Listserv and Newsgroups BCIS 82 Introduction to the Internet Marge Hohly
Names for Listserv? E-conference List Processor Mail Reflectors Mailing Lists Mailserv
What’s a Listserv? E-conference (discussion group) Topical in nature Questions and Answer (problem solving) One address for many people Two way communication Delivery by e-mail
What is a Newsgroup? Collection of tens of thousands of electronic bulletin boards subdivided by topic Post messages called ‘articles’
Guidelines for Listserv and Newsgroups Check out FAQ’s when available Generally business advertising and “off-topic” articles not appreciated Vicious replies called “flames” should be avoided Messages and articles are generally the author’s OPINION
Listserv vs. Newsgroups Distribute by e-mail Subscribe to Topical in nature Problem Solving Not real-time Stays in mailbox until deleted Newsgroup Posted to central site Don’t need to subscribe - called register Topical in nature Problem Solving not real-time Posted for fixed time period
How to find a Listserv Use Liszt http://www.Liszt.com Global Search Send message to listserv@kentvm.kent.edu Message should be as follows: list global /topic (where you choose a topic) Results will be emailed back to you
Subscribing to Listserv or Mailserv Two parts to a listserv/mailserv Managing software (no people) subscribe and unsubscribe to list help (commands) general information about list and listserv To join a List (members of discussion group) Send message to Mailserv@cerritos.edu no subject subscribe cctc-list@cerritos.edu
Communicate with members of List To communicate with members on list send message to cctc-list@cerritos.edu CC: yourself Subject: (should reflect topic of communication) Reply to members of list or individual when reading message type REPLY cc:cctc-list (this returns message to all on list) If reply to only one person, place correct to: address
Newsgroup sources http://www.liszt.com/news/ http://www.deganews.com Alpha system Newsgroups (information on another slide) Newsgroup Hierarchies http://home.magmacom.com/~leisen/master_list.html http://sol.csd.unb.ca/0/FAQ/newsgroups (list of newsgroups)
Newsgroup Hierarchies Newsgroup names usually consist of three words separated by periods (dots) First name is newsgroup category Left to Right is general to specific comp.infosystems.www.browsers.ms-windows
Newsgroup common categories alt - “alternative” newsgroups biz - business comp - computer hardware and software k12 - education misc - odd topics that don’t fit anywhere else news - information about the newsgroups rec - sports, music, dance, games, hobbies sci - science soc - social and cultural topics talk - heated discussions on controversial issues