Internet: Many-to-Many Communication

This page:
Mailing Lists | Discussion Groups | IRC

Mailing Lists

• Internet Mailing Lists Guides and Resources (IFLA)

Directories:

• Cata-list - The official catalog of Listserv lists (L-Soft)
• Lists (Tile.net)
• ListTool - Helps you subscribe to lists via the Web

Sites That Host Many Lists:

• Google Groups - Includes groups that are just on Google, as well as open Usenet groups (see below)
• Topica hosts thousands of mailing lists

Index/Search Engine:

• Mail Archive - Archive of millions of messages from thousands of mailing lists

Discussion Groups

See also Virtual Communities, such as MySpace and Facebook.

• Google Groups - Read and post to Usenet newsgroups and Google-only (non-Usenet) groups. (The Usenet archive came from the old Deja News site)

Usenet Newsgroups:

You can read newsgroups with your browser or with special newsreader software. (You'll need to ask your ISP for the name of the news server you will connect to.) Or you can go through a Web gateway, such as Google Groups, below.

Directories:

• Harley Hahn's Master List of Usenet Newsgroups
• SuperNews is another site that will let you read newsgroups via the Web, but they charge for the privilege after an evaluation period.
• Tile.net Newsgroups - "The reference to Usenet newsgroups"
• Usenet Info Center Launch Pad

Usenet Tracking:

• PubSub - Track newsgroups (and more) via RSS

Usenet Archives:

• Google Groups (Formerly Deja News)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from Usenet:

The FAQ got its start on Usenet. Newsgroup regulars saw the same questions over and over, so they collaborated to write answers, which they post regularly. FAQs can be a good source of information for almost any subject.

• Internet [sic] FAQ Archives (FAQS.org)
• RTFM at MIT [FTP]
• news.answers FAQs Archive - Search full-text with WAIS-to-WWW

Usenet Culture:

• Abusing References - Advice on supporting your position with references (Richard Harter)
• alt.atheism FAQ on logic - Useful reading for anyone involved in Usenet arguments discussions
• Chat, Usenet, and Text Message Acronyms and Abbreviations
• Emily Postnews - She answers your Usenet etiquette questions
• Godwin's Law of Nazi Analogies
• The net.legends FAQ - What you need to know about those who have made themselves legendary on the 'Net
• 101 Ways to be Obnoxious on Usenet

I hope this hasn't scared you away from Usenet. Take a look at my Rec.arts.books page for a glimpse of one Usenet community.

• See also Internet News and Culture

Web Forums:

Web forums are available on these sites. They are not Usenet groups, however.

• Delphi Forums
• ezboard
• Yahoo Groups

Web Directory:

• Big Boards - Directory of the largest forums

IRC

IRC = Internet Relay Chat

• Internet Relay Chat (IRC) (Living Internet)