Re: [PLUG] Google groups, OT

I know Comcast shut down the usenet access, others are sure to follow.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080922-lights-out-for-usenet-access-through-comcast.html

After using various sources on the internet, the usenet groups aren't very helpful. Typically they are very elitist and the process of signing up, configuring outlook express, downloading headers, reading messages is painful for a technical user, and near impossible for someone like my mom who enjoys the internet but knows nothing about it. If she can google for a recipe, find a wordpress blog entry about it, and then post a comment for a variation, all without having to know the technology behind it, why would usenet be a viable option for her?

Wikis, blogs, and to some degree forums and mailing lists are the way to go. They can be indexed by google, viewed without having to install or configure special software, and are open to all. That's what the internet should be about. Freely sharing information without having to require a computer science degree to get to the information.

-Brad

On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 9:42 AM, Andrew Libby <alibby@tangeis.com> wrote:

Seems to me that usenet groups have been supplanted by
technologies like the wiki and forums, and of course mailing
lists and as you say blogs. I agree that most users
probably don't know that they are out there. In addition,
usenet is under assault because of it's use to distribute
copyrighted materials.

http://tech.slashdot.org/tech/08/09/22/1226222.shtml

It is my basic understanding that Comcast is one of many
providers happily backing out of providing usenet services.

My $0.02.

Andy

Julien Mills wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Just an observation... over the past many years when
> I've been trying to solve a problem I've been finding
> that the Usenet groups to be less and less helpful.
>
> Maybe I've suppressed bitter memories but I remember
> searching deja and later google and usually finding
> something intelligent about what I was trying to do.
> Lately maybe I'm doing some more complicated stuff.
>
> What I'm thinking is going on maybe: people are blogging
> and using discussion groups on certain web sites
> instead of reading and posting to the groups. And Usenet
> groups are kind of fading a bit, newer users may not really
> know they're out there.
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Julien Mills julienfmills@yahoo.com
>
>
>
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
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--

===============================================
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Andrew Libby
alibby@tangeis.com
www.tangeis.com
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___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
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