An electronic stroll through the global village

This paper is a semi-random walk through Usenet News, a bulletin board system that exists on the vast Internet computer network. Interaction in such a medium is an interesting hybrid of speech and writing, of monologue and dialogue and sometimes an open shouting match in a crowded room. Those who are intrigued by these matters will be able to see a number of research areas exposed in this frankly anecdotal paper. In addition to being anecdotal, this paper is a work of participatory observation. In fact, I occasionally let it be known that I was observing the sociology and rhetoric of the newsgroups. The natives appeared unimpressed.