Each area is devoted to a particular discussion topic eg pottery, particle physics etc. Users post messages via electronic mail.
Users can also choose to start a new discussion.
The first to take advantage of this instant and cheap form of communication were scientists. Instant communication gradually became appealing to non-scientists and Usenet today is thriving. Today discussion areas, also known as newsgroups, number in the tens of thousands. Newsgroup types are recognisable by their names. A group called pet.rec.cats therefore is a recreational group which discusses cats.