For an introduction to this thread's chronological posts, please see the first post in the series, for the year 1981. 1983 is, compared to most of the rest of the 1980s, a relatively quiet year in the newsgroup lists, and, I believe, in newsgroup creation in general: lots of groups were being created, but no major upheavals attended this. It does, however, see the beginning of regular posting of the lists, and more importantly, the creation of the first newsgroup moderated *from Usenet* (as opposed to the fa.* groups, whose Arpanet contributions were usually moderated, but whose Usenet versions were not necessarily moderated, and which I'll admit I don't really understand anyway...). When, then, Usenet moderation appears, I change the style of my summaries. The change results in something that may look excessive. Trust me; when we get to late 1984 and beyond, you'll see why. Joe Bernstein Lists of Newsgroups Posted in 1983 ADAM BUCHSBAUM "List of Currently Active Newsgroups" January 20, 1983 (The Date header, however, reads January 23, for no discernible reason; there is a Posted header which agrees with the post's body that the true date is January 20.) net.news.group Google Message-ID: bnews.alice.1412 (The header was converted from B-News style by Google.) Added: net.ai, net.decus, net.emacs, net.graphics, net.info-terms (again), net.lang.forth, net.med, net.wines (again), net.women. Removed: fa.space (anyway, this time it isn't ambiguous). Summary: From 16 (or 17) to 16 fa.* groups, from 105 to 114 net.* groups, 130 total. "List of Active USENET Groups" March 2, 1983 net.news.group Google Message-ID: bnews.alice.1551 (The header was converted from B-News style by Google.) Added: net.books, net.micro.apple, net.philosophy, net.religion, net.vvs. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups, from 114 to 119 net.* groups, 135 total. "List of Active Newsgroups" April 2, 1983 net.news.group Google Message-ID: bnews.alice.1724 (The header was converted from B-News style by Google.) Added: fa.railroad, net.analog, net.college, net.garden, net.micro.16k, net.pets, net.research. Summary: From 16 to 17 fa.* groups, from 119 to 125 net.* groups, 142 total. "List of Active Newsgroups" April 17, 1983 net.news.group Google Message-ID: bnews.alice.1752 (The header was converted from B-News style by Google.) Added: net.comics, net.rec.nude. Summary: From 17 to 17 fa.* groups, from 125 to 127 net.* groups, 144 total. "List of Active Newsgroups" June 15, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 1925@alice.UUCP Added: net.announce, net.crypt, net.micro.cbm, net.micro.cpm, net.movies.sw, net.std. net.announce is listed as moderated in its description. It is the first group so described in net.* in any list. Furthermore, it continued so described in all lists until the appearance of more formal moderation flags; and at that time, it was the oldest group so flagged. I therefore presume that the description is accurate, in which case net.announce is the first moderated group outside fa.*, in other words, the first to be moderated using Usenet rather than the ARPAnet as the means of moderation. Summary: From 17 to 17 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 127 to 132 unmoderated groups, from 0 to 1 moderated group, from 127 to 133 total. 150 total (1 moderated, 17 fa.*, 132 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" July 1, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2014@alice.UUCP With this post, the semi-monthly posting schedule began which was to continue, with some exceptions, for years to come. Removed: fa.info-cpm. Summary: From 17 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, no change: 132 unmoderated, 1 moderated, 133 total. 149 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 132 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" July 16, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2044@alice.UUCP Added: net.mail.headers, net.mail.msggroup, net.text. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 132 to 135 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 133 to 136 total. 152 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 135 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" August 1, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2087@alice.UUCP Added: net.rec.disc. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 135 to 136 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 136 to 137 total. 153 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 136 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" August 15, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2110@alice.UUCP No changes. "List of Active Newsgroups" September 1, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2174@alice.UUCP Added: net.cog-eng, net.legal, net.women.only. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 136 to 139 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 137 to 140 total. 156 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 139 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" September 15, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2212@alice.UUCP Added: net.unix. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 139 to 140 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 140 to 141 total. 157 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 140 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" October 1, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2228@alice.UUCP Added: net.micro.6809, net.news.adm, net.news.sa, net.puzzle. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 140 to 144 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 141 to 145 total. 161 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 144 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" October 15, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2248@alice.UUCP Added: net.bicycle, net.lang.mod2, net.motss, net.rec.wood. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 144 to 148 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 145 to 149 total. 165 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 148 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" November 1, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2283@alice.UUCP Added: net.roots. Summary: From 16 to 16 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 148 to 149 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 149 to 150 total. 166 total (1 moderated, 16 fa.*, 149 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" November 15, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2301@alice.UUCP Added: fa.laser-lovers, net.kids, net.sport.hoops. Summary: From 16 to 17 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 149 to 151 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 150 to 152 total. 169 total (1 moderated, 17 fa.*, 151 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" December 1, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2325@alice.UUCP Added: net.astro, net.astro.expert, net.cse.cai, net.lang.f77, net.tv.da. (Repeat after me, kids! "ABBREVIATIONS CONSIDERED HARMFUL."!) Summary: From 17 to 17 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 151 to 156 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 152 to 157 total. 174 total (1 moderated, 17 fa.*, 156 unmoderated). "List of Active Newsgroups" December 15, 1983 net.news.group Message-ID: 2393@alice.UUCP Added: net.nlang.celts. Summary: From 17 to 17 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 156 to 157 unmoderated groups, from 1 to 1 moderated group, from 157 to 158 total. 175 total (1 moderated, 17 fa.*, 157 unmoderated). This is the last newsgroup list known to me posted in 1983. Since we now have a year's worth of unequivocally comparable lists, I can begin to do: Annual summary: From 17 (or 16) to 17 fa.* groups. In net.*, from 105 to 157 unmoderated groups, from 0 to 1 moderated group, from 105 to 158 total. Total, from 105 to 157 unmoderated groups, from 17 (or 16) to 17 fa.* groups, from 0 to 1 moderated group, from 122 (or 121) to 175 total.