command at the top of the screen and click on Edit and then Select All and then press the delete (del) key on your keyboard.
5. When the system asks if you really want to throw the selected files in the recycle bin click Yes.
6. Close Windows Explorer and reopen Communicator, you will have to download the newsgroup list again and re-subscribe.

Netscape Navigator 3.0 (Windows 95/98)

1. Click on the Start button, then click on Programs, then click on Windows Explorer.
2. You will have, in most cases, a 2-part screen and on the left is a list of drives and folders.
3. Double-click on the Program Files folder and then double-click on the Netscape folder and then double-click on the News folder.
4. Ensure you are in the News folder and go to the File menu command at the top of the screen and click on Edit and then Select All and then press the delete (del) key on your keyboard.
5. When the system asks if you really want to throw the selected files in the recycle bin click Yes.
6. Close Windows Explorer and reopen Netscape, you will have to download the newsgroup list again and re-subscribe.