*** ANSWERMAN INTERNET EXTRA *** For the week of October 21, 1996 This is the weekly newsletter for the community of Internet users on America Online. Come see what's new at keyword ANSWERMAN. To unsubscribe from this newsletter, scroll down to the end of this message for instructions. *This week, AnswerMan's Focus is Usenet* =*=*= IN THIS ISSUE =*=*= AnswerMan's Update -- Groovin' the Usenet Thang Purple's Picks -- Fishing for the Perfect Newsgroup Upcoming Weekly Focus & Chats -- What's on Tap in AnswerMan? The End -- How to contact us or unsubscribe =*=*= WHAT YOU CAN DO THIS WEEK WITH ANSWERMAN =*=*= Go to keyword: For: ANSWERMAN Internet message board, daily tips, other good stuff AM FOCUS Links to useful sites organized by topic AM CHAT Read transcripts of Internet chats that you missed AM GLOSSARY RTFM to decrypt that Internet jargon NET HELP Get quick help for your Internet questions Here's a direct link for AOL 3.0 users: Go to keyword AnswerMan. =*=*= ANSWERMAN'S UPDATE -- Groovin' the Usenet Thang =*=*= I love to write about Usenet, because it is one of the most fun, useful, and downright interesting components of the Internet. Not as sexy as the Web, not as easy to learn as the Web...OK, Usenet is everything that the Web isn't. But it's worth learning to use Usenet, because you'll get a lot out of it. I've put a whole lot of information about using Usenet in the AnswerMan Focus (at keyword AM FOCUS.) Here's the brief rundown for the uninitiated: Usenet is the bulletin board of the Internet, where you can read and post messages on any topic under the sun. Any topic? Well, there are more than 25,000 individual topics -- called newsgroups -- so chances are excellent that you'll find someone who wants to talk about whatever it is that you want to talk about. Within each newsgroup you'll find several "threads" of conversation on that topic. After you've read a newsgroup for a while, you might want to post a message and add to the verbal morass. So, you can swap jokes on rec.humor, find out about new Internet sites on comp.internet.net-happenings, talk about fashion trends in alt.fashion, or complain about the Tax Man in misc.taxes. CJ Purple should start reading misc.kids, I should read alt.recovery.procrastinate, and everyone should read alt.elvis.sighting (just kidding.) You'll be able to save your list of favorite newsgroups, and every time you check back, the AOL newsreader will show you the messages that are new since last time. The good news: there's lots of interesting stuff -- the bad news: there's lots of interesting stuff. Some newsgroups get dozens of new messages each day. A few get hundreds. Most newsgroups are dedicated to discussion, but a few are used instead for "binary postings." Folks post graphics and sound files, shareware programs and other good stuff. Those goodies are encoded and broken into small chunks. If you want to download any, the newsreader's "FileGrabber" will automatically decode the files and download them to your hard disk. You can start using Usenet by going to keyword NEWSGROUPS. Please read the starter information there and at keyword AM FOCUS before you jump into the conversation. You (and the rest of Usenet's denizens) will be glad you did. Once you do, you'll like Usenet as much as I do. Here are direct links for AOL 3.0 users: AnswerMan Focus. Keyword: Newsgroups. =*=*= PURPLE'S PICKS -- Fishing for the Perfect Newsgroup =*=*= Well folks, this is my last column before I depart on maternity leave. The baby is due on Sunday (the 27th) and I'm hoping not to be available to write next week's column during this week. :-> Those of you who have been subscribers from the start (at the speedy rate the newsletter's readership is growing, that's actually a very small percentage) may remember that my second column dealt with search databases for Usenet newsgroups. You can review that column (or any other archived newsletters) at Keyword: AnswerMan. Click on Internet Newsletter, then on Newsletter Archives. For the Usenet Column, you want the one dated May 5, 1996. I've got a few more Usenet reference sites that I hope you'll find helpful. The first is the Usenet Info Center Launch Pad at http://sunsite.unc.edu/usenet-i/. From here you can get help with Usenet, browse the list of newsgroups, search for a particular Usenet group, and access the FAQs of the various newsgroups. (FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions and most of the more popular newsgroups publish a FAQ document that explains the rules and etiquette for posting to that group. If you don't want to get flamed or are determined to change the poor image of the typical AOL user that many Usenet users have, these FAQs are really important to read.) The Cyberfiber Newsgroups Directory (http://www.cyberfiber.com/news/) is a directory of Usenet groups by topic -- anything from animals and pets to public affairs to transportation and travel, and lots of stuff in-between. This is a good alternative way to search for a newsgroup you might want to join, especially if you have an area of general interest rather than a specific topic. Another way of searching the available Newsgroups is Anchorman (http://www.ph.tn.tudelft.nl/People/pierre/anchorman/Amn.html) which organizes the list of the Newsgroups by hierarchy, shows you the number of groups in each category and is frequently updated. Finally, many many people use Usenet for buying and selling everything from their used computer to a vacation house on the lake. If you are interested in exploring this method of doing business, check out the Usenet Marketplace FAQ, which is a how-to for all the misc.forsale and biz.marketplace newsgroups. Point your browser to http://www.phoenix.net/~lilden/FAQ. I think you'll find familiarizing yourself with how the system works before you try to buy or sell on the Internet will yield you better results in the long run. Remember, I am always available via e-mail at CJ Purple, if you are writing from within AOL, or at cjpurple@aol.com from another service. Hope to see you in a couple of months! :-> Here are direct links for AOL 3.0 users: Usenet Info Center Cyberfiber Directory Anchorman Usenet Marketplace FAQ =*=*= THE WEEKLY FOCUS & CHAT =*=*= Every week, AnswerMan focuses on a particular facet of using the Internet. Here's what's going on this week. Live chat on Sunday, October 27, 6PM ET - Everything You Ever Wanted To Know about Newsgroups - Usenet is the largest public forum in the history of humanity. You can use it to discuss any imaginable topic from bonsai to basketball. During this hour, AnswerMan will show you how to read Usenet newsgroups, find the discussions you are interested in, and explore the issues to know about before you post your first message. , here are the Weekly Focus topics we'll be covering in the near future: Oct 28 - Nov 3: Music sites Nov 4 - Nov 10: Don't You Believe It - Net Frauds Nov 11 - Nov 17: Investment Planning Nov 18 - Nov 24: Introduction to files and FTP Nov 25 - Dec 1: Internet for Travelers Here are direct links for AOL 3.0 users: Go to the AnswerMan Chat. AnswerMan Focus. =*=*= THE END =*=*= That's all for this week. Got comments about this newsletter? We want to hear them! Send 'em to AnswerMan. The e-mail address is "AnswerMan@aol.com". There are two easy ways to unsubscribe yourself from the AnswerMan mailing list. You can use either. #1: send an e-mail message -- To: LISTSERV@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Subject: UNSUBSCRIBE Body: UNSUBSCRIBE ANSWERMAN #2: If you are a Windows AOL user -- Go to keyword ANSWERMAN Press the 'Internet Extra Newsletter' button Press 'Unsubscribe'. Here's a direct link to the unsubscribe page for AOL 3.0 users: Go to the unsubscribe page. Copyright 1996 by America Online. All rights reserved. Made from 100% recycled electrons.