 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group The Melb PC Newsgroups What They Are and Why You Should Be There Bob Thomas |
This is an article for the uninitiated, the Internet novice, or in the language of we seasoned travellers, it is an article for "the newbie". It is an introduction to the world of newsgroups and in particular the Melb PC newsgroups.
What Is a Newsgroup?
"So what is a newsgroup?" I hear you ask. Well, a newsgroup is simply an electronic meeting place where like-minded individuals gather and exchange views on topics of mutual interest. It is not a "real-time" chat room, just a virtual place where people conduct text-based conversations by leaving messages for others to read and respond. You dial up, activate the appropriate software, read the "conversations", and respond to any that interest you. For example, someone might ask the question Does anyone know what happened on "The Bill" last Tuesday?, and other "Bill" enthusiasts will write back with detailed accounts of who did what to whom in last Tuesday's episode of your favourite television program. However, in order for this to succeed you must choose the right newsgroup.
There are over 35,000 newsgroups and if you don't happen to like a particular group you can always choose another. Their focus covers interests as diversified and wide-ranging as the people who visit them. There are newsgroups that specialise in hobbies, sports, intellectual pursuits and of course sex (nothing much happens in the world without sex being involved at some point). No matter what your interest you can be reasonably confident there is a newsgroup for you. Of course there are also a great number of groups which may not be for you, those devoted to various diverse and often bizarre pastimes. Enter these only if you are not easily shocked!
Active participation is not compulsory in any of them, and newsgroups are designed so that you can follow the conversations of other participants without them ever being aware that you are there. In fact this is perhaps the best way to understand and learn about what goes on in a newsgroup, observing what others have to say whilst remaining totally invisible and anonymous. Observing in this way is known as lurking.
Lurking
Lurking might seem a little voyeuristic, but is a perfectly acceptable means of evaluating a newsgroup. Lurking enables you to get a feel for the group, to see what the general conversation is about, to get some idea of the type of people involved, and to decide for yourself whether or not you wish to actively participate. In some instances lurking might be all you ever need to do. Lurking may well allow you to glean enough information for your own purposes. If you simply want to know the answer to a question, and someone in the group has already had the same problem, then the answer may be all you ever need or want from that newsgroup. You can just lurk, learn, and fade silently into cyberspace without anyone knowing you were there. Many groups even post periodic lists of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) which answer the most common issues and save the active participants from having to answer the same questions over and over again.
One of the great benefits of newsgroups is the ability to lurk indefinitely. However, active participation can be infinitely more enjoyable, and most newsgroup participants will welcome the newbie and point them in the right direction.
We Have Our Own!
However, this article isn't just about any newsgroup. It's about our newsgroups, in particular the melbpc.general newsgroup. Melb PC has always had an online presence, commencing with the Bulletin Board System (BBS) that has existed for many years. However, with the advent of the Internet most of the BBS participants migrated to the many global online communities and newsgroups. Our own fledgling newsgroups could not compete with the excitement and newness of the new frontier, and in any event could be accessed only by Melb PC Internet subscribers. Accordingly, what had been a thriving Melb PC communications forum became a more sedate meeting place as many members flocked to the world-wide stage. Since then, the novelty factor of the global Internet has worn off for many, and members are rediscovering the benefits of the newsgroups in their own backyard. Now, as of February 2002, Melb PC has made access available to all members, no matter where they obtain their Internet access. This means that some 4000 additional members can enjoy the benefits of our own newsgroups, specifically designed to meet your needs and wants, and free with every Melb PC membership.
What's So Good About Our Newsgroups?
Most of the thousands of outside newsgroups are very subject-specific. They were created to discuss particular topics, and woe betide contributors whose messages are off-topic. Not only that, but most newsgroups are globally accessible and thus can contain hundreds of messages from all over the world. This is great if you want to compete with hundreds of other people and sift through all their messages trying to isolate those of interest - but not so good if you just want to have a chat, or find out where to get a good jar of blueberry jam (as someone asked recently in melbpc.general). Sure, Melb PC also has its own "purpose-built" newsgroups, such as melbpc.computing.misc but melbpc.general is where you go for a chat about absolutely anything at all.
Melbpc.general's appeal lies in the fact that it is only accessible by our members. Every participant is a Melb PC member and conversations are not hijacked by the numerous "loose canons" who frequent many of the global newsgroups. No-one moderates our conversations, and nothing is off-topic. Everyone lives in or around Melbourne, and most of us recognise each other individually because of the community nature of our group. No-one really cares if you vote Liberal or Labor; whether you're retired or working; male or female, old or young or somewhere in between. A sense of humour is an advantage and a sense of the ridiculous, even better.
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The Melb PC Village
Like its predecessor, the Melb PC Bulletin Board, melbpc.general has always been like our own
village. It has been one of the few newsgroups in Melbourne that isn't occupied by game-dead teeny- boppers,
and one of the few places where the references aren't almost exclusively American. With a strong
representation by the retired and older computer enthusiasts, it welcomes anyone of any age and of any
persuasion who don't take themselves too seriously. This doesn't mean that serious conversations don't have
their place, it's just that most of us prefer to temper our seriousness with a bit of fun, and to remember
that all work and no play makes computer enthusiasts no fun at all.
As a Melb PC member you are automatically a resident of this village, and can wander for as long as you like
through the diversity of opinions without participating. Sometimes there are messages by the dozen - and at
other times nothing much happens. You can lurk if you choose and no-one will arrest you for loitering. A much
more enjoyable experience however can be achieved by participating. You can launch into any conversation at
any time and enjoy the mutual benefits that such conversations bring; offering your own gem of knowledge, wit
or eccentricity as the mood takes you.
Variety
As with any village you will find a wide assortment of individuals ranging from humorists, philosophers,
activists and plain down-to-earth people; a veritable smorgasbord of conversations. We have even had our very
own village idiots from time to time and there are invariably a few resident computer experts if you need to
remind yourself that we are actually part of a computer group. All members are welcome to have their say,
whether your words are profound or just a tad off-centre. Others will enjoy or ignore them, as the case may
be.
In the years that I have been a member of this village I have discovered good and lasting friends.
Friendships which have continued into the outside world. I have also encountered some total dunderheads and a
whole spectrum in between. I have learned a lot, and as part of that spectrum I hope that in turn I have
allowed my own idiosyncratic ways to colour at least some moments in the history and life of the village.
Village life has always had many benefits to both Melb PC and its members. The decision to provide access to
all members is a significant milestone in the group's history. There are many members who for various reasons
cannot take the time to participate in the group's real-life activities due to limitations in terms of time
and or distance. Not many of us want to go out to events in the cold and rain -or to worry about car parking
or getting a seat or going into Melbourne for meetings. Nonetheless many of us can and do benefit from the
wide diversity of opinion, and the depth of knowledge that exists within the ranks of our 10,000 membership.
Whether it be computer guidance, social chit-chat or curiosity about any aspect of life, the newsgroup is the
place to be. If we don't know the answer to your question, or the place to go for advice, then we'll make it
up. If nothing else you'll get a laugh out of the experience. It costs nothing and the doors are open 24
hours a day, seven days a week.
Participation requires little effort, no commitment and yet can reap great rewards for those who get
involved. Not just for advice but for the very real camaraderie that comes with belonging to a group such as
ours. Melb PC is much more than just a group of computer enthusiasts, it can provide varying levels of
rewarding social activity requiring nothing more than a connection with the Internet. All of this and more
from the comfort of your own home. In fact nowhere is there greater potential for the "User helping Users"
philosophy to be realised on a daily basis. However, for that potential to be realised, you the member need
to take that first step into the village. If you don't see anyone you know, just pull up a chair and
introduce yourself. If there's no-one around when you drop in - just leave a message and someone will be sure
to reply. If you're already a lurker, try de-lurking and see how much fun it can be.
A volunteer group such as ours relies entirely upon the enthusiasm of its members, and potentially we can
all get to know a lot more about each other via the newsgroups. Wander in, have a look around and make
yourself at home. You'll be very glad you did - and so will those who are already there.
Reprinted from the March 2002 issue of PC
Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
