Newsgroups: a starting point.

It can be quite a daunting task when you first start using your newsreader and reading newsgroups. We have put together this page in the hopes that it will answer some basic questions.

• How do I subscribe to newsgroups?
• How Do I Read Newsgroups?
• How Do I Post to Newsgroups?

How Do I Subscribe to Newsgroups?

At the time of this writing, there are approximately 40,000 newsgroups available. And that number is constantly growing. Obviously, there is no way you will want to (or be able to) follow 40,000 different discussions at once. In order to manage this information overload, you can subscribe and unsubscribe from newsgroups in which you are interested. Generally, people subscribe to a handful of newsgroups which interest them.

First you will want to see a list of newsgroups to choose from. Once you see the list, you can choose a couple to subscribe to.

1. If this is your first time using Outlook Express, it will need to download a list of groups from the news server. This process should start automatically, and may take several minutes.
   
2. You will then be presented with a list of groups.
   

   Scroll through the list and click on the subscribe button for any newsgroups that you want to read. A small newspaper icon will appear next to your subscribed groups. You can also search for a particular subject by typing a key word in the box labeled "Display newsgroups which contain".

3. When you are finished subscribing, click on Ok to return to the main Outlook Express screen.

How Do I Read Newsgroups?

Now that you have subscribed to a newsgroup or two, you will want to read the messages in it.

1. On the Outlook Express toolbar, select a subscribed newsgroup from the News pull down menu.
2. Outlook Express will then download a list of message titles for the Newsgroup you selected from the news server.
3. Click on the title of a message which interests you, and its text will appear in the lower half of the Outlook Express window.
4. To select another message, simply click on another message title.

   You may notice that some messages have small 'plus' signs next to them. This means that there are additional, related messages currently hidden from view. If you click on the plus signs, you will see the titles of the rest of the related messages in the discussion 'thread

How Do I Post to Newsgroups?

The Newsgroups are not only about reading. Your contribution is welcomed as well. Here is how to post to a newsgroup.

1. From the News pull down menu on the Outlook Express toolbar, select the newsgroup to which you would like to post a message.
2. Click on the "New Message" button on the toolbar. The message composer window will appear.
3. Type a subject line, and then your message in the window that appears.
4. Click on the Send button (the icon that looks like a stick pin and a sheet of paper). That's it! You've posted your first Newsgroup message! Due to the way that News servers work, your posted message may not appear immediately in the newsgroup to which you posted. Be patient. It will appear after a few minutes