What is Usenet?
Q: What is Usenet?
A: Usenet is a type of discussion system on computers that was created from the Unix-to-Unix Copy (UUCP) dial-up network architecture in 1980.
Q: How does Usenet compare to a bulletin board system (BBS)?
A: Usenet and BBS are similar in many ways, but there are some key differences. For example, usenet has no administrator and the network used to share messages is not constant. Additionally, posts on usenet are stored in order of when they were posted rather than threaded like on BBSs.
Q: Who created the idea for Usenet?
A: Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis began the idea for Usenet in 1979.
Q: How does Usenet work?
A: Messages or articles are posted to one or more categories called newsgroups. The messages are then spread over a large group of news servers which store and forward them to one another. Each user reads messages from and posts messages to a local server which can be operated by anyone.
Q: What made it easier for people to discuss things worldwide in the early 1990s?
A: In the early 1990s, connections via Fidonet's dial-up BBS networks made it easier for people to discuss things worldwide because they did not need their own server - just local telephone service was necessary.
Q: What important ideas or terms were either created on usenet or made popular there?
A: Important ideas or terms such as "FAQ", "flame", sockpuppet, and "spam" were either created on usenet or made popular there.
