Hi,
back between 1996-2006 cirka i was active in groups like alt.music.spacerock, rec.music.progressive, alt.punk, alt.gothic, alt.drugs etc and used often the x-no-archive:yes in header so lots of it isn't archived. I also did lots of trades and met people via Usenet and my first website up on EUnet.no later mirrored / moved to Tripod (search "Hawkwind's Electric Library") was proclaimed "ugliest website on the internet" by someone in alt.gothic in 2000 when i put it on Tripod and worked on expanding it alot with my HTML on my Windows 95 and Windows XP machines... I used to sit on FTP and upload via NASA. I also was active in alt.books.moorcock and alt.books.kurt-vonnegut. It is all died down now, i was tipped to this NG by someone in the alt.music.blackmetal (I think) group just 10 hours ago... a follow up on an old thread i replied to recently. I guess everyone uses Chillax etc crap apps on Android phones etc for binaries but that is KRAP. Thanks for your attention.. Christian (now on Googlegroups in Gmail)

On Sun, 26 Mar 2023 07:07:29 -0700, Christian Mumford wrote:

> Hi,
> back between 1996-2006 cirka i was active in groups like
> alt.music.spacerock, rec.music.progressive, alt.punk, alt.gothic,
> alt.drugs etc and used often the x-no-archive:yes in header so lots of
> it isn't archived. I also did lots of trades and met people via Usenet
> and my first website up on EUnet.no later mirrored / moved to Tripod
> (search "Hawkwind's Electric Library") was proclaimed "ugliest website
> on the internet" by someone in alt.gothic in 2000 when i put it on
> Tripod and worked on expanding it alot with my HTML on my Windows 95 and
> Windows XP machines... I used to sit on FTP and upload via NASA. I also
> was active in alt.books.moorcock and alt.books.kurt-vonnegut. It is all
> died down now, i was tipped to this NG by someone in the
> alt.music.blackmetal (I think) group just 10 hours ago... a follow up on
> an old thread i replied to recently. I guess everyone uses Chillax etc
> crap apps on Android phones etc for binaries but that is KRAP. Thanks
> for your attention.. Christian (now on Googlegroups in Gmail)

I been lurking around on Usenet for a few months now, hoping to find
active groups. Sad to see not many use Usenet much anymore, I hope that
changes and people rediscover Usenet again.

--Michael

Michael P. O'Connor <mpop@mikeoconnor.net> wrote:
[...]

> I been lurking around on Usenet for a few months now, hoping to find
> active groups. Sad to see not many use Usenet much anymore, I hope that
> changes and people rediscover Usenet again.

"active groups" of course largely depends on your interests. For
example for me, the Windows an Android groups are quite active. (Let me
know if you need some group names.)

Usenet still has its share of die-hards (I'm on NetNews/Usenet since
a little over four decades). And there are also some 'youngsters' (in
Usenet terms). The youngest I know (and know his age) is 46.

Bottom line: Don't dispair, just look for some relatively active
groups and enjoy the exchanges. The number of posters/posts is not
important, just their 'quality', entertainment value, <whatever>.

On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 12:05:06 +0000, Frank Slootweg wrote:

> Michael P. O'Connor <mpop@mikeoconnor.net> wrote:
> [...]

> "active groups" of course largely depends on your interests. For
> example for me, the Windows an Android groups are quite active. (Let me
> know if you need some group names.)
>
> Bottom line: Don't dispair, just look for some relatively active
> groups and enjoy the exchanges. The number of posters/posts is not
> important, just their 'quality', entertainment value, <whatever>.

First, 46 young I like hearing that (Nov of 1976 was when I was born)
Second I will take you up on that offer, I been looking around for video
game, board game, sci-fi groups. And your suggestion for Android groups
would be good too.

Thanks I do appreciate it

--Michael

Michael P. O'Connor <mpop@mikeoconnor.net> wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 12:05:06 +0000, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
> > Michael P. O'Connor <mpop@mikeoconnor.net> wrote:
> > [...]
>
> > "active groups" of course largely depends on your interests. For
> > example for me, the Windows an Android groups are quite active. (Let me
> > know if you need some group names.)
> >
> > Bottom line: Don't dispair, just look for some relatively active
> > groups and enjoy the exchanges. The number of posters/posts is not
> > important, just their 'quality', entertainment value, <whatever>.
>
> First, 46 young I like hearing that (Nov of 1976 was when I was born)
> Second I will take you up on that offer, I been looking around for video
> game, board game, sci-fi groups. And your suggestion for Android groups
> would be good too.
>
> Thanks I do appreciate it

The main Android group is comp.mobile.android

As to the others, I suggest you try to use some pattern/keyword when
trying the 'subscribe' feature of your newsreader. (I've never used Pan,
so I can't help with detailed instructions.)

For example Thunderbird has a box 'Show items that contain:' for
searching the newsgroups list of the server.

When I search for "contains: game" in my newsreader (Hamster), my
NSP's (News Service Provider) (News.Indididual.Net) news-server gives
a list of 1521 groups (with their description, if any). 'scifi' gives 14
and sci-fi gives another 13.

'official' lists of alt groups are hard to get, as alt is unofficial
by nature. (If anyone has some pointers on these, please post them.)

The list of Big Eight newsgroups (comp.*, humanities.*, misc.*,
news.*, rec.*, sci.*, soc.*, and talk.*), with their one-line
descriptions, are regularly (cross-)posted to the newsgroups
news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,news.lists.misc, so if you subscribe
to one or more of these groups, you will get it. It probably also is on
some website, but I don't have that handy as I don't need it.

Happy group hunting!

"Frank Slootweg" wrote:
> 'official' lists of alt groups are hard to get, as alt is unofficial
> by nature. (If anyone has some pointers on these, please post them.)

The ISC maintain a list of goups for the big 8, alt, free, country
specific groups, etc. for which they have control messages. This is
about as official as it gets:

https://ftp.isc.org/pub/usenet/CONFIG/

(also reachable by FTP)

Unfortunately, "active" doesn't contain the article count for each but
"newsgroups" has the descriptions. Not all news servers will carry
every group and there is at least one very active group with no
control message that doesn't appear in the lists.

In article <LfZhM.55255$hl93.40529@fx18.iad>, mpop@mikeoconnor.net
says...
>
> On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 12:05:06 +0000, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
> > Michael P. O'Connor <mpop@mikeoconnor.net> wrote:
> > [...]
>
> > "active groups" of course largely depends on your interests. For
> > example for me, the Windows an Android groups are quite active. (Let me
> > know if you need some group names.)
> >
> > Bottom line: Don't dispair, just look for some relatively active
> > groups and enjoy the exchanges. The number of posters/posts is not
> > important, just their 'quality', entertainment value, <whatever>.
>
> First, 46 young I like hearing that (Nov of 1976 was when I was born)
> Second I will take you up on that offer, I been looking around for video
> game, board game, sci-fi groups. And your suggestion for Android groups
> would be good too.

Heh, well, I'm 43 and first started reading Usenet in the late 90s. I'm
happy that it still has loyal posters, and just wish there were easier
ways for new users to stumble across it.

It's true that a lot of formerly lively groups have gone quiet, but
there are still some busy ones.

Possibly relevant to your interests:

- rec.arts.sf.written gets a healthy amount of discussion, if you
haven't found that one yet.
- rec.arts.drwho gets lots of messages, but you'll probably need
your killfile.
- rec.games.board is very quiet, but I suspect there are still some
lurkers who could be coaxed out with some on-topic posts.
- rec.games.backgammon seems to have a small but active community.

Some of the programming groups are also active, for example
comp.lang.python and comp.lang.c.

rec.arts.cooking was also remarkably busy last time I looked.

Hope that gives you some useful pointers.

Regards,
Rayner

On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 17:46:20 +0100, Rayner Lucas wrote:

>
> Possibly relevant to your interests:
>
[...]
>
> Some of the programming groups are also active, for example
> comp.lang.python and comp.lang.c.
>
> rec.arts.cooking was also remarkably busy last time I looked.
>
> Hope that gives you some useful pointers.
>
> Regards,
> Rayner

Thanks for the lead I have subbed to a few of those groups, and ya you
are right I need to work on my kill file for the dr. who one.

Am 13.06.2023 um 12:05:06 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:

> Usenet still has its share of die-hards (I'm on NetNews/Usenet since
> a little over four decades). And there are also some 'youngsters' (in
> Usenet terms). The youngest I know (and know his age) is 46.

I am 21, so there is another one.
But I am most active in the German de.* groups.

On 2023-06-14, Marco Moock <mo01@posteo.de> wrote:
> Am 13.06.2023 um 12:05:06 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
>
>> Usenet still has its share of die-hards (I'm on NetNews/Usenet since
>> a little over four decades). And there are also some 'youngsters' (in
>> Usenet terms). The youngest I know (and know his age) is 46.
>
> I am 21, so there is another one.
> But I am most active in the German de.* groups.
>

37 here, but sadly es.* groups are either dead on the technical side except for a monthly Linux related post, or full of wackos in political groups.
I'm trying to revive them with quality content, but it's not easy.
Maybe if some folks from Gemini come here, they could feed each other
with cross contents, as Gemini it's best suited to write articles and
usenet to discuss information.

Marco Moock <mo01@posteo.de> wrote:
> Am 13.06.2023 um 12:05:06 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
>
> > Usenet still has its share of die-hards (I'm on NetNews/Usenet since
> > a little over four decades). And there are also some 'youngsters' (in
> > Usenet terms). The youngest I know (and know his age) is 46.
>
> I am 21, so there is another one.

Wow! If you don't mind, can you tell us how you found out about
Usenet, what triggered your interest, etc..

> But I am most active in the German de.* groups.

But also in other groups. IIRC in aus.computers and some of the
Windows group.

Anyway, I'm very glad you're on Usenet. We need all the young blood we
can get.

bozo user <anthk@disroot.org> wrote:
> On 2023-06-14, Marco Moock <mo01@posteo.de> wrote:
> > Am 13.06.2023 um 12:05:06 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
> >
> >> Usenet still has its share of die-hards (I'm on NetNews/Usenet since
> >> a little over four decades). And there are also some 'youngsters' (in
> >> Usenet terms). The youngest I know (and know his age) is 46.
> >
> > I am 21, so there is another one.
> > But I am most active in the German de.* groups.
> >
>
> 37 here, but sadly es.* groups are either dead on the technical side except for a monthly Linux related post, or full of wackos in political groups.
> I'm trying to revive them with quality content, but it's not easy.
> Maybe if some folks from Gemini come here, they could feed each other
> with cross contents, as Gemini it's best suited to write articles and
> usenet to discuss information.

Probably the same for most non-English groups. Our nl.* groups - or at
least the ones I'm subscribed to - are also rather quiet.

It doesn't bother me much, because - except for local issues - the
worldwide English-language groups are fine. You only need to see past
the US==world blinkers and you're fine! :-)

FWIW, there's a Spanish poster in the Android and Windows groups and
he probably also subscribes to some Linux groups.

Am 16.06.2023 um 12:37:51 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:

> Marco Moock <mo01@posteo.de> wrote:
> > Am 13.06.2023 um 12:05:06 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
> >
> > > Usenet still has its share of die-hards (I'm on NetNews/Usenet
> > > since a little over four decades). And there are also some
> > > 'youngsters' (in Usenet terms). The youngest I know (and know his
> > > age) is 46.
> >
> > I am 21, so there is another one.
>
> Wow! If you don't mind, can you tell us how you found out about
> Usenet, what triggered your interest, etc..

First, I heard of it regarding to binary files, but I never used it.
Then I googled the name of some employees of my work and found
discussions on narkive.com. These were interesting, so I looked for a
way to participate in these groups.
I am interested in the computer topics there and I like that there is
no censorship and no banning of users who do not agree with moderators.

I also like that alle the bullshit of platforms like Twitter or reddit
is missing.

> > But I am most active in the German de.* groups.
>
> But also in other groups. IIRC in aus.computers and some of the
> Windows group.
>
> Anyway, I'm very glad you're on Usenet. We need all the young blood
> we can get.

Then spread information about Usenet. Without that, nobody will notice
it.

On 6/13/23 4:29 AM, Michael P. O'Connor wrote:
> On Sun, 26 Mar 2023 07:07:29 -0700, Christian Mumford wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> back between 1996-2006 cirka i was active in groups like
>> alt.music.spacerock, rec.music.progressive, alt.punk, alt.gothic,
>> alt.drugs etc and used often the x-no-archive:yes in header so lots of
>> it isn't archived. I also did lots of trades and met people via Usenet
>> and my first website up on EUnet.no later mirrored / moved to Tripod
>> (search "Hawkwind's Electric Library") was proclaimed "ugliest website
>> on the internet" by someone in alt.gothic in 2000 when i put it on
>> Tripod and worked on expanding it alot with my HTML on my Windows 95 and
>> Windows XP machines... I used to sit on FTP and upload via NASA. I also
>> was active in alt.books.moorcock and alt.books.kurt-vonnegut. It is all
>> died down now, i was tipped to this NG by someone in the
>> alt.music.blackmetal (I think) group just 10 hours ago... a follow up on
>> an old thread i replied to recently. I guess everyone uses Chillax etc
>> crap apps on Android phones etc for binaries but that is KRAP. Thanks
>> for your attention.. Christian (now on Googlegroups in Gmail)
>
> I been lurking around on Usenet for a few months now, hoping to find
> active groups. Sad to see not many use Usenet much anymore, I hope that
> changes and people rediscover Usenet again.
>
> --Michael

I'm trying to get back on Usenet too. It's been a long time, and I'm
trying to figure out how this all works again.

I think the latest problems with Reddit might cause some people to come
looking, but probably not the general public.

a cat <a_cat@example.com> writes:
>
> I'm trying to get back on Usenet too. It's been a long time, and I'm
> trying to figure out how this all works again.
>
> I think the latest problems with Reddit might cause some people to
> come looking, but probably not the general public.

I've been mentioning Usenet pretty often when people mention the Reddit
kerfuffle, though as you say it's unlikely the general public would get
into it.

john

In article <u6k43h$17b29$1@dont-email.me>, mo01@posteo.de says...
>
> Am 16.06.2023 um 12:37:51 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
>
> > Anyway, I'm very glad you're on Usenet. We need all the young blood
> > we can get.
>
> Then spread information about Usenet. Without that, nobody will notice
> it.

Usenet currently has a discoverability problem, for sure. I don't know
of any good way to find or try Usenet from a web browser, unlike back in
the DejaNews days.

Narkive is great but only shows a handful of groups and has no posting
ability. Usenetarchives.com is similarly read-only. And it's difficult
to find anything on Google Groups now that the advanced search is gone
and the Usenet groups are all mixed up with Google's own discussion
group service.

I feel like Usenet needs either another large archive site that can
bring new users on board (while somehow making enough money to keep
operating), or possibly ways to make it easier to set up and host a news
server with a nice easy-to-use front-end so that we end up with a lot of
smaller sites participating.

Until someone creates such things: I agree, spread the word and help
some newbies find where the good discussions are!

Rayner

Rayner Lucas <usenet202101@magic-cookie.co.uknospamplease> wrote:
> In article <u6k43h$17b29$1@dont-email.me>, mo01@posteo.de says...
> >
> > Am 16.06.2023 um 12:37:51 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
> >
> > > Anyway, I'm very glad you're on Usenet. We need all the young blood
> > > we can get.
> >
> > Then spread information about Usenet. Without that, nobody will notice
> > it.
>
> Usenet currently has a discoverability problem, for sure. I don't know
> of any good way to find or try Usenet from a web browser, unlike back in
> the DejaNews days.

There used to be a way where you could post a <news:...> URL, which,
when excuted by one's (web)browser would invoke and configure one's
newsreader, for example Thunderbird, which could then display a 'How to
get started using Usenet' type of message. But nowadays that'll only
work in some cases - if that -, not in most/all cases. At least, I have
given up on that path.

> Narkive is great but only shows a handful of groups and has no posting
> ability. Usenetarchives.com is similarly read-only. And it's difficult
> to find anything on Google Groups now that the advanced search is gone
> and the Usenet groups are all mixed up with Google's own discussion
> group service.

You can still point to a Usenet group/thread/article in Google Groups
(courtesy Marcel Logen in nsr on May 26):

<ML>

<https://groups.google.com/g/news.software.readers>
<https://groups.google.com/g/news.software.readers/c/jKhjVTx6bT8>
<https://groups.google.com/g/news.software.readers/c/jKhjVTx6bT8/m/4Zry0MsJAQAJ>g
= group
c = thread (conversation)
m = message
Unfortunately, it is not possible to see the original message-id of a message.

</ML>

At the group-level, this offers some more elaborate search facility,
albeit not as powerful as the old advanced search.

> I feel like Usenet needs either another large archive site that can
> bring new users on board (while somehow making enough money to keep
> operating), or possibly ways to make it easier to set up and host a news
> server with a nice easy-to-use front-end so that we end up with a lot of
> smaller sites participating.
>
> Until someone creates such things: I agree, spread the word and help
> some newbies find where the good discussions are!

Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> writes:

> Rayner Lucas <usenet202101@magic-cookie.co.uknospamplease> wrote:
>> In article <u6k43h$17b29$1@dont-email.me>, mo01@posteo.de says...
>> >
>> > Am 16.06.2023 um 12:37:51 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
>> >
>> > > Anyway, I'm very glad you're on Usenet. We need all the young blood
>> > > we can get.
>> >
>> > Then spread information about Usenet. Without that, nobody will notice
>> > it.
>>
>> Usenet currently has a discoverability problem, for sure. I don't know
>> of any good way to find or try Usenet from a web browser, unlike back in
>> the DejaNews days.
>
> There used to be a way where you could post a <news:...> URL, which,
> when excuted by one's (web)browser would invoke and configure one's
> newsreader, for example Thunderbird, which could then display a 'How to
> get started using Usenet' type of message. But nowadays that'll only
> work in some cases - if that -, not in most/all cases. At least, I have
> given up on that path.
>

It's also easier, in my opinion, to configure e.g. Thunderbird with an
eternal-september account than to set up an IMAP/SMTP email account.

Unfortunately to get people posting, there's this requisite step of
getting signed up with a server -- even on a no-auth-required server
(like aioe, which appears to be gone now?) you still have to give the
server name & your desired identity. Of course, there's always Google
Groups, but they keep making the interface worse and I think a lot of
news admins drop Groups postings because of all the spam (I know I'm
tempted to do so).

In my opinion, Usenet would be at its best if people posted primarily
from small servers where the admins know every user. I think this would
help with abuse and spam to some extent, but it means you need lots of
people running servers, and it means you can only get online if you know
somebody with a server, which would be fine if The Masses were clamoring
to post, but they're not.

Ah well.

john

bozo user <anthk@disroot.org> writes:

> On 2023-06-14, Marco Moock <mo01@posteo.de> wrote:
>> Am 13.06.2023 um 12:05:06 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
>>
>>> Usenet still has its share of die-hards (I'm on NetNews/Usenet since
>>> a little over four decades). And there are also some 'youngsters' (in
>>> Usenet terms). The youngest I know (and know his age) is 46.
>>
>> I am 21, so there is another one.
>> But I am most active in the German de.* groups.
>>
>
> 37 here, but sadly es.* groups are either dead on the technical side except for a monthly Linux related post, or full of wackos in political groups.
> I'm trying to revive them with quality content, but it's not easy.
> Maybe if some folks from Gemini come here, they could feed each other
> with cross contents, as Gemini it's best suited to write articles and
> usenet to discuss information.
Hello, I am new here. So, how complicated is it to create a group? From
what I have read, a request must be made to the Big-8 board, then it
must be approved. Do alt.* groups work differently?

Marco Moock <mo01@posteo.de> writes:

> Am 16.06.2023 um 12:37:51 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
>
> I am interested in the computer topics there and I like that there is
> no censorship and no banning of users who do not agree with moderators.
>
> I also like that alle the bullshit of platforms like Twitter or reddit
> is missing.
>
I'm here for pretty much the same reasons. USENET could take off
(again) if it were more accessible I think. At one point, there was
DejaNews and Google Groups, but they fell by the wayside. The Fediverse
is all the rage right now, but the concept is not new.

Rayner Lucas <usenet202101@magic-cookie.co.ukNOSPAMPLEASE> writes:

> In article <u6k43h$17b29$1@dont-email.me>, mo01@posteo.de says...
>>
>> Am 16.06.2023 um 12:37:51 Uhr schrieb Frank Slootweg:
>>
>> > Anyway, I'm very glad you're on Usenet. We need all the young blood
>> > we can get.
>>
>> Then spread information about Usenet. Without that, nobody will notice
>> it.
>
> Usenet currently has a discoverability problem, for sure. I don't know
> of any good way to find or try Usenet from a web browser, unlike back in
> the DejaNews days.
>
> Narkive is great but only shows a handful of groups and has no posting
> ability. Usenetarchives.com is similarly read-only. And it's difficult
> to find anything on Google Groups now that the advanced search is gone
> and the Usenet groups are all mixed up with Google's own discussion
> group service.
>
> I feel like Usenet needs either another large archive site that can
> bring new users on board (while somehow making enough money to keep
> operating), or possibly ways to make it easier to set up and host a news
> server with a nice easy-to-use front-end so that we end up with a lot of
> smaller sites participating.
>
> Until someone creates such things: I agree, spread the word and help
> some newbies find where the good discussions are!
>
> Rayner
We need a pre-packaged solution. It could be a docker-compose script
that spins up an NNTP server along with an API and a web app.

The API would take care of user account management, uploads, and
the interfacing between the web client and the NNTP server.

The web client would be able to handle images, videos, and external
links.

Third-party clients could be created and set up to use a specific 'instance'.

Anyway, I'm just tossing ideas around. I'm not even sure if this would
be feasible :P

Am 18.06.2023 um 13:27:31 Uhr schrieb cr0c0d1le:

> So, how complicated is it to create a group?

Why do you need a new one?
About which topic?

> From what I have read, a request must be made to the Big-8 board,
> then it must be approved.

This applies to the Big 8 hierarchy. Other hierarchies have different
rulesets.

> Do alt.* groups work differently?

Yes, because only a control message is needed.
But alt.* is full of empty groups because many were created and never
deleted.

Am 17.06.2023 um 19:39:11 Uhr schrieb Rayner Lucas:

> I feel like Usenet needs either another large archive site that can
> bring new users on board (while somehow making enough money to keep
> operating), or possibly ways to make it easier to set up and host a
> news server with a nice easy-to-use front-end so that we end up with
> a lot of smaller sites participating.

It exists with the rocksolid software.

https://www.novabbs.com/rocksolid/index.php

Sadly, they don't have all active groups, especially not non-English.

In article <87leggfzp8.fsf@osiris>, nospam@nospam.org says...
>
> Hello, I am new here. So, how complicated is it to create a group? From
> what I have read, a request must be made to the Big-8 board, then it
> must be approved. Do alt.* groups work differently?

For a group in the Big 8 hierarchies, the process is here:
https://www.big-8.org/wiki/How_to_Create_a_New_Big-8_Newsgroup

The main thing the Board is concerned about when considering a request
is "are enough people interested that this group will be a success?"

As the alt.* hierarchy isn't managed by anybody, things are a bit
different and less formal. The FAQs at http://alt-config.net describe
how it works. And if posting in alt.config, note that some folks there
like to be as confrontational as possible with their critiques, so bring
your flameproof overalls.

Regards
Rayner

Marco Moock <mo01@posteo.de> writes:

> Am 18.06.2023 um 13:27:31 Uhr schrieb cr0c0d1le:
>
>> So, how complicated is it to create a group?
>
> Why do you need a new one?
> About which topic?
I don't need to create one right now, but I might if I can't find
a group that matches what I'm looking for.
>
>> From what I have read, a request must be made to the Big-8 board,
>> then it must be approved.
>
> This applies to the Big 8 hierarchy. Other hierarchies have different
> rulesets.
>
>> Do alt.* groups work differently?
>
> Yes, because only a control message is needed.
> But alt.* is full of empty groups because many were created and never
> deleted.
alt.* must have been a dumpsterfire back in its prime.