Most of them have digest formats, which are easier to handle. I subscribe to the digest version of the Poicephalus, Jardine's and Pet Bird Report lists. I get one e-mail a day from each list that includes all the messages posted by members to the list. Subscribing is free and involves sending an e-mail request to the list manager. Lists are usually friendlier and more personal than newsgroups.
People tend to get to know the members on the list, as well as their birds.
I generally send updates about Joey to the Jardine's list every couple of weeks and frequently answer questions about Meyer's parrots on the Poicephalus list. The more a breeder interacts and becomes well known online, the better. It's very easy to tell, by reading lists, which breeders are very caring and careful with their babies. It's also a great way to exchange information. The major search engines, such as Yahoo, also include classified ads.