Whence?

[Dr. Deb]

I just got a notice that AT&T is going to drop their USENET server on the

15th of July. Where can one go to get connected back to this group after AT&T closes their server?

Thanks

Deb

[Lee Michaels]

Check out astraweb. Biggest bang for your buck for newsgroup service. Pay a few bucks upfront and you will have service for years. I have been using it for awhile now and it works just fine. I like the fact that you just pay for what you use. No monthly fees.

[Zz Yzx]

I've been using Forte's service ("APN") and their reader ("Agent") for years and I'm quite happy. Service starts at $2.95/month.

Usual disclaimers apply.

I used AT&T's service beforethat. Forte's is light-years beyond!

-Zz

[TD Driver]

[StephenM]

$10 about a year ago.... when that runs out I'll give them another $10.

I tried teranews.... Fine for reading, but useless for posting. Posts cosistently took days to show up.

-Steve

[Phisherman]

Deb, Where did you get a notice? Did you get a letter via the post office? I called AT&T and the technician stated that new Usenet servers are being installed and that there are no plans to discontinue Usenet. Of course, AT&T is a huge corporation where the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.

[Phisherman]

Some folks do not need another bill. There are plenty of Internet woodworking forums, similar to newsgroups that many users/woodworkers will migrate. I have enjoyed newsgroups over the years. "The end is near for Usenet."

[Tom Watson]

news.motzarella.org

This is a free sever that I have used since comcast stopped providing newsgroups.

Regards,

Tom Watson

[sweet sawdust]

I got the same notice on usenet groups rec.woodworking and on rec.crafts.woodturning. Called AT&T and was told they were going off on about July 15

[Morris Dovey]

Let's hope not. There doesn't appear to be any mechanism that even comes close for global sharing of current research.

AT&T (and the other corner-cutters) are cutting the US off from the rest of the world - who have a lot more to contribute than discussions of cheeseburger formulations...

[Zz Yzx]

I got an e-mail from AT&T a couple days ago re: discontinued Usenet. Very blunt. No reason, just "We're gonna' quit on or about July 15. Please don't reply to this e-mail."

-Zz

[PDQ]

In news: [e-mail], Tom Watson dropped this bit of wisdom:

Dear users of Motzarella.org,

for technical reasons the Motzarella reader servers

news.motzarella.org, nntp.motzarella.org, reader.motzarella.org, reader80.motzarella.org and reader443.motzarella.org

will will be replaced by the following servers:

news.eternal-september.org reader80.eternal-september.org and reader443.eternal-september.org

on July 1, 2009.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everybody is moving.

One might be lead to wonder "What's up???"

P D Q

[SonomaProducts.com]

Confessing my ignorance... but will this effect me?

I use Google groups. Seems to work f> I just got a notice that AT&T is going to drop their USENET server on the

[StephenM]

Access to binary newsgroups (e.g., ABPW) as well as the up opportunity to use a newsreader program rather than a browser interface.

Personally, I really don't like browser interfaces to newsgroups (or forums for that matter).

YMWV.

-Steve

I use Google groups. Seems to work f> I just got a notice that AT&T is going to drop their USENET server on the

[nailshooter41]

No. I use Google Groups as well, and they have weathered all the different storms that have come over the newsgroups of the internet.

It works great for me and has for many years, ever since they purchased the archives and set up access after DejaVue went away.

I don't get spam, don't get any kind of malware or virus problems from using the service. It's free to all, and has the best part of the usenet built right into the interface: the ability to search the archives. That's where the gold is mined.

It doesn't get binaries, but since most folks use free posting sites these days, it hasn't bothered me at all.

Interestingly, from another ng this has come up (as it has here) from time to time. Those that have switched to Google Groups to read this have found it be be more reliable with faster posting and retrieval time than paid services.

And of course, they were astonished to see the retainage times of posts on old dinosaur groups such as this one. I found a post not too long ago when looking for something that was uploaded in 1997!

Robert

[Martin H. Eastburn]

When consolidated killed Usenet - Tech Support had no idea! They were trying to find out what the hell was going on on their end as well.

Because some post movies - and some are owned - all of this is lost!

RIAA threatened to sue and IT said websites and the new way is the way to comm. They don't know what they talk about and think all is in cell phones and gui in a web page.

Mart> >

[Lew Hodgett]

Based on your explanition, it would appear to be only a matter of time before ALL ISPs drop UseNet.

As someone who is in the business, what do you suggest as the best solution?

Lew

[Puckdropper]

"Lee Michaels" wrote in news:006a6575$0$26636$ [e-mail]:

I'll second those comments. I've been using Astraweb since Read Free News went away. (There was a short stint with Wildblue, but they took away their NNTP service soon.)

I sent them $25 some time ago, and have probably used about 1/20th of the download limit I paid for. At this rate, I'll be able to read the Cheeseburger thread until Godwin's law is invoked.

Puckdroppper

[Upscale]

There likely will always be companies that will specialize in it and charge accordingly. For most ISPs, Usenet was a bonus add on and not their main focus, that's why they're dumping it now. Dropping Usenet is the equivalent of a rate increase. They don't have to pay for the feeds anymore, but they're not lowering monthly rates. That's a rate increase in my books. More profit for them in times of increasing competition.

I've got a separate subscription to Agent Premium News unlimited. For the equivalent of about $18 CA a month, the subjects and files I want are available, retention time is excellent and download speeds are exceptional. Some might see $18 a month as excessive, but for me, it's a matter of convenience, not a necessity ~ a self indulgence of you will. I don't see it too much different than the woodworking I do. It's something I like, so I'm willing to spend the time and money on it. Isn't that part of life?

[Phisherman]

I did not get an email from AT&T about Usenet closing, at least not yet. I would think all AT&T users would be notified.