Visit a newsgroup
Visit a newsgroupWhat is a newsgroup? Read about it in detail.
Newsgroups (often called USENET) are public forums on the net where anyone can ask a question, and usually get an answer from other newsgroup participants, often within hours. Usually, your internet or internet/online service provider will give you a way to read newsgroups.
Many times you can read newsgroup messages and get the answer simply by reading someone else’s question about your exact problem! Like FAQs, there are thousands of newsgroups. Here’s Tile.net News, an index of USENET newsgroups.
Often, vendors run their own newsgroups, with tech support personnel and/or volunteers answering questions. Frequently, this is the only way to have (non-telephone) contact with support people (i.e., they won’t do private email with you).
Just as there are search engines for web pages, there are search engines for newsgroups. Some search engines have options to include newsgroups in your search, or you can try a newsgroup-oriented search engine like DejaNews. Using a search engine on newsgroups is very powerful and can save you a lot time. A big advantage in using newsgroup search engine is that you don't even need to know the name of the newsgroup to read!
If you do post a question to a newsgroup, be sure to include enough information for someone to help you. Include your system, operating system/software versions, amount of RAM, and other information someone might need to help you with your problem. Just saying "it don’t work" won’t help you. (Yes, people do this.)
There is an "etiquette" (netiquette) about newsgroups, and generally you should exhaust other avenues (especially FAQs) before posting a question in a newsgroup. You should read about netiquette before using a newsgroup.
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©1997, Mike Molloy, Mountain Data Systems