I started a post in the recent ‘Bump’ thread, but on reflection I think it deserves a thread of it’s own.

Can anyone explain to my why this forum is so popular when the disadvantages of a forum (in general)as compared to a Usenet group seem enormous. In my opinion Usenet has the following advantages:-

Threads with new posts are easily identified
Bumping threads is impossible
It’s easy to ignore or watch threads
Individuals can be killfiled
Threaded view rocks
Filters can be created from messages to customise the experience
Groups can be read from a web browser via Google Groups
There are no adverts
All threads are archived indefinitely
etc etc etc

Disadvantages:-
Binary posts not usually acceptable which means pictures don’t appear in-line but have to be linked.

So why not start a uk.rec.singletrack group and all move there?

usenet is for nerds.

because the first rule ****** is you don’t talk about ******?

usenet is for nerds.

Usenet is also for binary newsgroups and downloading DVD’s and the like far more reliably than torrents. Oh, and p0rn too…

Used to use usenet. But now my ISP doesn’t even bother offering a server… Can’t say it’s that missed, mostly deluged by porn and dodgy media/binaries for download. The communities seem to have died largely compared to many years ago*.

Now IRC is a different kettle of fish 🙂

*yes in net terms I am an old fogey 😉

What the funk said. Usenet used to be ace 10 years ago, but it got so filled up with crap, spam and idiots as the internet grew that it lost it’s appeal.

A usernet group would be hit a lot by a man whos name we dare not mention!!

There are loads of really good newsgroups:-
UKRM (A bit ‘robust’)
UK.rec.sheds (the shedde)
uk.d-i-y
to name but three

A decent provider will filter out most if not all spam
Both my ISPs (Plusnet and Zen) provide free Usenet
There are other good free usenet feeds and for a measly £12/yr an excellent service from the Germans.
In my experience there are no more idiots in newsgroups than anywhere else.
Avoid binary groups and there’s no pron

What’s not to like?

Nicknoxx:

I started a post in the recent ‘Bump’ thread, but on reflection I think it deserves a thread of it’s own.

You reflected wrong.

can’t see the point. this works. rather than the format change, some of the users…

A usernet group would be hit a lot by a man whos name we dare not mention!!

Vander..
No, I can’t say it. Saying it once is like saying beetlejuice three times in a row.

Just went and looked on usenet (haven’t been there for years)
Blimey! Mike corley still isn’t taking his tablets!

Erm..for the uninitiated WTF is usenet and why do I want it?

Can’t see the issue with the forum. It’s the users not the format.

Ian is he still on the same rant?

Erm..for the uninitiated WTF is usenet and why do I want it?
It’s a bit like these sort of web forums, but predates the web.
You can access it via google. eg.

http://groups.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/topics

Ian is he still on the same rant?

All I saw was MI5 and Mike Corely in a thread. Didn’t bother reading anymore, but I imagine people in the televison are still talking to him 🙂

Ooh! He’s got a website now.
http://www.mi5.com/

If you’ve never tried a newsgroup here’s an American one that might interest you:-
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/alt.mountain-bike/topics?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&pli=1

This is a fairly low traffic group so you can see how it works. However many of the (significant) advantages of a newsgroup can only really be gained by using a newsreader. I use Thunderbird but many others are available.

Try it, you might like it

That guys a nutter!!
I was refering to MV.

uk . rec . cycling

Blimey I’d forgot about that it’s best thay way.

Thanks, that should waste most of tomorrow!

Just followed te link that Nicknoxx posted
MV’s still there posting the same old gibberish, and still using
the same sig he was over 10 years ago.

Every newsgroup has it’s own resident nutter:-

uk.rec.Motorcycles has Des

uk.d-i-y used to have The Natural Philosopher but I think he’s morphed since I was there last

uk.rec.sheds has some who bangs on about M15 persecution (sounds familiar)