Usenet is a worldwide collection of `newsgroups' or discussion forums covering a huge range of topics. Anyone on the Internet can post and read to any newsgroup. There are many thousands of newsgroups and the number is growing all the time.
To access the newsgroups you need to use a news reader. If you are logged into metz or turing with terminal access, use the tin command. tin is a fast, well featured news reader that is quite easy to use.
You can also access newsgroups via Netscape or other programs that can act as an `NNTP19 client'. If you use one of these, usually from your home computer, then you need to `point' the reader at news.une.edu.au, UNE's NNTP server. Your ISP will have their own news server.
Some newsgroups that you may find useful include:
| news.announce.newusers | Explanatory postings for new users |
| comp.os.linux.setup | Linux installation and system administration |
| comp.os.linux.answers | FAQs, How-To's, READMEs, etc. about Linux |