newsgroups(5)

NAME
newsgroups - descriptions of available newsgroups

DESCRIPTION

in the world. This database is maintained as a simple ASCII text file, organized as lines of text with two fields (separated by one or more <TAB> and/or <SPACE> characters). The first field identifies the name of the news group, the second field provides an explanation about the nature of this news group. It is maintained automatically by the NEWS system, since this is one of the files changed by the newgroup and rmgroup control messages.

A sample newsgroups file might look like:

 mugnet.gov        Discussions about MUGNET politics.
 mugnet.maps       MUGNET UUCP Mapping Project Map postings.
 mugnet.newgroups  Announcements of/requests for new groups.
 mugnet.sources    MUGNET-wide source postings.
 mugnet.sources.d  Discussions about postings in mugnet.sources.
 mugnet.talk       Any talk.
 mugnet.test       MUGNET-wide test group.

Note, that this file is usually quite large, since it contains the definitions of ALL new groups active in the world. This is just an example of what might be in it!

This file is used only by user-programs like news readers and posters, to inform the user about which groups can be selected. It therefore must be readable by all users who have access to the NEWS system. SH FILES
/usr/lib/news/newsgroups or /conf/news/newsgroups

AUTHOR
Fred N. van Kempen, waltje@Infomagic.COM