How do you explain this to people?
 

Earlier today a rather old program signed up to YNOT Mail, and over the course of the day we started chatting on Skype. I remembered them way back from the day of.... Newsgroups.

How the fuck do you explain newsgroups to someone who has never seen or used it?

For starters, tell them to read this...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet_newsgroup

That doesn't do it justice....

What? They were a means for communication, the precursor to forums...