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The alternate hierarchy was not part of the original Usenet system. It was later added by almost all sites that exchange and post newsgroups to accommodate "alternative" subjects that didn't fall in the more formal hierarchies, such as "comp" (computers) or "sci" (science). Naturally, that made it the location for individual obsessions and a wide range subjects you wouldn't want to show to young kids. But because it's the only hierarchy where new groups can be established by individual users without going through a formal voting process, the alt hierarchy has also become the home for fast-changing subjects within the more accepted disciplines.
