Usenet Learning Center
So, what is Usenet? Well, unless you are a super geek or a web head from way back before we
ever coined the phrase “World Wide Web,” you're thinking "Wow”, “Cool,” this Usenet stuff must be
new - I've never heard of it before"; We hate to burst your bubble, but you could not be further
from the truth. The Usenet is one of the oldest communities and networks still up and running
today. We invite you to go check out the
HISTORY OF THE USENET on the right to find out more.
The Usenet actually predates what most people think of as "The Internet." The Usenet is the
first network technology that allowed for easy communication between educational institutions
(colleges) before the internet ever existed. The first Usenet servers were brought online at
Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980. To get a better
grasp of what the Usenet is and how it works, you can think of it as a combination of an email
and a threaded bulletin board system - very similar to our modern day internet forums. The
messages that make up the Usenet are referred to as news and these messages are broken
 out by subject into categories called newsgroups (eg. math,sci). Each newsgroup is made up of threaded discussions where people come together and talk about the things they love. The Usenet can also be an awesome resource for really cool information; Let’s say you want to know how to install a three way wall switch in your home, no problem – all we have to do is post a question asking “How do you install a 3 way wall switch?” to the newsgroup alt.home.repair – and if all goes well a fellow DIY guru will come along and reply back and tell you how to get started. Over the last 32 years the Usenet has absolutely exploded into an incredible community with most premium Usenet providers carrying 110,000+ newsgroups with content and discussions spanning literally thousands of different topics. Today the Usenet has evolved into the largest user-generated interactive discussion space on the internet, serving as a home to text discussion groups and binary file groups. WHAT'S ON THE USENET on the right will show you what you can find on the Usenet. If your wondering what is on the Usenet, the short answer is simply YES, IT'S HERE. This is the Internet or more specifically, the oldest form of the internet. It's all here - Anything the human mind can dream up or create can and will be found on the Usenet. With the power of the Usenet, the digital world is literally at your fingertips. We want you to discuss until you can’t discuss no more. Our goal is to teach you what you need to know to get started and leave you open and free to experience the Usenet any way you like. The one and only thing we ask is that when you learn something here, go and share this site with a friend. |
Course Sections Downloading From Usenet: Reading Usenet Text Groups: Usenet Providers Ready to start using Usenet? We recommend the following news providers who have partnered with us to contribute to this project. If you find this site helpful please signup with one of these providers so we can keep things up and running. Thanks! Easynews Newshosting Usenetserver |
