This is a list of newsgroups that are significant for their popularity or their position in Usenet history.

As of October 2002, there are about 100,000 Usenet newsgroups, of which approximately a fifth are active. This number varies, depending on the news server carrying the newsgroups.

The Big 8 hierarchies

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These are the most widely distributed and carefully controlled newsgroup hierarchies. See Big 8 (Usenet) and the Great Renaming for more information.

comp

Computer-related topics.

• comp.ai — general discussions about artificial intelligence
• comp.dcom.telecom — general discussions about telecommunications systems.
• comp.graphics.apps.photoshop — general discussion about Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and In Design.
• comp.graphics.api.opengl — general discussion of OpenGL topics
• comp.lang.asm.x86 — discussions about assembly language for x86-based computer systems.
• comp.lang.c — general discussions about the C programming language.
• comp.lang.c++ — general discussions about C++ programming language.
• comp.lang.java.help — General help discussions about the Java programming language.
• comp.lang.perl.misc — General discussion about the Perl programming language.
• comp.os.linux.misc — General discussion about the Linux operating system.
• comp.os.minix — Discussions about the Minix operating system.
• comp.robotics.misc — All aspects of robots and their applications.
• comp.robotics.research — Academic, government and industry research in robotics.
• comp.software-eng — Discussions related to software engineering
• comp.soft-sys.matlab — the MathWorks calculation and visualization package.
• comp.sources.d — Discussions for any computer sources.
• comp.sources.wanted — Requests for software and bug fixes.
• comp.theory — Discussions about theoretical computer science.
• comp.theory.cell-automata — Discussions about celluar automata.
• comp.theory.self-org-sys — Topics related to self-organization systems.
• comp.theory.dynamic-sys — Topics related to Ergodic Theory and Dynamical Systems.
• comp.theory.info-retrieval — Topics related to Information Retrieval.
• comp.windows.x — Topics related to the X window graphic user interface (GUI).
• comp.windows.x.kde — Topics related to the KDE window GUI.

humanities

Topics related to the humanities (fine arts, literature, philosophy, etc.).

misc

Miscellaneous topics.

news

Matters related to the functioning of Usenet itself.

• news.admin.net-abuse.blocklisting — discussion related to the use of blocklists to deal with spam and other unwanted network traffic.
• news.admin.net-abuse.email — discussion of abuse of email by spammers and other parties.
• news.groups — creation and deletion of newsgroups in the Big 8 (comp.*, humanities.*, misc.*, news.*, rec.*, sci.*, soc.*, and talk.*)

rec

Recreation and entertainment topics.

• rec.arts.books — general discussion of books.
• rec.arts.comics — general discussion of comic books
• rec.arts.comics.creative — original comics-related prose fiction, home of the LNH and other shared universes.
• rec.arts.comics.dc.universe — discussions related to DC comics.
• rec.arts.comics.marvel.universe — discussions related to Marvel comics.
• rec.arts.erotica — text-based erotic stories — was banned at many sites.
• rec.arts.poems — for the posting of poetry
• rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated — discussion of Babylon 5 and other projects of J. Michael Straczynski.
• rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan — created when the readers of rec.arts.sf.written became exasperated by the surfeit of Robert Jordan-related discussion
• rec.arts.tv — discussion about television. For television shows, browse alt.tv
• rec.arts.tv.soaps.cbs — discussion about soap operas broadcast by the CBS television network.
• rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc — discussion of the TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000.
• rec.autos.sport.nascar — discussion of Nextel cup and other racing series.
• rec.humor.funny — edited (moderated) jokes.
• rec.humor.oracle — Internet humor
• rec.music.country.western — discussion of country music then and now.
• rec.music.industrial — discussion of industrial music.
• rec.radio.amateur.dx — discussion of amateur radio.
• rec.radio.broadcasting — discussion of broadcasting radio.
• rec.radio.shortwave — discussion of shortwave radio.
• rec.sport.pro-wrestling — general discussion of professional wrestling and current events using wrestling related terms.
• rec.sport.soccer — general discussion of world football (soccer).
• rec.woodworking — general discussion of woodworking.

sci

Science-related topics.

• sci.astro — general discussion of astronomy
• sci.fractals — general discussion of fractals and chaos theory
• sci.geo.earthquakes — general discussion of earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and other geological and seismic events.
• sci.geo.geology — general discussion of geology.
• sci.geo.meteorology — general discussion of meteorology and weather phenomena.
• sci.math — general discussion of mathematics from arithmetic to high level calculus.
• sci.optics — general discussion of optics and light sciences.
• sci.optics.fiber — general discussion of fiber optics.
• sci.physics — general discussion of physics.
• sci.physics.electromag — general discussion of electromagnetic phenomena.

soc

Discussion related to society and social subcultures.

• soc.history.what-if — discussion of virtual or alternate histories
• soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi — support group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered teenagers and youths.

talk

Discussion of various topics, especially controversial ones.

• talk.bizarre — a newsgroup for experiencing the bizarre.
• talk.origins — evolution-creationism controversy which maintains an extensive FAQ.

The alt hierarchy

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This is the most extensive newsgroup hierarchy outside of the Big 8.

• alt.2600 — Official group for The Hacker Quarterly
• alt.arts.poetry.comments — for poetry and poetry critique
• alt.atheism — discusses atheism
• alt.ascii-art — a group for posting, admiring and discussing ASCII art.
• alt.binaries.slack — artwork created by and for the Church of the SubGenius.
• alt.callahans — Spider Robinson's Callahan's Place online
• alt.config — creation of new newsgroups in the alt.* hierarchy''.
• alt.cyberpunk — discussing the writer William Gibson and of things cyberpunk.
• alt.de.wikipedia — discussion of Wikipedia in German.
• alt.discordia — Discussions related to Discordianism and Chaos.
• alt.fan.douglas-adams — discussing the writer Douglas Adams.
• alt.fan.karl-malden.nose — a center of the Meow Wars.
• alt.folklore.urban — confirming and debunking myth, rumour and old-wives-tales.
• alt.gothic — a gothic newsgroup and birthplace of Convergence
• alt.gothic.cybergoth — what happens when geek culture and goth culture elope. Different from alt.cyberpunk
• alt.history.what-if — discussion of alternate history scenarios.
• ''alt.humor.best-of-usenet
• alt.pub.dragons-inn — play by email gaming and fantasy fiction
• alt.religion.kibology — He who Greps.
• alt.gathering.rainbow — For discussing the annual Rainbow Gathering.
• alt.religion.scientology — discussion of the controversial subject of Scientology.
• alt.revisionism — discussion of Holocaust denial.
• alt.romath — a battleground in the Meow Wars.
• alt.sex — the first alt.* newsgroup for discussion of sexual topics.
• alt.sex.bondage — discussion of BDSM sex (largely replaced by soc.subculture.bondage-bdsm).
• alt.sex.cancel — set up specifically as a means of defeating newsgroup spam cross-posted to the entire alt.sex hierarchy
• alt.sex.stories — text-based erotic stories of all types.
• alt.sexual.abuse.recovery and alt.sexual.abuse.recovery.moderated
• alt.slack — Posting relating to the Church of the Subgenius.
• alt.spooky — a parody of alt.gothic inspired by comic book artist Jhonen Vasquez.
• alt.suicide.holiday — pro-choice discussion of suicide.
• alt.support.childfree — discussions for people who neither have nor want children and identify as childfree.
• alt.sysadmin.recovery — the Scary Devil Monastery.
• alt.talk.creationism — discussion of the pros and cons of creationism.
• alt.tasteless — discussion of subject matter in too poor taste to be discussed elsewhere.
• alt.tv — Alt.tv newsgroup are generally discussion of television shows
  • alt.tv.american-idol — discusses the TV show American Idol
  • alt.tv.beavis-n-butthead — first newsgroup in the Meow Wars.
  • alt.tv.family-guy — discusses the TV show Family Guy
  • alt.tv.simpsons — discusses the TV show The Simpsons.
• alt.usenet.kooks — discussion of Usenet kooks and their idiosyncratic theories.
• alt.wikipedia — discussion of Wikipedia.
• alt.zines — discussion of small-press publications, magazines, and pamphlets (zines).

Other newsgroups

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These newsgroups fall outside of the official Big 8 hierarchies, as well as the less formal alt hierarchy.

• gnu.gcc — Discussions related to the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC).
• it.arti.trash — one of the most active on Italian topics. Vito's annual meeting included.
• memphis.general — General discussions for Memphis, Tennessee region.
• neworleans.general — General discussions for New Orleans, Louisiana region. Since Hurricane Katrina, this group has experienced a lot of activity.
• stl.general — General discussions for St. Louis, Missouri region.

External links

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• Google Groups contains a complete browsable list of newsgroups

Internet-related lists | Newsgroups