Usenet

Usenet was an early wide area data network, roughly contemporaneous with the early Internet. It ran over a collection of dial-up point-point telephone modem links, and used the UUCP protocol.

The primary application was Netnews (a hierarchical bulletin board system), but email was also available. Confusion, along less knowledgeable people, between the network and the primary application, has led to many speaking of 'Usenet' when they meant/mean 'Netnews'.

External links

• Steven M. Bellovin, Netnews: The Origin Story, Annals of the History of Computing - mostly focuses on Netnews, but has some coverage of Usenet as well