Usenet News

• Usenet News for New Users, or Please Read This Before Posting
• How to Make the Best Use of Usenet News
• How to Configure your News Reader Program to connect to nntp-server.its.caltech.edu - (undergoing revision)
• The basic newsgroups:
  • news.newusers.questions for questions about Usenet News
  • caltech.test or misc.test for test postings
  • news.announce.newusers = hints and rules ("Netiquette")
  • news.answers = answers to frequently asked questions ("FAQ"), also available via WWW and FTP.
• Important Caltech newsgroups to read:
  • caltech.announce
• Usenet News of Interest to users on the ITS UNIX Cluster

Note that if your computer is not part of the Caltech campus network, you will not be able to access the Caltech news server.

How to join Usenet

• First:
  • Learn how to use your newsreader software
  • Read news.newusers.questions and news.announce.newusers
• Then:
  • Post questions to news.newusers.questions
  • Post test messages to caltech.test or misc.test
• Later:
  • Learn about newsgroups, FAQ lists, netiquette, etc.
  • Join other newsgroups

How to participate in Usenet

• Read before posting
• Read the fine manuals (RTFM)
• Get local help
• Do not repeat frequently asked questions (FAQ)
• When in doubt, use e-mail instead of posting (publishing) to a newsgroup
• Follow the "Netiquette" rules and conventions
• Always remember that you are communicating with millions of people all over the world!