AT&T Dropping Usenet Netnews; Low-Cost Alternatives?

franknagy writes "This announcement message has appeared in all the news groups on the AT&T/SBC News Server: 'Please note that on or around July 15, 2009, AT&T will no longer be offering access to the Usenet netnews service. If you wish to continue reading Usenet newsgroups, access is available through third-party vendors.' So what free or low-cost alternatives are available for Netnews and the NNTP services for clients?"

Comments

Is it worth it anymore?

[CRCulver]

Unless you are using binaries groups for music or pr0n, is Usenet even worth accessing anymore? I remained dedicated to the network long after most nerds departed because there was still a fairly decent amount of educated discourse on sci.lang and rec.music.classical, but even those groups are no innundated by spambots and most of the most worthwhile conversation partners have moved while only the crotchety remain.

Re:Is it worth it anymore?

[Pinky's Brain]

Access to advise from crotchety old engineers for the price of a little bad manners and spam is in the end a very good deal.

Re:Is it worth it anymore?

[jc42]

What's top posting?

Heh. My favorite explanation is this old one:

A: Yes.
> Q: Are you sure?
>> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation>>>
>>> Q: Why is top posting annoying in email?

I see that others have already posted much wordier replies along the same line.

Re:Is it worth it anymore?

[Anonymous Coward]

Total bullshit. ID has no scientific qualities at all and the language defining science is quite concise and succint. Simply put: It must be testable and repeatable and it must predict. There is nothing subjective about that definition. There is no such thing as weak science, its a binary situation, it either is or isn't science. And since you can't test god you cannot ever test or repeat anything in ID and therefore it is not science. Period.

  Being methodical, taking notes and having a procedure are all superficial aspects that people like yourself try to cloak ID in to say that they're similar to science. Its intellectually dishonest and it says something about you as a person when you try to perpetuate it.

Science is a tool we use to discover the truth, not to reinforce our beliefs we randomly come to choose. Discovery of some principle that only supposedly happened only once in existence, was passed down generations orally, and gives no insight as to how it can be done again provides no benefit at all to society. And thats all ID is. Its an overly convoluted way to just say god did it. Science is the opposite of that, when something is discovered to be true, we all can benefit cause we did it, we understand it and can repeat it.

Do you get a discount now?

[Anonymous Coward]

Now that they're cutting a portion of the service out - do you get a cut on the monthly rate as well?

Re:it is about time

[harryandthehenderson]

I was always wondering why this protocol and all related software have not disappeared yet.

Because of alt.binaries.*

Re:Google Groups or Astraweb

[gilgongo]

If you actually want to READ and POST text news, then I don't know why anyone would use an NNTP client nowadays. Google Groups is a far superior gateway.

What?? How is the Google groups UI even remotely better at threading, marking, filtering and generally managing long conversations? Compared to even something like Free Agent it's utterly shit!

Can we let the secret out now?

[lemur3]

OK.. Now that USENET is dead.. is it safe to let the secret out?

USENET WAS GREAT.

I just wanna say it's terrible

[synthespian]

I'd just like to say it's terrible when ISPs drop Usenet. Usenet is part of the Internet culture.

Re:I just wanna say it's terrible

[jalefkowit]

Usenet is part of the Internet culture.

You misspelled "history".

Seriously, the vast, vast majority of Internet users today came online long after Usenet collapsed under its own weight. Only a tiny minority (like me) remember it, and even fewer of those use it with any regularity.

Culture is a living thing; it evolves. There was a time when Usenet was definitely part of the Internet's culture, but today is not that time.

Re:Google Groups or Astraweb

[jgrahn]

If you are interested in binaries, then I would point you to Astraweb. They have great price plans.

Or maybe he'd prefer not to feed the kind of parasites who helped destroy Usenet. I have very little respect for people who make others distribute and store their warez for them, using resources intended for learning and discussions. They are on the same level as spammers.

Re:Just start torrenting.

[Anonymous Coward]

also keep in mind that RIAA, etc are going after *uploaders* on p2p, but usenet does not involve any uploading of content when you download

Re:Elitist!

[Hognoxious]

Nobody knew about usenet until he opened his big fat trap. I mean, what's the first rule...?

Re:Haven't read usenet in years

[SETIGuy]

I remember when the "Imminent death of the net predicted!" thread started back in the mid-80s. The threats were increased traffic, college students, the great renaming, fidonet, AOL and spam. Somehow it's still there if you want it. And it'll still be there tomorrow. I don't even have a newsreader installed at this point.

Re:I use aioe

[Deagol]

Ditto. They even support SSL (see here). For the few odd text groups I use, this free low-volume service is nice enough.