Usenet on life support

[Larry Blanchard]

I participate in about 10 newsgroups. For most of this year, the wreck has been the only one with any traffic. And even it has gone from almost

100 posts a day down to 15 or 20.

The woodworking content has gotten even less. Most of the messages are tea party members reinforcing each others paranoia.

To all of you who have provided good woodworking advice in the past, thank you. I've even enjoyed, and taken part in, some of the more civilized political discussions. Thanks for those as well.

But I think it's time to bite the bullet and look for a different online woodworking community. I'll probably start at Yahoo groups since I already am a member of several groups there. But if anyone has some other woodworking group they like, I'm open to suggestions.

[Drew Lawson]

I am mostly an inexperienced lurker, but LumberJocks.com has a lot of good stuff, and it is split into multiple areas, so you can avoid the bulk of what doesn't interest you.

[Bill]

I have been disappointed too that the "wood content" has been lean around here this week. I guess it comes in streaks.

I occasionally visit the sites sawmillcreek.org and lumberjocks.com. The traffic is Huge at those sites though. When someone shares a project at lumberjock there is very rarely ever any criticism. It's mostly "Nice job", "Atta-boy" kinda stuff. I'm not interested in twittering my way to woodworking!

Good luck and don't wander too far!

Bill

[Leon]

I have been on here since the late 90's at least once each year the traffic has slowed and people come and go.

[Keith Nuttle]

I find this group is like a group of people with common interest meeting for breakfast. Someday the only topic that they will consider is someone's new project or tool, or a problem that someone is having with their current project. Other days the world comes in and political things get discussed. Some days you agree with the discussions and some days you want to figuratively kill the next person who opens his mouth.

HOWEVER, I enjoy the information, the banter, and the political discussions. As for me, I will continue to meet with all of you for breakfast.

[hubops]

< snips >

Very well said !. Thanks. I generally dislike the off-topic political stuff - - it serves no use, as my Grandpa would say - - I find that it's easy to ignore - real easy. but I enjoy much of the off-topic humour .. thx ! I'll miss this newsgroup, once it's gone. Breakfast is on me - Wellesley Ontario

- at Schmidtsville - don't look for a website .. John T.

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: [e-mail] ---

[none]

On Tue, 19 Nov 2013 17:56:53 +0000 (UTC), Larry Blanchard

Festool Owners Group. It's not just Festool products, but everything else to do with woodworking. And, it's a very active group.

[ChairMan]

+1 such is life

[Dave Balderstone]

Sorry to see you go, Larry, but all things change.

Personally, I despise web forums. They're a waste of my time.

All the best for the future,

djb

[Leon]

Good!

[Larry Blanchard]

Mike, what I've done with the Yahoo groups I'm in is get and send posts via email. That way I seldom visit the web sites which I don't like any more than you do.

[Lew Hodgett]

---------------------------------------------- Good luck as you venture forth.

Might want to remember how to get back.

Lew

[Keith Nuttle]

I feel the same way about the web based forums. There was a comment about why the Newsgroups were disappearing, regulatory may be part of the problem, but I think the main reason is that the provider can not make any money from a newsgroup. While on most web forum pages, over half the page is taken up with fixed advertising and popup advertising. It is a matter of economics for the provider.

[Bill]

Anyone who wants newsgroups can subscribe. I subscribed when AOL dropped them (years ago...). It saves me the trouble of looking up the price of gas..

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------- Sign up for Astraweb and you get the binaries including pics, if you want them.

Lew

[Gramps' shop]

My 2 cents: I appreciate the good discussions and the varied points of view on how to get from here to there in the shop. I always find the advice -- even when one writer contradicts another -- to be helpful. I also visit sa wmill creek and lumber jocks and have picked up a couple of nicely priced t ools from SMC classies. This is a great little community and I would miss it if it disappears.

Larry

[WD]

Larry, it's getting less and less as the years roll on. I first came here before

2001, when I started woodworking. It gives me lot pleasure all these years. I mostly lurk to find out how to....... and where to find......? Once in a while I add my two cents. I missed many of the old timers. Cheers

[joeljcarver]

fic. And even it has gone from almost

It's been an unfortunate, steady deterioration of this group. At one time w e had a full array of accomplished woodworkers who were happy to share expe rtise and information.

To me, the abundance of off-topic posts is a part of the present situation. I guess there's no way to eliminate political bullshit sessions and those lame attempts at humor. Well, sadly, I guess nothing lasts forever, and the prime saving grace is Rob's weekly quiz.

[dadiOH]

When one begins a new endeavour, there are always lots of "how to" thoughts which lead to questions. Woodworking is no exception but after a relatively short time, the confusion sorts itself out...make a rough board smooth, square it up, cut/shape to size, hook it together with other pieces, apply a finish. That's pretty much it and at that point, the "how to" thoughts disappear.

So what's left? Well, the merits of different tools and brands of tools, ditto for finishes. Plus various OT stuff. What is needed is more people - newbies or not - asking questions. To that end, see my soon-to-be post, "Why do lap joints work?" :)

[none]

On Wed, 20 Nov 2013 06:58:54 -0500, "dadiOH"

I'd also add the merits of new tools, what works what doesn't. I didn't hear about the Domino until a year or two after it came on the market. I'd have loved to see some of the original comments from professional users after they experienced it for the first time.

As to the need for newbies, it's getting harder to find them for woodworking. When I was in high school a little over forty years ago, even then they were phasing out woodshop and autoshop. Nowadays, the first exposure and interest is computers and new technology. Very little is left for beginning woodworkers to get introduced to the craft.