What happens, I suspect, is that Google simply scans the
entire record and abstracts all messages with that term.

That does NOT mean they are related !

If you post a message in here with (say) "Excel problem"
as the Subject, and then get Google to search for it,
Google will find all messages posted by anyone at any time
with that same Subject - and will return (probably)
thousands of unconnected postings.

3. This is a non excel question but didnt where to post.
In google's excel
group I came across this post "username" in the url --
http://www.google.com/groups?threadm=OhNqXdV%249GA.278%
40uppssnewspub05.moswest.msn.net

Now my doubt is this has around 35 people posting to and
fro in all. The
first post is on May 14th 1998 and last post by Chip is
on Apr 24, 2004.
Does it mean that people were following this discussion
thread for the last
6 years. I mean does the people put a message on "watch"
status in outlook
for so long time and keep track of it always? Or is it
that if anybody who
posted in future with the same subject name as "username"
then it would be
grouped by google under the old threads..(Im not
conversant with how google
works.. hence wanted to know).