Frequently Asked Questions About Newsgroups on MSNLast reviewed: October 15, 1997Article ID: Q174138 |
The information in this article applies to:
SUMMARYThis article lists frequently asked questions about newsgroups on MSN, The Microsoft Network.
MORE INFORMATIONThe frequently asked questions are arranged in the following sections:
Bulletin Boards1. Q. What is a bulletin board?
A. A bulletin board is an area where MSN members can post questions
and view posted answers from the bulletin board's manager. A member
can also read questions and answers posted by other members. Each
bulletin board is organized by topic. MSN bulletin boards are
newsgroups that hold MSN content. These bulletin boards are stored
on the MSNNews server.
2. Q. How do I view MSN bulletin board content?
A. In MSN Program Viewer, click any link to a bulletin board. For
example, the Communicate Home Page has links to bulletin boards.
3. Q. Who can exclude me from a forum chat or bulletin board?
A. Exclusion from forum chats and bulletin boards is at the discretion
of the individual forum manager.
Forums1. Q. What are forums?
A. Forums are public meeting areas where MSN members can discuss ideas,
gather information, or find out what other people have to say. Each
MSN forum is centered around a specific subject, theme, or hobby.
There are about 80 special-interest forums on MSN.
2. Q. How do I find a forum on MSN?
A. To find a forum, click MSN Forums on the Communicate home page, and
then click the forum you want to view.
3. Q. Who do I contact if I have a problem in a forum?
A. If you have a problem, contact the forum manager for that forum.
4. Q. How do I contact a forum manager?
A. To contact a forum manager, follow these steps:
1. In the forum, click Information.
2. Send e-mail with your question to the listed forum manager.
5. Q. How do I apply to become a forum assistant, host, or manager?
A. If you would like to become a forum assistant or host, apply to the
forum manager of the forum that you want to assist or host. If you
would like to become a forum manager, e-mail your resume and
proposal to: Content_Provider. Include a list of your interests and
hobbies.
Newsgroups1. Q. What is a newsgroup?
A. A newsgroup is a public bulletin board where Internet users can
post, read, and reply to messages that anyone can see. An Internet
newsgroup can contain hundreds or thousands of articles posted each
day from all over the world. These newsgroups originate outside of
MSN, and we have no control over the names of the newsgroups or the
content of any newsgroup messages. MSN carries newsgroups as part
of the service to members, but we do not monitor or claim any
responsibility for what is contained in these groups.
2. Q. How do I subscribe to a newsgroup?
A. To subscribe to a newsgroup, follow these steps:
1. In the Newsgroups box, click the Newsgroups icon.
2. If a News Servers list is displayed, click one of the servers to
select it.
3. Scroll down the newsgroup list. Click one of the newsgroups to
select it.
4. Click Subscribe.
3. Q. How do I cancel my subscription to a newsgroup?
A. To cancel a subscription, on the News menu, click Unsubscribe from
this Newsgroup.
4. Q. How do I view Internet newsgroups?
A. Throughout MSN, there are links to bulletin boards and newsgroups.
Click the Communicate page for access to many of them.
To access newsgroups, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click Internet News.
2. Click Newsgroups.
5. Q. Why are newsgroup messages no longer posted when I return to a
newsgroup?
A. Actually, those messages are usually still there. The default in
Internet News is set to eliminate messages that you have already
read. To change this or to check for messages that you have read
before, click All Messages on the View menu. In a minute or two the
messages reappear.
6. Q. Is there an extra charge for subscribing to a newsgroup?
A. There is no extra charge for subscribing to a newsgroup. The term
"subscribe" means that your newsgroup reader will keep track of the
messages you have read and downloaded from visit to visit. You can
subscribe and unsubscribe at any time with no additional charge.
7. Q. Why am I unable to find an Internet newsgroup that I believe should
be there?
A. MSN tries to keep its feed as current as possible, but occasionally
we do miss a new group or fall behind. If you send an e-mail message
to newsmaster@msn.com, we may be able to get the group up more
quickly.
8. Q. How long are newsgroup messages kept on MSN?
A. Currently, messages on MSNNews are kept for 2200 hours (about
92 days). The NetNews server only serves as a feed, and does not
determine message duration.
9. Q. How do I read newsgroup messages offline?
A. Once you download the newsgroup message you want to read, you can
disconnect from your Internet service provider (ISP) and read the
message offline. To download messages in a newsgroup, follow these
steps:
1. In the message list, click the message you want to download. To
select more than one message for downloading, hold down the CTRL
key while clicking each message.
2. On the Off-line menu, click Mark Message For Download.
3. On the Off-line menu, click Post And Download.
4. Click File, and then click Disconnect.
10. Q. Why am I unable to access a newsgroup that appears in the newsgroup
list?
A. You may not be able to access the newsgroup because it has been
removed from the server. You can determine this by resetting the
newsgroup list. If the title of the newsgroup no longer appears in
the list, it has been removed.
To reset the newsgroup list, use the following steps:
1. Click Internet Community (Culture/Newsgroups) located on
the Communicate page in MSN.
2. Click Internet News Groups.
3. Double-click Try Newsgroups Now!
4. Click Newsgroups.
5. In the News Servers box, click the Newsgroup icon of the
newsgroup you usually access.
6. Click Reset List.
7. Look in the list of Newsgroups to see if your newsgroup is still
listed. If not, the newsgroup has been removed from the server.
If it is still listed, try to access it again.
Reading and Posting Messages1. Q. How do I post a new message to a newsgroup?
A. To post a new message to a newsgroup, use the following steps:
1. On the News menu, click New Message To Newsgroup.
2. In the Newsgroups box, type the names of any other newsgroups you
want to post the message to, separating each name with a
semicolon (;).
3. Type the subject of your message. Internet News does not post
messages without a subject.
4. Type your message.
5. On the File menu, click Post Message.
2. Q. How do I post a reply to a newsgroup message?
A. To post a reply to a message, use the following steps:
1. Click the message you want to reply to in the list of messages.
2. On the News menu, click Reply To Group.
3. In the Newsgroups box, type the names of any other newsgroups on
the same server you want to post the reply to, separating each
name with a semicolon (;).
4. Type the subject of your message. Internet News does not post
messages without a subject.
5. Type your message.
6. On the File menu, click Post Message.
3. Q. How do I post a reply to the author of a newsgroup message?
A. To post a reply to the author of a newsgroup message, use the
following steps:
1. Click the message you want to reply to in the list of messages.
2. On the News menu, click Reply to Author.
3. In the Newsgroups box, type the names of any other newsgroups on
the same server you want to post the reply to, separating each
name with a semicolon (;).
4. Type the subject of your message. Internet News does not post
messages without a subject.
5. Type your message.
6. On the File menu, click Post Message.
4. Q. How do I reply by mail to the author of a newsgroup message and other
recipients?
A. To reply to a newgroup message by mail, use the following steps:
1. Click the message you want to reply to in the list of messages.
2. On the News menu, click Reply To Author. To send the message to
other individuals, type the e-mail name of each recipient you want
to send the message to in the To or Cc boxes, separating each name
with a semicolon (;).
3. Type your message.
4. On the File menu, click Send Message.
5. Q. How do I view messages that I have posted?
A. In the Newsgroups box, click Posted Messages.
6. Q. Is it possible to post a message to multiple newsgroups?
A. You can post a message to multiple newsgroups that are on the same
news server.
7. Q. What are my options for posting replies to a newsgroup?
A. To view the options in Internet News, use the following steps:
1. On the News menu, click Options.
2. On the Send tab, you see the following options:
- When posting, save a copy in the 'Posted Messages' folder
- When selecting, automatically select entire word
- Include original message in reply
- Break apart messages larger than ___ KB
8. Q. How do I align a paragraph?
A. To align a paragraph, use the following steps:
1. Click the paragraph you want to format.
2. On the Format menu, click Paragraph.
3. Click the alignment you want, and then click OK.
9. Q. How Do I Change the Font Type, Style, or Size?
A. To change the font, use the following steps:
1. Click to select the text you want to format.
2. On the Format menu, click Font.
3. Click the font type, style, or size you prefer.
10. Q. How do I use HTML formatting in outgoing messages?
A. To configure outgoing messages to use HTML, use the following steps:
1. On the News menu, click Options.
2. On the Send tab, click HTML.
3. Click OK.
NOTE: If the recipient's mail or news program does not read HTML
formatting, the message appears as plain text with an HTML file
attached. The recipient can view the attached file with HTML
formatting by opening it in any Web browser.
11. Q. How do I check for valid e-mail names and address book contacts?
A. With a news message open, click Check Names on the News menu. If a
name matches an address book entry or is in the correct format for
an e-mail name (name@company), then it is a valid e-mail name, and
is underlined. Note that this does not mean the e-mail name actually
exists. If the e-mail name is not valid, then the name and some
possible matches are displayed.
12. Q. How do I use the spelling checker with a newsgroup message?
A. To check the spelling in one newsgroup message, use method 1. To
configure Internet News to check the spelling in all messages that
you send, use method 2.
Method 1
--------
1. On the File menu, click New Message.
2. Type your message, click Check Spelling on the News menu.
Method 2
--------
1. On the News menu, click Options.
2. On the Spelling tab, click the Always Check Spelling Before
Sending box.
NOTE: If you do not have Microsoft Office 95/97 installed on your
computer, the Check Spelling command is not available. Internet News
uses the spelling checker provided with Office 95/97.
13. Q. How do I configure messages to be marked as read after previewing
them?
A. To mark previewed messages as read, use the following steps:
1. On the News menu, click Options.
2. On the Read tab, click the "Message is read after being previewed
for x second(s)" check box.
14. Q. How do I mark a read message as unread?
A. To mark a message as unread, use the following steps:
1. In the list of messages, click the first message in the thread.
2. On the Edit menu, click Mark As Unread.
15. Q. How do I mark an individual message as read?
A. To mark an individual message as read, use the following steps:
1. In the list of messages, click the first message in the thread.
2. On the Edit menu, click Mark As Read.
16. Q. How do I expand or collapse all of the threads in the list of
messages?
A. To expand or collapse all of the threads in the list of messages,
use the following steps:
1. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
2. On the View menu, click Expand or Collapse.
17. Q. How do I decode messages?
A. To decode messages, use the following steps:
1. In the list of messages, click the message you want to decode.
2. On the News menu, click Combine And Decode.
3. In the Decode Order list, put the messages into the correct order.
Note that the correct order can vary depending on the program used
to post the message. For example, the list of messages may contain
the values 1/x, 2/x, and 3/x, in the subject lines of a three part
message.
4. Click OK.
18. Q. When I Try to Reply to a message, why do I Receive the message: "One
or More Newsgroup Names Could Not Be Verified. Do You Want To Post
This Message Anyway?"
A. If you receive this error message, it may be because the newsgroup
name has been deleted or changed. You can correct this by resetting
the Msnnews.msn.com list.
To reset the Msnnews.msn.com list, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, and then click
Internet News.
2. When you see the Sign-In screen, click Cancel.
3. Click Newsgroups.
4. Click the Msnnews.msn.com icon located in the News Servers box.
5. Click Reset List.
6. When you see the Sign-In screen, click OK.
Internet News1. Q. What is Internet News?
A. Internet News is a program you can use to view both MSN bulletin
boards and Internet newsgroups. Within this program, both Internet
newsgroups and MSN bulletin boards are referred to as newsgroups.
2. Q. How do I uninstall Internet Mail and News?
A. To uninstall Internet News and Mail, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. Click the Install/Uninstall tab.
4. In the list of installed programs, click Internet Mail And News.
5. Click Add/Remove.
3. Q. What are the paper clips in the newsgroup messages, and how do I
open attachments?
A. Paper clips are symbols for file attachments. To view an attachment,
click the paper clip icon. It displays the file type as well as the
size. To open the attachment, click the file, move the mouse pointer
onto the file, and open it when you are prompted.
4. Q. How do I clean up the news files stored on my computer?
A. Internet News stores information about newsgroups and messages in
files kept locally on your computer. This reduces the amount of
traffic (and connection time) necessary to browse through newsgroups
and messages. To clear out these files, use the following steps:
1. On the File menu of the Newsgroups box, click Clean Up Files,
and then click Delete.
2. When you are prompted if you are sure you want to delete all your
newsgroup files, click Yes.
3. Click Close.
5. Q. What is a thread?
A. A thread is an original message and any posted replies. Threads are
sorted and grouped according to the original title. For example, a
thread that starts with a message titled "Please do not post
binaries in this newsgroup" includes all of the replies titled "RE:
Please do not post binaries in this newsgroup."
If you reply to a message and change the title, you start a new
thread. For example, posting a reply titled "Let's end this thread:
Please do not post binaries in this newsgroup" starts a new thread.
6. Q. How do I view messages by thread?
A. To view messages by thread, follow these steps:
1. On the View menu, point to Sort By.
2. Click Group Messages By Thread.
You can also expand or collapse individual threads by clicking the
plus (+) or minus (-) sign next to the original message, or by
clicking the message and then clicking Expand or Collapse on the
View menu.
7. Q. What is SPAM? How do I avoid becoming a SPAMMER?
A. By definition, SPAM is posting the same or a very similar article
to 20 or more newsgroups. This is based entirely on quantity, not
content. You might post the cure for cancer to 20 newsgroups, and it
would still be SPAM.
In addition, some e-mail items are determined by Internet consensus
to be SPAM, even if someone posts the message only once. This is
simply because similar articles already have been posted thousands
of times. Items in this category include pyramid scams, MLM schemes,
1-900 advertisements, and chain letters. Sending unsolicited e-mail,
especially commercially related e-mail, normally is classified as
SPAM.
MSN does not tolerate SPAM sent by its members. If you send SPAM,
you may receive a warning letter from the MSN Postmaster or MSN
Management in a minor case. In a more serious case, MSN may
terminate your account.
To avoid becoming a SPAMMER, do not send SPAM.
For additional information please see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q137107 TITLE : Questions and Answers About Newsgroups on The MS Network ARTICLE-ID: Q140283 TITLE : Full Access Request Required to View All Newsgroups ARTICLE-ID: Q151509 TITLE : How To Install Internet News ARTICLE-ID: Q160984 TITLE : Setting Up MS Internet News to Work with MSN ARTICLE-ID: Q131810 TITLE : Internet Newsgroups Shown as Bulletin Board Type |
Additional query words: 1.00 2.00 2.50
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