Requiem for Usenet

xoip writes "Jack Kapica at The Globe and Mail reports that '[Canadian ISP] Rogers is removing [Usenet] service without changing its rates, suggesting subscribers turn to portal technology controlled by Rogers/Yahoo, or to subscribe to an outside Usenet service -- at extra cost.'" From the article: "Aside from being based on the written word, which many game-playing kids would rather not make the effort to compose, Usenet is deeply flawed. Its democratic dream offers no defence against viruses, spammers, criminals, hucksters or deranged individuals. Rummaging about in Usenet is like slumming through the tenderloin district during the plague years -- your chances of catching a computer virus or a handful of invitations to unspeakable sexual acts is much greater than finding what you were looking for in the first place."

Comments

So?

[danbond_98]

your chances of catching a computer virus or a handful of invitations to unspeakable sexual acts is much greater than finding what you were looking for in the first place.

What happens if those are the things you were looking for?

"... invitations to unspeakable sexual acts ..."

[thrashbluegrass]

But...what if that's /why/ I'm on usenet?

Hrm...

[vertinox]

Usenet is deeply flawed. Its democratic dream offers no defence against viruses, spammers, criminals, hucksters or deranged individuals.

How is this different from the rest of the internet?

Wait...

[Fahrvergnuugen]

...or a handful of invitations to unspeakable sexual acts is much greater than finding what you were looking for in the first place

But wait... that is what I was after in the first place

Clue for Rogers

[Todd Knarr]

Hint, Rogers: Usenet != alt.binaries.*.