Usenet vs Google Groups

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#1 Post by **JaneL** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 6:56 am

GomJabbar wrote:I posted on the Google Group ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad

FWIW, ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad isn't a Google Group either. It's a group that presumably escaped from one of IBM's public or private newservers years ago through crossposting and is now carried on many ISP's Usenet newservers. Google just happens to be one of them.

#2 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:30 am

nonny wrote:
GomJabbar wrote:I posted on the Google Group ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad
FWIW, ibm.ibmpc.thinkpad isn't a Google Group either. It's a group that presumably escaped from one of IBM's public or private newservers years ago through crossposting and is now carried on many ISP's Usenet newservers. Google just happens to be one of them.

Yeah, I've been figuring that out. I have also posted to alt.cellular.cingular from Google. Once when I sent a post that didn't show up after a half hour or so, I posted a test to that same group. The next day, the 'supposed' originator of the group chided me for posting the test. I replied that I removed my test post (from Google) within just a few minutes after it appeared, and that I was surprised that he even saw it. He responded something to the effect that most newservers don't permit the deleting of posts. I gathered from that interchange that alt.cellular.cingular was appearing in more places than just Google Groups.

Although I have had a personal computer (starting with a 386) for the last 15 years, and I have some familiarity with Basic, DOS, OS2, & Windows from 3.0 onward, I really haven't been involved in online interchanges. I did use bulletin boards for file downloads in my DOS days, but that was about it. I have never been involved with usenet - at least directly, and I have never used a newsreader program. So I'm just a lowly Noob regarding usenet and newsgroups.

I must say though, that I have really been enjoying myself on Bill's forum here. I'm starting to understand how people can get so wrapped up in chat rooms (something else I haven't involved myself with). I'll soon have to change though, because this has become just too time consuming and too addicting!

egibbs · #3 Post by **egibbs** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:33 am

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Google Groups i just a Googlized interface to usenet.

Ed Gibbs

#4 Post by **JaneL** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 6:49 am

egibbs wrote:I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Google Groups i just a Googlized interface to usenet.

That's what it used to be. Now Google has added their own groups that are only accessible via the web interface, and they don't really differentiate between the two (hence the reason for this thread). People who don't know about Usenet don't understand the difference, and wackiness ensues in some of the more acerbic Usenet newsgroups.

Orbitz · #5 Post by **Orbitz** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:02 pm

I bet wackiness is an understatement

#6 Post by **JaneL** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:11 pm

Orbitz wrote:I bet wackiness is an understement

Oh, yeah!

egibbs · #7 Post by **egibbs** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:51 am

As long as we're off topic, has anyone else been around long enough to remember the Canelo and Hansen Green Card post?

Ed Gibbs

#8 Post by **JaneL** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 7:16 am

egibbs wrote:As long as we're off topic, has anyone else been around long enough to remember the Canelo and Hansen Green Card post?

Canter and Siegel? Yeah, I remember it. For those who don't see this 1999 article by Ray Everett-Church who became a legend in spam fighting and privacy issues -> http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,19098,00.html

egibbs · #9 Post by **egibbs** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 8:18 am

Whoops - where did I get Canelo and Hansen from? My apologies to them, whoever they are. It sucks to get old.

As I remember, Canter & Siegel were going to write a book and sell consulting services to teach others how to spam. I wonder how that worked out for them?

Ed Gibbs

Usenet vs Google Groups

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