What's a Forum, BBS or Newsgroup?

Forums or BBS (Bulletin Board System) and Newsgroups are yet another way to communicate online. Like e-mail and chat, using them involves sending messages and reading replies.

The difference is that board messages get posted at a location on the Internet for everyone to see, rather than being sent between individuals. So rather than "one to one" communication like e-mail, boards are "one to many."

Some boards are just like chat rooms in that all you have to do is go to the host site and write and post your message.