Usenet

Verizon to shut down Usenet servers

adamg — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:54:32 -0400

Adam Pieniazek alerts us to this notice that Verizon will be shutting its newsgroup servers down at the end of the month, because "most users have switched to more exciting ways of getting and sharing information via the Web, such as social networks, email and sites such as our Verizon Central Newsroom."

Verizon adds that customers will not see their rates go up because of the exciting change.

Bye alt.; so long ne....

Dave — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:13:08 -0400

Continuing the trend for ISPs to offer less service for more money, Verizon announced on their website that they're no longer going to be carrying Usenet groups beyond the "Big Eight" hierarchies. They didn't really explain why.

Apparently they're using Little CuCuomo's attempt to fight kiddie porn to justify their reduction of services. They're dropping the entire "alt" hierarchy and others such as the regional "ne" one. This represents something like 90% of Usenet. Couldn't they just filter the offending newsgroups?

I'm still on the fence about whether it was a good idea to drop Comcast and go to FiOS. Comcast had Usenet retention of several months. Verizon only gave you a week or so. With FiOS it takes over a minute to reconnect when my machine comes out of Hibernate mode; with Comcast it was instant. Comcast offers free McAfee protection; Verizon offers you a teaser trial download for a $5 monthy charge.

Local Usenet scourge dead?

adamg — Wed, 27 Jul 2005 16:47:10 -0400

Steve Boursy was one of the most annoying people on Earth, even if pretty much totally unknown outside the rarified confines of early-1990's Usenet newsgroups, such as ne.general, where he forever ranted against - and often threatened - other posters over the issue of rent control (back when Boston and Cambridge still had it). Tim, once one of his chief enemies, reports he died earlier this year:

... I never expected to care if I saw or heard from Steve again. He wasn't my friend, and for a long time he was my enemy; but now, I am saddened. For better or for worse, he was a Legend, and he deserved better than this.

Usenet

Verizon to shut down Usenet servers

Bye alt.*; so long ne.*...

Local Usenet scourge dead?

Bye alt.; so long ne....