Newsgroups are one of the best ways to pick up arcane (or not-so-arcane) information. They're like conversations (or parties, or verbal assassinations, at times) going on at all hours of the day and night about every conceivable subject. Or perhaps a better metaphor would be a public bulletin board: anybody can post anything they want and anybody can read it.

The groups are organized around a specific subject, like listservs. As with listservs, often participants are bona fide experts on the subject, but sometimes they're not, so caveat emptor.

Those with Netscape browsers can get to newsgroups after performing the following setup steps: first, go to the Netscape Options menu and choose Preferences: Mail and News; then, at the bottom under News, enter the server name. After these steps have been taken, users can just go to the Window menu and choose Netscape News to check out the newsgroups anytime they're in the mood.

"Journalists might use newsgroups in a variety of ways: as a source of predigested information and pointers; to keep up with the current thinking on various subjects, in particular computer-related topics; and to ask for specific information," posted computer consultant Jeanne DeVoto in the Media topic on the Well, a California-based bulletin board service.

"I think it's difficult to use them without being exploitative. I think you need to identify yourself as a journalist," posted Mikki Halpin, editor of Stim, an electronic magazine headquartered in New York City.

"Asking for specific information needs to be done carefully or it will be exploitative enough to be unwelcome," agreed DeVoto. "A journalist who is a known and helpful participant in the newsgroup will get a much better reception than one nobody knows from Adam."

To look up newsgroup conversations about specific topics, check out DejaNews. This search engine will ferret out posts on specific subjects for you, supplying a plethora of information on the poster's name, day, date, time and so forth. Just remember Halpin's and DeVoto's words of caution and sample responsibly.