The last column in the current issue of PC magazine is an obituary for
Usenet. This group, and others like it, are now like CB radio in the early
1980's. There are still a few die hards out there talking but the airwaves
are gradually going quiet.

10-4 good buddy. What's your 20?....

--
Roger Long

"Roger Long" wrote in
:

The last column in the current issue of PC magazine is an obituary for
Usenet. This group, and others like it, are now like CB radio in the
early 1980's. There are still a few die hards out there talking but
the airwaves are gradually going quiet.

10-4 good buddy. What's your 20?....

It's very true. If you look at the amount of traffic (excluding the
"binaries" groups) that usenet generates, you'll see that it's on a
steady/rapid decline. Ask the average person if they know what a newsgroup
is and you'll probably get a blank stare. Even among my computer savvy
friends, very few of them still use newgroups.

In reality, why? The interface is clunky. Message threads are lost unless
you use deja news (groups.google.com) to search them. Many groups are
loaded with spam. The user interface technology has improved massively
since news was created. It's death and/or lack of relevance is purely just
a matter of time.

-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org

In article , Geoff Schultz wrote:

It's very true. If you look at the amount of traffic (excluding the
"binaries" groups) that usenet generates, you'll see that it's on a
steady/rapid decline. Ask the average person if they know what a newsgroup
is and you'll probably get a blank stare. Even among my computer savvy
friends, very few of them still use newgroups.

In reality, why? The interface is clunky. Message threads are lost unless
you use deja news (groups.google.com) to search them. Many groups are
loaded with spam. The user interface technology has improved massively
since news was created. It's death and/or lack of relevance is purely just
a matter of time.

UI technology may have improved some software, but my newsreader is
still great, $DEITY knows how long after it was first created, there is
no need for a point an click GUI, it's not possible to make it easier to
use with a mouse.

I find usenet so much better to follow than a web forum. I hate those
things. Too many bouncy smilies, (l)users whose 'avatar' has to me an
animated GIF that is (if you're lucky) worth seeing once, but loops
endlessly and is a distracting as hell and makes you want to actually
kill the person because, of course, they are a prolific poster and you
can't browse the forum without seeing it a million times. Then there are
the flashing banner ads so many forums carry to generate revenue. The
lack of decent threading, the almost total disregard of context quoting.
The fact that "this is the interface, if you don't like it create your
own forum", whereas with usenet it's "here is a newsfeed, use it how you
like" - GUI, text, braille, text-to-speech (OK, you can do some of those
with a web-forum, but, in my experiments here with a Mac, speaking will
start at the top of the page and read all the adverts before it gets to
the post). Damn, I *hate* those things.

Justin.

--
Justin C, by the sea.

On 2008-11-20 16:48:14 -0500, Justin C said:

UI technology may have improved some software, but my newsreader is
still great, $DEITY knows how long after it was first created, there is
no need for a point an click GUI, it's not possible to make it easier to
use with a mouse.

I like having a variety of options. About all I use are the mouse and a
scroll-wheel. Programmed the keys so the left thumb is back, right
finger forward. No need to reach for function keys, etc.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:51:09 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-11-20 16:48:14 -0500, Justin C said:

UI technology may have improved some software, but my newsreader is
still great, $DEITY knows how long after it was first created, there is
no need for a point an click GUI, it's not possible to make it easier to
use with a mouse.

I like having a variety of options. About all I use are the mouse and a
scroll-wheel. Programmed the keys so the left thumb is back, right
finger forward. No need to reach for function keys, etc.

People who are in a hurry know that the less they use the mouse and
the more they use the keys, the faster they get around. Mouse is
certainly easier, but it is also a lot SLOWER.

wrote:
On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:51:09 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:


On 2008-11-20 16:48:14 -0500, Justin C said:


UI technology may have improved some software, but my newsreader is
still great, $DEITY knows how long after it was first created, there is
no need for a point an click GUI, it's not possible to make it easier to
use with a mouse.

I like having a variety of options. About all I use are the mouse and a
scroll-wheel. Programmed the keys so the left thumb is back, right
finger forward. No need to reach for function keys, etc.


People who are in a hurry know that the less they use the mouse and
the more they use the keys, the faster they get around. Mouse is
certainly easier, but it is also a lot SLOWER.

Keyboard shortcuts are quickest for repeated complicated tasks, but for
something simple like browsing a newsgroup, a multi-button mouse with
some of those shortcuts programmed on the extra buttons on a per
application basis is actually *quicker*. I used to read this group
using a joystick interface gamepad with *lots* of extra buttons, but it
died amd I now have to settle for a five button mouse :-(

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
The last column in the current issue of PC magazine is an obituary for
Usenet. This group, and others like it, are now like CB radio in the
early 1980's. There are still a few die hards out there talking but the
airwaves are gradually going quiet.

10-4 good buddy. What's your 20?....

--
Roger Long


I think the declining use is due to netkkkopping. Ganz has gotten posting to
entire newsgroups from any subscriber prohibited by certain Usenet Service
Providers. It's only a matter of time before everyone on Usenet is banned.

"Lloyd Bonifide" wrote in message
...

"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
The last column in the current issue of PC magazine is an obituary for
Usenet. This group, and others like it, are now like CB radio in the
early 1980's. There are still a few die hards out there talking but the
airwaves are gradually going quiet.

10-4 good buddy. What's your 20?....

--
Roger Long


I think the declining use is due to netkkkopping. Ganz has gotten posting
to entire newsgroups from any subscriber prohibited by certain Usenet
Service Providers. It's only a matter of time before everyone on Usenet is
banned.

But, Ganz is a known, avid liberal. As such, he has no other choice but to
work hard to limit free speech. The reason for this is because liberals have
never learned how to argue a point. They will always lose any argument with
those to the right of their political brainwashing. They are totally
ignorant as to facts. They ignore the real world and live in a self-imposed,
censored fantasy land. They argue with their feelings of inadequacy first
and foremost. So, their only recourse is to work hard to stifle honest
discourse.

This is the reason behind the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" misnamed, of
course. It is actually a censorship doctrine whose aim is to limit the free
speech of those expressing a conservative viewpoint because liberals have
continuously failed to compete using their moral and intellectually bankrupt
agenda and philosophy.

Have you been following Ganz's and Dave's arguments. Ganz gets trashed every
single time because he is totally ignorant and illogical. He uses his
liberal feelings as the source of his comments so it only takes a couple
well-chosen, logical words for Dave to smack him down every time.


Wilbur Hubbard

Lloyd Bonifide wrote:
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...

The last column in the current issue of PC magazine is an obituary for
Usenet. This group, and others like it, are now like CB radio in the
early 1980's. There are still a few die hards out there talking but the
airwaves are gradually going quiet.

10-4 good buddy. What's your 20?....

--
Roger Long



I think the declining use is due to netkkkopping. Ganz has gotten posting to
entire newsgroups from any subscriber prohibited by certain Usenet Service
Providers. It's only a matter of time before everyone on Usenet is banned.




More likely due to unrestricted cross posting.
It's easy to destroy a group that way.

--

Richard

(remove the X to email)

"cavelamb himself" wrote in message
m...
Lloyd Bonifide wrote:
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...

The last column in the current issue of PC magazine is an obituary for
Usenet. This group, and others like it, are now like CB radio in the
early 1980's. There are still a few die hards out there talking but the
airwaves are gradually going quiet.

10-4 good buddy. What's your 20?....

--
Roger Long



I think the declining use is due to netkkkopping. Ganz has gotten posting
to entire newsgroups from any subscriber prohibited by certain Usenet
Service Providers. It's only a matter of time before everyone on Usenet
is banned.


More likely due to unrestricted cross posting.
It's easy to destroy a group that way.

--

No doubt, but Ganz netkkkops that too.