They could also read the responses to their messages, as well as other postings on similar topics.

Think on this when you read postings from unidentified entities such as "Hanse"!

After I installed OmniSky, I also got a Palm Telnet program from the PalmGear H.Q. Web site (www.palmgear.com) so I could log in and read postings from my favorite online community, New York's technologically old-fashioned but always entertaining Echo bulletin board.

Aside from writing about her own feelings, she has read postings from users on the Web site that prompted tears, and sometimes laughter.

Jane F. Ross, an education consultant in Manhattan, said some parents were upset after reading postings about students who had been admitted to select colleges, yet had lower test scores or weaker grades than their children.

Carl Kasell reads postings from the fictional Internet site "Carlslist" (a parody of Craigslist) based on recent news events.

The Butterfly Web site also has a bulletin board section, where you can join the three dozen others who have read postings with headings like "Butterflies in my coneflowers."

"I'm a rug addict," I said on the phone the other day to Barry O'Connell, a former rug dealer and longtime collector who is the host of the online Oriental Rug Newsgroup (to read postings, click on the FAQ link at spongobongo.com, Mr. O'Connell's rug information site).

Clementi also researched his roommate and read postings on Ravi's Twitter page.