Usenet Text Newsgroups as a Research Tool

From the earliest days of its history, the Usenet system has helped people share knowledge and get answers to important questions. Over two decades later, Usenet newsgroups have grown into a vast information resource, letting researchers pick the brains of thousands of experts in topics ranging from science to the arts.

Usenet is also useful for technical support. There’s a Usenet newsgroup for many major computer applications, operating systems, and hardware items. For that tricky problem the manual doesn’t seem to cover, Usenet is one place to turn.

Finding the Right Usenet Newsgroup

Because of its endless scope, the Usenet system can seem overwhelming to the first-time researcher. Fortunately, Usenet’s hierarchy helps tame the clutter. The most widely-used newsgroups are located within the so-called “big eight” hierarchies: comp, humanities, misc, news, rec, sci, soc, and talk. But while these are a good place to start, there are more newsgroups to explore: There are close to 1,000 top-level hierarchies, including the anything-goes alt hierarchy.

When you find postings that match your topic, note which newsgroups they’re in (many messages are cross-posted to more than one newsgroup). This will help you decide which newsgroups to focus on in your research.

Many software and hardware companies, such as Microsoft, Adobe, and 3Com, have their own hierarchies of newsgroups, monitored by expert users and sometimes company employees.

Getting Answers with Usenet Newsgroups

With millions of Usenet users across the world, odds are that the questions you need to ask have already been answered. Often, the most common questions and answers are collected in a FAQ (frequently asked questions) document posted to the newsgroup at regular intervals. To find it, search the subject headings for the term “FAQ.” Other places to find FAQs are the .answers group in that hierarchy (for example, sci.answers) and the www.faqs.org website.

Asking Questions in Usenet Newsgroups

When you can’t find the answer you need, it’s time to ask. Remember that many Usenet newsgroups are like little communities, conversations among friends. Approach these users as you would any group of strangers – with courtesy and respect – and you will get more acceptance and support.

When posting a question, be sure to provide enough background information to help someone understand what you’re asking, but avoid excessive detail. For example, when asking about a computer problem, provide the type of computer hardware and operating system you’re using.

Give your message a specific subject line that flags down the people who have the answer you need. A subject line like “Gardening question, can anybody help?” will not get as much response as “Weed killers in arid climates; advice needed.”

Don’t expect an answer right away. It can take many hours, perhaps even days, for your question to travel about the Usenet system and for the answers to return. In a while, you may read several responses with information you need. Eventually, your simple question may blossom into a discussion thread, in which more users chip in additional facts and clarifications. Once you have the facts you need, feel free to send a “thank you” e-mail message to the people who helped you (but don’t post “thank you” messages to the newsgroup itself).

Not every answer you’ll get from Usenet newsgroups will be totally accurate and complete; the more users seem to agree upon an answer, the more accurate it’s likely to be. Whenever possible, verify answers against other sources, such as web sites or printed references. But with patience and practice, Usenet newsgroups can be a vital part of any researcher’s toolkit.