Lycos is less comprehensive, but more carefully selected, while Alta Vista indexes just about everything. So I recommend going to Lycos first, and then checking out AltaVista if you have the time. Internet News Groups and Mailing Lists Newsgroups are like public bulletin boards and the messages are read with a newsreader program. Different types of systems use different newsreaders. Contact your system administrator or consult your manual for details.
Mailing lists are subscription groups for communication by e-mail.
When one member of a mailing list sends a message to a special e-mail address called the list address, the message is automatically distributed to all other members of that list by a program called the listserver. To be on a list you have to send a subscription message to the listserver at special address reserved for this purpose. Once you are subscribed you will begin receiving e-mails from the list. Internet mailing lists and news groups are a great way to pick the brains of hundreds or even thousands of people at once. Very likely there is someone out there who has just the information you need.