GEO. - Newsgroups and listservs.

Newsgroups - information, news and discussion on a wide range of topics.

Newsgroups are messages and discussions on particular subjects or interests posted on the USENET network which can be accessed easilly via the Internet. You can read and reply to the messages or post new ones via your browser, (e.g. Netscape). A special news reader window should automatically appear when you click on the name of the newsgroup given. Newsgroups are grouped into certain categories and the content can usually be inferred from the name. Thus .sci indicates a newsgroup connected with science, .rec is used for recreational newsgroups and so on. Some are subscribed to by professional scientists, while others are aimed at the amateur.

Listservs also consist of discussion groups, but the messages are posted entirely via E-mail, using your mail reader (e.g. Eudora). Some listservs are closed, this usually being the case for highly scientific discussion groups, but others are open. A short list of listservs which could be of interest to the highschool earth science student is given below.

Earth and planetary science newsgroups

If you know everything there is to know about newsgroups and listservs and understand newsgroup etiquette, then choose newsgroups or listservs to see a selection in the earth and planetary sciences. If you need help about newsgroups and listservs, then choose advice

about newsgroups||about listservs

Newsgroup etiquette

Before posting your own messages read this:

• Read the newsgroup for 2 weeks or so first, to get an idea of what it is really about and what has already been said.
  
• Don´t post the same message to more than one newsgroup.
  
• If there is a FAQ (list of frequently asked questions), then read it first to see whether your own questions have already been answered.
  
• Use E-mail where possible, rather than a follow-up message.
  
• Don´t use subject newsgroups to "test" out how it all works. You can find special test groups.
  
• Be courteous and check grammar.

How to join listservs

Suppose your own name is James Bond and you want to join a listserv with the ficticious name GEOEARTH which has the subscription address LISTSERV@geonet.is. What you do is:

 
• open your mailer (e.g. Eudora)
  
• write the following simple message:
  SUBSCRIBE GEOEARTH James Bond
• don´t sign it, don´t add a customized signature and don´t write anything in the subject line.
• send the letter
• in a day or so you will get 2 reply letters. One is a simple welcome message while the other is an instruction letter (often labelled "error message"). Amongst other things the letter will give instructions on how to cancel your subscription if and when you decide to do so. You must therefore KEEP THESE LETTERS CAREFULLY or print them out.

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Some newsgroups worth following - just click on the newsgroup to start the newsreader:

General earth science areas
sci.geo.earthquakes,
sci.geo.geology,
sci.geo.geology,
sci.geo.meteorology,
sci.geo.oceanography,
sci.geo.rivers+lakes,
sci.satellite-nav.

Astronomy
sci.astro
sci.astro.amateur- a place for serious amateurs!
sci.astro.hubble- the Hubble satellite-mounted Telescope
sci.astro.planetarium
sci.astro.research

Space technology
sci.space.news,
sci.space.policy,
sci.space.shuttle
sci.space.tech.

Chemistry
sci.chem - General topics in Chemistry.
sci.chem.analytical
sci.chem.electrochem.
sci.polymers - Covers topics in polymers chemistry.

Paleontology
sci.bio.paleontology

Looking for a topic NOT in the lists? The following URLs enable you to search for newsgroups.

DEJANEWS - a powerful USENET newsgroup search facility.
Tilenet search- search for newsgroups (John Buckman)

Some useful earth and planetary science listservs

• Live from Mars project:
  post to: listmanager@quest.arc.nasa.gov
  message: subscribe updates-lfm
  
• Mars Pathfinder mission (for status reports)
  post to: majordomo@mgsw3.jpl.nasa.gov
  message: subscribe mpf-status
  
• NASA Johnson Space Center Mission Status Reports
  post to: majordomo@listserver.jsc.nasa.gov
  message: subscribe jscnews

   

• VOLCANO

  ( VOLCANO LISTSERV: The purpose of VOLCANO Listserv is to provide a means for rapid communication among members of the volcanology community and other interested people. This facility is available for announcements or inquiries about any aspect of volcanology.)
  post to: LISTSERV@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU
  message: SUBSCRIBE VOLCANO <your_full_name>

• Liszt Select: Science (Scott Southwick, Liszt) - if you want to look through some lists of science related listservs, then this provides a good selection. Classified by familiar subject headings, such as oceanography, earth sciences etc.