The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Melb PC User Group Newsgroups Bob Thomas |
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An introduction to the world of newsgroups and in particular the Melb PC newsgroups |
What is a newsgroup? A newsgroup is an electronic meeting place where like-minded individuals gather and exchange views on topics of mutual interest. It's 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 to. You go online, 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
Saturday? and other "Bill" enthusiasts will write back with detailed accounts of
who did what to whom in last Saturday's episode. 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. 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 that there's 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're not easily shocked!
Active participation isn't compulsory, and newsgroups are designed so that you
can follow the conversations of other participants without them ever being aware
that you're 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 anonymous.
Observing in this way is known as "lurking".
Lurking
Lurking might seem a little voyeuristic, but it's 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, 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. 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 back into cyberspace without anyone
knowing you were there. Many groups post 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!
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 couldn't 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. So, since February 2002, Melb PC has made
access available to all members, no matter where they obtain their Internet
access.
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This means that some 2000 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 once asked 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. (For those new to computers melbpc.computing.novices
melbpc.general's appeal lies in the fact that its only accessible by our members. Every participant is a Melb PC member and conversations aren't hijacked by the numerous "loose cannons" that frequent many of the global newsgroups. No-one moderates our conversations, and nothing is completely 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 any of these. A sense
of humour is an advantage and a sense of the ridiculous, even better.
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 teenyboppers and it's one of the few places where the references aren't almost exclusively American.
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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're 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'll find a wide assortment of individuals
such as 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
actually are part of a computer group.
In the years that I've been a member of this village I've discovered good and
lasting friendships which have continued into the outside world. I've also
encountered some total dunderheads and a whole spectrum in between. I've learned
a lot, and being part of that spectrum
I hope that in turn I've 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 can't 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 large 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 PC and
a connection to the Internet.
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 delurking 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 and edited by Barry Carle with permission of the author, from the
March 2002 issue of PC Update.
Reprinted from the March 2008 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
