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Spaf's Farewell, Ten Years Later

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the thanks-for-all-the-fish dept.

catfood writes "Ten years ago this evening, Usenet legend Gene Spafford posted his farewell to news.announce.newusers, news.misc, and a few other newsgroups. Among other things, spaf wrote: 'People don't seem to think before posting, they are purposely rude, they blatantly violate copyrights, they crosspost everywhere, use 20 line signature files, and do basically every other thing the postings (and common sense and common courtesy) advise not to. Regularly, there are postings of questions that can be answered by the newusers articles, clearly indicating that they aren't being read.' Speaking of his own post, spaf said, 'even if it is perceived as self-indulgent garbage, it will fit right in with the rest of the net.' Ten years later, we still have all of spaf's complaints plus mounting spammage just barely held in check by auto-canceling volunteers. Is Usenet still useful? Is it worth maintaining? I say yes, but I can feel spaf's pain. It may be too late now, but hey spaf: thanks."

8 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. So that was by The+Dobber · · Score: 4, Funny

    his last, as opposed to first, post?

    1. Re:So that was by joe_bruin · · Score: 3, Funny

      given the level of activity on alt.alien.vampire.flonk.flonk.flonk, i find it hard to believe usenet is no longer useful.

  2. Porn by Nanite · · Score: 5, Funny

    Where else can you find free repositories of porn, sectioned off into seperate areas, from leather to hamsters? Usenet rocks.

    --
    God is real unless declared integer.
  3. All too true by yndrd · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea--massive, difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind-boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it."

    - Spaf, 1992

  4. Crossposting? by mccalli · · Score: 5, Funny
    Usenet legend Gene Spafford posted his farewell to news.announce.newusers, news.misc, and a few others...spaf wrote: '...they crosspost everywhere...'

    Hmm.

    Cheers,
    Ian

  5. Re:this is moral idealism by Surreal_Streaker · · Score: 3, Funny
    ...you don't change human nature as a whole by chastising and scolding the already-converted-to-responsible-behavior.

    I don't think you understand.

    "...you don't change human nature as a whole by chastising and scolding the already-converted-to-responsible-behavior."

  6. That's it. I've had enough. by AssFace · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sick of you all. I'm leaving. Inconsiderate bastards. All of you.

    --

    There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight.
  7. Re:Usenet still has value by greg_barton · · Score: 5, Funny

    Replace that with THE ENTIRE FUCKING INTERNET and the sentence is still true!!

    My god, the internet IS A FRACTAL!