Gordon shared this with us in microsoft.public.word.newusers:

Beth Melton wrote:
Not everyone can use a newsreader due to corporate policies/security
which is one of the reasons Microsoft added this capability.

Yep, I've even used it because of that!

I cannot use it because of corporate policy/security!

Besides....do you really think it is really that 'orrible?

It's not just the style, it's the fact that most of the repetitive
questions are asked by newbies who don't realise that you click on
the "+" sign to see replies, and can't be bothered to go to any
previous pages to see posts etc etc etc! The search function is not
as good as a proper newsreader, neither can you set it to "show
replies to my posts", although the notification must be a recent
innovation AFAIK......

I don't mind that newbies ask the same questions over and over, as long
as they learn over time. If they don't, I'll have to use my /LART/.
;-)

--
Amedee Van Gasse using XanaNews 1.16.5.2
If it has an "X" in the name, it must be Linux?
Please don't thank me in advance. Thank me afterwards if it works or
hit me in the face if it doesn't. ;-)