A newsgroup is a kind of open discussion group or bulletin board devoted to a specific topic. The Internet is host to thousands of newsgroups on a vast range of topics, not just on the type of news you see on the television or on news websites.
Newsgroups are a useful place to find answers to questions on anything and everything - from gardening to classic cars, from Elvis memorabilia to pianos, cookery to politics. The community vibe is important to many subscribers, and talking to people who have similar interests is one of the main reasons that people come back.
Unlike email when you post a comment or reply to a newsgroup, anyone is able to see your message. This may not sound appealing, but once you've found the answer to question you haven't even asked you'll start to appricate the benefits.
Some groups allow subscribers to post or download not only text, but files like music, pictures or videos, these are known in the newsgroups world as binaries. As always, caution should be used when downloading files from the Internet, but you'll find this a great way to share that killer song you've just mixed.
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