[Vesuvius]

I don't know if anyone here uses newsgroups aside from me but I'm really worried about their future. My current ISP cut their retention of messages down to 1 day after being posted for all binary groups, and all other area ISPs offer 1-3 days at MOST of messages holding. this is a joke. it's impossible to be able to attend every message posting and to be required to check your computer every 18 hours or else miss parts of multi-part posts is impossible for someone with a busy schedule (or just someone who doesn't like devoting their entire life to usenet.) so I don't know what to do. anyone know why everyone is cutting down newsgroup service, or know of any ISPs or Newsgroup servers I can access from boston with GOOD message retention?

[elam]

I don't really use newsgroups, but what about Google groups?

Is that the same thing?

[Awetopsy]

I dont use news groups myself either.. but why dont you phone your ISP and ask them whats up? Im sure they'll be more than happy to explain the reason... and If they dont politely tell them you are considering switching ISPs.

[Tiger Eaten]

I think usenet might be dying as a "thing" but in spirit it is alive and well. Ex. Sijun.

[Socar MYLES]

I only read the ADOM/roguelike newsgroups these days (yeah, yeah, I'm a dork--I AM aware of this fact)--but they seem to be ticking along okay to me.

I think that the new generation of Net users doesn't really get the whole Usenet concept, though. For most people, sadly enough, the Internet is what they see in their IE windows when they type in http addresses. I think that Usenet is probably the next thing that will go the way of...well...Gopher.

[wayfinder]

me, not knowing ADOM, i am so TOTALLY un-dorky because of that.




anyway, usenet is still a-buzz with warez, and maybe that'll keep it alive. oh, and the porn. other than that, BBS like this one are doing what discussion groups do, and they're doing it prettier and in a browser window, so eventually, it's probably gonna die out.

which would be a shame. really. don't look at me like that.

[Vesuvius]

for those who don't know what usenet is it's a network of mirrored servers on which people from every country share not only discussion, but legal and illegal files of every sort. music, TV shows, Movies, photos, art, freeware, shareware, patches, warez, also role-playing games, science discussion, tech help forums, etc etc. there are literally over 100,000 different groups and what could be found and learned was incredible.

[egerie]

I was actually suprised Usenet lived so long compared to other 'old', now extinct, internet services like Gopher, Veronica, Archie, etc.. (Ohhh blast from the past !)
Altho it will always live thanks to warez and such. I think the more 'common people' won't go on Usenet but rely more on Web based forums etc.

What seems to be the source of the problem are the ISPs cutting down the days of retention. That's just forcing their customers to go somewhere else.. or change ISP !!

[Dr. Bang]

i dont think its gonna get extinc, its gonna get banned

[[666]Flat]

I'm really gonna miss alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.bestiality ...