Electronic Mail Discussion Groups and Newsgroups

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C H A P T E R
Electronic Mail Discussion Groups and Newsgroups
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E-Mail Discussion Groups

• Discussion group
• A tool that permits you to read e-mail messages
  others have sent to the discussion group

• Membership allows
• Read e-mail messages others have sent
• Make announcements about upcoming events
• Initiate a discussion of your own

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E-Mail Discussion Groups

• Groups are unmoderated
• Be prepared for flames
• Listserv lists
• Subscribing and unsubscribe

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L-Softs Catalist Search Page
If searching for lists relating to
Telecommunications key this term in the search
box.
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Liszt Discussion List Topical Areas
Since we are seeking information about lists
relating to Telecommunications,we would need to
click on Computers and then Telecommunication.
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How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe to an E-Mail
Discussion Group

• Subscribe
• administrative address
• list address
• Unsubscribe
• administrative address.

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Communicating and Contributing to E-Mail
Discussion Groups
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Proper Etiquette or Behavior in a Discussion Group

• Send messages going to entire list to the list
  address
• Spend time getting to know list
• Write easy-to-read messages
• If replying, include only pertinent portions of
  original message

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Proper Etiquette or Behavior in a Discussion
Group (contd.)

• Posting/sending messages is a public act
• Treat members with respect and courtesy
• Avoid sarcasm and be careful with humor
• Determine if a response should go to list/
  individual
• If pose a question, post summary of responses

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Newsgroups

• Newsgroup
• similar to an electronic mail discussion group
• use e-mail to communicate
• Usenet
• oldest and most popular type of newsgroups

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Usenet Hierarchies
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Usenet Hierarchies
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Using a Newsgroup Reader

• Newsgroup Reader
• needed to read and post messages
• Outlook Express
• e-mail and newsgroup reader packaged with
  Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Posting
• placing a message for others to read

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Parts of the Outlook Express News Window
Menu Bar
Title Bar
Subscribed Newsgroup List
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Starting Outlook Express as a Newsreader
You have two options for starting Outlook Express
as a newsreader

• Internet Explorer
• Choose News from the GO menu.

• Outlook Express
• Select from Programs on the Start menu of Windows
  95/98.

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Starting Outlook Express as a Newsreader
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Downloading Newsgroups
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Subscribing to Newsgroups

• Subscribe
• process of marking the newsgroups that will be
  displayed each time you start
• Click on a newsgroup to select it
• Click on the subscribe button
• An icon will appear next to the newsgroup

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Unsubscribing from Newsgroups

• Point the mouse cursor on the newsgroup's name in
  the Subscribed Newsgroup list and click the right
  button.
• Click Unsubscribe From This Newsgroup

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Reading Newsgroup Postings

• Double-click on the newsgroup name in the
  Newsgroup list
• Click on a message in the Message list
• A portion of the message should be displayed in
  the Preview pane.

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Posting Messages

• Much of the fun of working with newsgroups is
  that you can
• Participate in an ongoing discussion
• Post a New Message
• Reply to an Existing Message