<Instructions for this Report>
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Newsgroups resemble open forums on which persons can post questions, responses, or merely comment on a topic at hand. Topics include something as common as "apples" to something as obscure as "intestinal spirochaetosis." In either case, the newsgroups provide one with a virtually limitless source of information. I have never used newsgroups before and the following are my experiences in this new dimension of information.
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Newsgroups
Newsgroup #1
Subject:chameleons and sleep
Date:1999/10/02
"I have a jackson chameleon about 5 months old and lately he is sleeping more than usual...He eats normal and drinks normal...He is the greenest I ever seen him..Is this normal?? Thanks for any responses!!"
Comments:
I found this discussion particularly interesting because I, myself, used to breed and sell Jackson's Chameleons. Unfortunately the author who posted the above query failed to receive any response. It was interesting how fast the subject in the newsgroup changed. The second person wanted to know details about the Jackson's Chameleon because they planned to purchase one and the subsequent responses included discussions on housing conditions of a different species of chameleon.
The people in this particular newsgroup, as a whole, were more than eager to help. The authors ranged from rookie chameleon owners to seasoned breeders. However, the second person in the newsgroup, whether they were aware of it or not, caused the conversation to diverge away from the initial posting. Following posts were aimed at helping that person and not the person whom initiated the topic discussion. Perhaps people should look at the first posting and stick to the subject of that post.
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Newsgroup #2
Subject:Recommendation for a Mini Digital Camcorder
Date:1999/10/16
"I am in the market for a digital camcorder. I like the very small ones, since I think I will use the camcorder much more if I can carry it around everywhere. My wife and I will mainly be using it to record our baby girls, both video and still, both indoors and outdoors. I have narrowed down the choice to the following three: Sony PC-1, JVC GR-DVM70, and Canon's Elura. I would appreciate any comments on which of the three would be a better value for the money. Are there others in that category that I have missed? Again, the first requirement is to have a shirt-pocket size. Thanks much. [ Maged ]
Comments:
I chose this newsgroups because one of my friends is getting married and the rest of my friends and I are planning to buy him a video camera as a wedding gift. There was only one response to the posting above and it was only somewhat helpful. The respondant only commented on one attribute of the camera (the stablizer). This may have been enough details for that person but I would have liked more information. The person here was willing to help but perhaps he didn't have enough information to offer. On the other hand the respondant may have assumed that that was the most important feature and was too pressed for time (or lazy) to comment on any other.
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Newsgroup #3
Subject:final fantasy 8 questions
Date:1999/10/18
"Ok, I've got several questions... I'm on disk 4... already beat adel, done the time warp thing, gone through the portals, and gotten the ragnarok back...Here are my questions...
1. Is there anyway to redo some of the side quests I haven't done? Namely, the vase in Winhill thing.... Then I tried going to the lake by timber.. Am I supposed to throw the rock, hum? Or should i have done it before the time compression?
2. Second question... Am I missing something, or do you have to go to the deep sea research center also before time compression.. I went there and go inside... But have to fight monsters every step.. I've walked around the room, and can't seem to find anywhere else to go.. I haven't gotten bahamut yet, and would reallly love to get him....
3. Where do you have to go once you have seen all 4 UFO sequences? I know you have to go somewhere and fight the UFO, giving him 5 elixirs.. but where?
4. I also don't know if I'm missing something, but people have been talking about the CC members being in various places around the Rag after time compression.. The only one I can find is Joker... Is it too late to get any of the rules taken off? What gives? That's all i've got for now... Any help would be greatly appreciated....Thanks... [ JB ]
Comments:
Final Fantasy VIII is a video game that I play in my free time. I wanted to find some information on the game and sure enough, there was a newsgroup for it.
This newsgroup apparrently is for the "hard core" video game players. All questions related to specific points in the game and the responses were just as detailed. Some of the respondants also were slightly agitated by the advice because it foretold of some events that happen near the end of the game, spoiling some surprises for the slower gamers. In light of this, one should always be aware of the contributors and frequentors of the newsgroup and try not to offend anyone by typing anything that can be interepreted as offensive or is unacceptable for the type of people that the newsgroup services. Obviously, whereas details may be welcome in Newsgroup #2, here they should be given with caution.
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Newsgroup #4
Subject:Re:
Online Ticket Pricing
Date:1999/10/07
"John is correct, it happens all the time. If a low fare goes away on a flight you want then you just keep checking, when they sell a set of higher fares then another at the low fare will usually open up, or if somebody held a reservation and didn't purchase another one will usually open up. I have never not been able to get the lower fare at a later time (sometimes two or three days later) after it was not available.
If you have ticketed at the higher fare, call and they will honor the lower price without a change fee, usually. Some airlines actually have a policy for this on their websites, with instructions on how to do it. To suggest the government needs to be involved in ticket pricing and start regulating it is crazy. An airline can charge what ever they want when ever they want for as long as they want. If somebody doesn't like the price then they shouldn't buy the ticket. Kind of what the whole deregulation thing was about. "
Comments:
I was interested in this newsgroup discussion because I am applying to various west coast graduate schools and am trying to find the cheapest airfare for flying up there for my interviews. I had heard many rumors that buying tickets online was a lot cheaper but was not as flexible. This newsgroup provided a large amount of information on this topic in the discussion.
The discussion consisted of people of all types with a variety of experiences buying tickets online. Some were pleasant and some were not so pleasant. There was one respondant in particular who was extremely dissatisfied with online ticket prchasing. He wrote the entire last several paragraphs in capital letters to emphasize his point as well as his anger. However, he provided detailed warnings as to why not to use those online businesses instead of just venting his frustrations verbally to the other members of the newsgroup. I was impressed that he was able to provide such lucid guidance in spite of his frustration. I will follow his advice and use caution if I decide to purchase tickets online.
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Newsgroup #5
Subject:Re:
pennys line
Date:1999/10/18
"I agree, we'll miss Nick! I've always like him, and hope he continues to do well out west. On the other hand, it's amusing to see that the folks in the Suns newsgroup are already wondering if Penny will be a bust! [ Brady ]
Comments:
The Orlando Magic is my favorite professional basketball team. Unfortunately, the team's owners decided to trade off two of my favorite players, Anfernee Hardaway and Nick Anderson. I chose this newsgroup to check up how each was doing on their new teams.
The discussion originated from a posting of Anfernee Hardaway's stats for the first preseason game. It lead to the posting of Nick Anderson's stats and commentaries about the two players. This newsgroup was frequented by a few Orlando fans who seem to be displeased with the events that led to Anfernee Hardaway's trade and proceed to make snide comments about him.
This site, unlike the other newsgroups, seems to be only for a select group of people: those die hard Orlando Magic fans like myself. As you can see, the respondant above referrs to the Magic in first person possessive as if he as a fan is part of the team and they will express their loyalty to the team openly and confront those who say otherwise. In these types of newsgroups, it is accepted that all discussions will surround supporting the team and comments condemmning the team are unacceptable.
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Newsgroup #6
Subject:Re:
Pikachu a'nt no rat...
Date:1999/10/05
"While there is a rodent called a pika in North America, I think that the Japanese had something else in mind. I remember someone translating the Japanese name "Pikachu" into "Sparklesqueak," which would make sense for the yellow mouse. [ Roberto ]
Comments:
There's no escaping them. Pokemon are everywhere, even on newsgroups. Here, respondants are discussing one of the Pokemon, Pikachu. There is some debate to what exactly a "Pikachu" is.
All fads have fanatics and the Pokemon phenomenon is no different. The respondants have gone as far as to determine what type of animal this Pokemon is and are debating about the topic as if Pokemon were real animals. It is interesting how some fads can initiate such intellectual discussions pertaining to a product of someone's imagination. I wonder if some of the respondants here have accepted the Pokemon universe as their reality. Given certain circumstances, is there no limit to the human imagination?
This newsgroup is specific to those with general knowledge about Pokemon. All others will be lost in the discussion.
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Newsgroup #7
Subject:A
fine start
Date:1999/10/09
"[Review of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace ( Sci-Fi Movies)] Not as exciting as IV, as thrilling as V nor as spectacular as VI; still Episode I sets the stage in style. Actually for story, this is the best.The tale Lucas tells is timeless, in that it reinvents human history in an outworldly environment. Inspiration must of come from Munich'38(betrayal of Naboo for Czechoslovakia), the Venitian trade federation of the middle ages and the fall of the Roman Republic.Bring one II and III - I can hardly wait. "
Comments:
Although I thoughrally enjoyed Episode I: The Phantom Menace there were mixed reviews on the movie within this newsgroup. There were people who thought it was flawless and those that believed that it was the anti-Christ. This type of newsgroup set the stage for debate, prodding respondants to provide a review of the movie. Unlike the respondant in newsgroup #4, one of the dissatisfied viewers chose to use profanity as a means of expressing dislike for the movie instead of presenting a knowledgable and coherent argument supporting her case. Fortunately, there were far more artful critiques of this movie.
In a newsgroup such as this it is impossible to please everyone as it is clear that there are two equally divided sides to the issue. One should regard all other postings with an open mind and avoid assuming that a person who disagrees with your opinion is making a personal attack. It is difficult to find a truly unbiased movie review.
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Newsgroup #8
Subject:Re: Road rage
Date:1999/10/19
"Oh My God! This reminded me of a few years ago when some asshole in a red convertible STOLE MY PARKING SPACE! DAMN HIM! He knew it was mine too! I tracked the man through the store... actually STALKED him. Luckily, by the time I'd worked up the nerve to have it out with him, he was at the dairy aisle, and I was too tired (stalking takes a lot out of you) to do anything but glare at him. Side note: I hate grocery stores. Damn people should leave their children at home, or muzzle them and put 'em on a leash! The end. [ Linda Briteyes]
Comments:
Since the title of this class is "Emotional Intelligence for Drivers," I thought it would be fitting to find a newsgroup on the subject. This newsgroup provides a forum for respondants to post their experiences with "road rage" or any other type of "rage." Unfortunately this newsgroup failed to provide anyone with "emotionally intelligent" ways to deal with rage, rather it merely allowed many to vent their anger. Most of the people who posted comments here seem to be unable to deal with the rage and choose to avoid situations in which they will become enraged such as avoiding high traffic times in supermarkets and restaurants. Avoiding the problem isn't fixing it. Enrolling into this class or a similar one would do them good.
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Newsgroup #9
Subject:Re:
apples what kind
Date:1999/10/13
"A Granny Smith or a similar apple is used quite a bit in baking, as it is a nice firm, tart apple. Given the recipes you cited above, I wonder if a Rome apple wouldn't be a better choice. I noted that your recipes don't call for a lot of sugar and it might be better to use a sweeter apple. The Red Delicious/Golden Delicious apples are too soft, IMHO, although they might work well in the crepe recipe since they're not cooked for a lengthy period of time. I would suggest a firmer apple and thus leave the question of tartness to your own palate. Good luck!"
Comments:
I decided to do a search for newsgroup subjects I mentioned in my Introduction. Here a newsgroup poses the question of what kind of apple would be best for a certain type of recipe. Here respondants prove to be very helpful and specific indicating that this newsgroup is frequented often by those with experience in the culinary arts. Unlike Newsgroup #1 and Newsgroup #2, there is an abundance detailed information on the subject at hand. In many newsgroups offering help and guidance, there is little chance of being offensive as any help, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated.
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Newsgroup #10
Subject:Intestinal
spirochaetosis
Date:1999/10/14
"Is the gut a reservoir for the Lyme spirochete? Abdominal pain & sensitivity is a feature of human Lyme. Gut distension has also been widely reported. Published reports show that spirochetes invade and attach to epithelial cells (see Gebbers JO, Marder HP - Unusual in-vitro formation of cyst like structures associated with human intestinal spirochaetosis, Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 1989;8:302-306). It is proposed that spirochetes can act as intestinal parasites and breach the mucosal barrier. I have noted a good response of Lyme patients to bismuth (Pepto-Bismol). Anyone else see this too?"
Comments:
As I mentioned in Newsgroup#9, I am doing searches of the topics mentioned in my introduction. A spirochaete is a genus of bacteria and is associated with Lyme disease. This newsgroup discusses the association between Lyme disease and gut distention and spirochaete's possible involvement in both. Though the forum appears to be reserved for medical doctors, the last posting seems to be by someone other than a doctor. The fact that they do not know what an "epithelial cell" is reveals that this person does not have an extensive background in medicine as it is required of practicing doctors. Newsgroups such as this one are reserved as a forum for those involved in the particular profession surrounding the subject matter. However, one must keep in mind that anyone can post here and that there could be "fakes." If one is unfamiliar with the subject matter in newsgroups such as these, one should not post. In this case misinformation could possibly lead to someone's death.
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Conclusion
I have never used newsgroups before but I will continue to do so because they are an invaluable source of information. However, one needs to be wary that the information may be inaccurate or highly biased. It is also open to anyone and thus, can fall victim to trouble makers who use it as a medium for practical jokes.
The pros definitely outweigh the cons, though. Here there is virtually a limitless supply of information as well as an easily accessable resource. There are posts going up constantly, resulting in providing the user with the most up to date information (I saw some posts that were responded to in a matter of minutes.). Also, with practice, it is not that difficult to spot fakes or discredible sources of information. Newsgroups truly are a new dimension of information.
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Suggestions for Future Generations
Although I began this project earlier than the last one, I still wish that I had spent more time on browzing through newsgroups. There are many, many interesting topics that are covered here. Start early and don't compromise the potential of the experience with newsgroups.
Good Luck!
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My Report1: How Music Affects Drivers: Should We Rock While We Roll?
My Report 2: Being a Driving Buddy: Backseat Driving as a Favor