Usenet
Usenet, short for User-Network, is a worldwide distributed discussion system available on computers. It was created by Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis in 1979 at Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Usenet is not a single network but rather a set of protocols for servers to exchange messages, forming a distributed message board system.
History and Development
The initial concept of Usenet was to create a decentralized system for sharing information among universities and research institutions. Here are key points in its development:
- 1979: Truscott and Ellis developed the first Usenet system, using the Unix-to-Unix Copy Protocol (UUCP) to connect UNIX systems over telephone lines.
- 1980: The first public announcement of Usenet was made, with the system starting to expand to other universities.
- 1986: The first commercial Usenet newsreader was released by Novell, marking the beginning of Usenet's expansion beyond academic environments.
- 1987: Introduction of the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP), which improved the efficiency of Usenet by allowing for the use of TCP/IP for message transfer.
- 1990s: Usenet became widely popular as the Internet expanded, with many service providers offering access to Usenet groups.
- 2000s: The rise of the World Wide Web and social media platforms began to overshadow Usenet, leading to a decline in its usage.
Structure and Functionality
Usenet operates through newsgroups, which are essentially forums or discussion groups dedicated to specific topics. Here's how it works:
- Newsgroups: Users post articles (messages) to newsgroups, which are categorized into hierarchies like
comp.* for computer-related discussions or rec.* for recreational activities.
- Servers: Usenet servers store these articles, and users connect to these servers to read or post messages. Each server acts both as a client to other servers and as a server to its users.
- Propagation: Articles are propagated through the Usenet network, allowing messages to be available on multiple servers worldwide.
- Retention: The time an article remains on a server, known as retention, varies by server and can be as short as a few days or as long as several months or even years.
Usenet Culture
Usenet has a rich culture with several notable aspects:
- Flamewars: Intense arguments often leading to heated exchanges of messages.
- Netiquette: A set of informal rules for online interaction, which includes not cross-posting excessively and avoiding spam.
- Trolls and Sockpuppets: Users who post inflammatory messages or use multiple identities to manipulate discussions.
Current Status
While not as prominent as during its heyday, Usenet still exists and is used for various purposes, including:
- Discussion groups for niche topics not well-represented on the web.
- File sharing, although this has been controversial due to copyright issues.
- Archival of historical discussions, providing a record of past online conversations.
External Links
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