• Usenet

    From AW@VERT/ECBBS to All on Mon Jan 10 03:19:02 2022
    Hello, do any BBSes have Usenet access?

    ~ AW ~

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  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to AW on Mon Jan 10 17:21:00 2022
    Hello, do any BBSes have Usenet access?

    I believe that darkrealms.ca does.


    * SLMR 2.1a * "Mmmmmmmm.....doughnuts."

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  • From Digital Man@VERT to AW on Tue Jan 11 00:55:07 2022
    Re: Usenet
    By: AW to All on Mon Jan 10 2022 03:19 am

    Hello, do any BBSes have Usenet access?

    Yes, many, including this one (but only a small number of newsgroups).
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Breaking Bad quote #4:
    Tagging trees is a lot better than chasing monsters. - Hank
    Norco, CA WX: 59.4øF, 25.0% humidity, 0 mph S wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
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  • From Geo@VERT/DUNGEON to AW on Tue Jan 11 16:18:52 2022
    Dungeon BBS also has a selection of USENET feeds.

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  • From Hammer@VERT/MUTINY to AW on Tue Jan 11 15:30:54 2022
    Re: Usenet
    By: AW to All on Mon Jan 10 2022 03:19:02

    Hello, do any BBSes have Usenet access?

    Mutiny (mutinybbs.com:2332) has:

    alt.bbs
    alt.bbs.ads
    comp.bbs.misc
    alt.bbs.doors
    alt.c64
    alt.2eggs.sausage.beans.tomatoes.2toast.largetea.cheerslove
    alt.astronomy
    alt.history.what-if

    The sysop stated that more could be added upon request.

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  • From DaiTengu@VERT/ENSEMBLE to AW on Fri Jan 14 14:47:43 2022
    Re: Usenet
    By: AW to All on Mon Jan 10 2022 03:19 am

    Hello, do any BBSes have Usenet access?

    Lots do. I've got about 55 or so assorted usenet groups here, and will happily add more if people want them (except for binary groups. I don't have the storage for that).

    DaiTengu

    ... The wages of sin are unreported.

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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to DaiTengu on Fri Jan 14 18:30:48 2022
    Re: Usenet
    By: DaiTengu to AW on Fri Jan 14 2022 02:47 pm

    Re: Usenet
    By: AW to All on Mon Jan 10 2022 03:19 am

    Hello, do any BBSes have Usenet access?

    Lots do. I've got about 55 or so assorted usenet groups here, and will happily add more if people want them (except for binary groups. I don't have the storage for that).

    DaiTengu


    i dunno, are any newsgroups even used for conversation anymore? they seem really really overran with spam. seems like they are only good for binaries now.

    i setup datastream again with newsgroups and seeing a lot of junk.
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  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to MRO on Sat Jan 15 10:34:00 2022
    i dunno, are any newsgroups even used for conversation anymore? they seem real
    really overran with spam. seems like they are only good for binaries now.

    There are a couple that are bridged into FIDO (or another ftn) that remind
    me of how they used to be... fairly active and mostly on topic.


    * SLMR 2.1a * A restless eye across a weary room...

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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dumas Walker on Sat Jan 15 16:04:32 2022
    Re: Usenet
    By: Dumas Walker to MRO on Sat Jan 15 2022 10:34 am

    i dunno, are any newsgroups even used for conversation anymore? they seem real
    really overran with spam. seems like they are only good for binaries now.

    There are a couple that are bridged into FIDO (or another ftn) that remind me of how they used to be... fairly active and mostly on topic.


    well here is what i have so far on datastream.

    Sub-boards of UseNet Posts

    [1] alt.bbs.doors 378
    * [2] alt.bbs.allsysop 1356
    [3] ALT.BBS.ADS 1
    [4] alt.bbs.synchronet 1
    [5] ALT.BBS 1


    i'll have to login with a newsreader and see whats active.
    if you can tell me the names of the ones you know of that are gated, let me know.

    thanks.
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  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to MRO on Sun Jan 16 11:41:00 2022
    i'll have to login with a newsreader and see whats active.
    if you can tell me the names of the ones you know of that are gated, let me kn

    I unfortunately don't know the name of the newsgroup (it is not a part of
    the ftn tag, unfortunately), but he one I was thinking about specifically
    was a group dedicated to the raspberry pi.

    It seems to have traffic every day and seems to be on topic. What I also
    don't know is whether or not the system gating it is filtering it in any
    way.


    * SLMR 2.1a * ...a host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance...

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  • From Margaerynne@VERT/PALANT to All on Thu Jan 19 21:27:39 2023
    Greetings, friends!

    Does anyone remember Usenet? Or, given the audience, does anyone _not_ remember Usenet?

    For those of you who do, were you active? When did you join? Is there anything you miss or hated?
    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?


    I was born right as it was hitting its peak, so it was well into decline before I would have been interested.
    As such, there's a certain type of mythical shine to it, and it's both fascinating and charming to see the roots of
    modern internet culture mixed with people's full name and address.

    I'm from an area of the country where The Internet wasn't really a thing outside of universities until the late 90s, and my parents were well out of college by the time computers came around, so I don't actually know anyone from Usenet in person. Hence, well, me posting here where the old guard meets.

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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Margaerynne on Thu Jan 19 22:15:17 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Margaerynne to All on Thu Jan 19 2023 09:27 pm

    Greetings, friends!

    Does anyone remember Usenet? Or, given the audience, does anyone _not_ remember Usenet?

    For those of you who do, were you active? When did you join? Is there anything you miss or hated?

    usenet now is binaries.
    i used it back in the day. it was just another way to talk.

    i must be different because i don't look on the past favorably. I just
    see it for what it was. i dont see the bbs era as the good old days.
    i remember it how it was just like verything else. i don't long for it.

    what i remember was the people arguing and autoposting stuff and then later on all the spam.
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  • From Arelor@VERT/PALANT to Margaerynne on Fri Jan 20 05:22:15 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Margaerynne to All on Thu Jan 19 2023 09:27 pm

    Does anyone remember Usenet? Or, given the audience, does anyone _not_ remem

    The peak of newsgroups predates me too. Internet here was not widespread until the 2000s or so, so we mostly missed it.

    BY the time I checked it out, it was a shadow of what it had been. The organization that managed the es. hierarchy had disbanded and therefore was no moderation or control over it, so the place was overtaken by flooders. Newsmasters didn't help much either.

    That said, the protocol is still very handy. Gmane uses nntp to serve archived mailing lists from software projects.

    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken

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  • From Dr. What@VERT/CFBBS to Margaerynne on Fri Jan 20 07:45:00 2023
    Margaerynne wrote to All <=-

    For those of you who do, were you active?

    When I had access to it, yes.

    When did you join?

    Probably in the mid 1980's when I was in college and had access.

    Is there anything you miss or hated?

    Miss: The number of intelligent people to have discussions with.

    Hated: The number of morons who just wanted to have fights.

    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?

    BBSs then: I was on BBSs before most of them were networked to other BBSs. So the amount of traffic was different. Most BBSs could set their own tone for discussions and kick off those who didn't want to follow that tone.

    BBSs now: Most BBSs today have networked message bases (but some are still "islands" in the Internet ocean) so it's pretty much the same as old Usenet.

    Today, most of the message networks (Usenet, FidoNet, etc.) are empty. On this BBS, I'm subscribed to maybe 30 message areas, but only about 5 actually get traffic.


    ... I don't have a solution but I really admire the problem.
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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dr. What on Fri Jan 20 11:54:59 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Margaerynne on Fri Jan 20 2023 07:45 am

    Today, most of the message networks (Usenet, FidoNet, etc.) are empty. On this BBS, I'm subscribed to maybe 30 message areas, but only about 5 actually get traffic.



    hey you could change that by contributing. most of the time it's just the same people talking to eachother so we have dry spots. most of the people that i talk to, i've known for like 20+ years. just recently i found out some of the krad guys don't like me so that's fun.
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  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to MARGAERYNNE on Fri Jan 20 16:15:00 2023
    For those of you who do, were you active? When did you join? Is there
    nything
    ou miss or hated?
    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?

    I was on it (and pulled it into my BBS) from the late 1980's until around
    1997. Some of the newsgroups were very active and still had a low signal-to-noise ratio, and were fun to participate in.

    A few years later... very few!... I got back to reading some of those
    groups. Hardly no traffic in them at all. The only one that had the
    same level of traffic, last I checked, was REC.SPORTS.FOOTBALL.COLLEGE, but most of the traffic was about politics and not about college football like
    it used to be.

    I was disappointed.

    There are still a few groups that have some traffic, and that still have
    low signal-to-noise ratios. A few of those are gated into FIDO. But, like others pointed out, most of Usenet traffic that is not binaries are spammers and trolls these days.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Only XT users know that January 1, 1980 was a Tuesday.

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  • From Hustler@VERT/CBLISS to Dumas Walker on Fri Jan 20 20:48:30 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Dumas Walker to MARGAERYNNE on Fri Jan 20 2023 16:15:00

    For those of you who do, were you active? When did you join? Is the
    nything
    ou miss or hated?
    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?

    Usenet, Newsgroups NNTP whatever you want to call them always had too many groups. Even in the early 90's there was over 1200 of them. It would take an hour to DL them at 2400 baud. I still prefered BBS messaging even back then and still do today. Usenet was where the terms moderated and un-moderated started. Then Fidonet had to have moderated and unmoderated messaging. What a joke. It was and still is a form of communism in my book. In the US of A we call it free speech. But we're always gonna have those big heads that enjoy "moderating" what people say. That's just my opinion.....I could be wrong ;-)
    Regards,
    HusTler

    ...Freedom is for everyone. Or no one.

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  • From Margaerynne@VERT/PALANT to MRO on Fri Jan 20 22:26:09 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Margaerynne on Thu Jan 19 2023 10:15 pm

    i must be different because i don't look on the past favorably. I just
    see it for what it was. i dont see the bbs era as the good old days.
    i remember it how it was just like verything else. i don't long for it.

    I don't think the past is better across the board, but I do think it's far enough away
    to allow for a postmortem analysis.

    For example, my generation cut its teeth on fora. There were so many problems, but I miss
    the characters and friendships that could result. A lot like BBSes, but less bound by location / Ma Bell.

    Usenet is the same. Far from a utopia, but there were lessons to be learned from it. Each place having its
    distinctive culture and names -- or at least certain larger places -- and what seems to be a mix of naivete
    and increased skepticism. "People go on the internet to tell lies" seems like a shocking revelation for some
    of the posters I've seen, but I've also seen a lot of legwork to show that someone's motives are less than pure.


    You mention knowing people for 20+ years, and I wonder if that would be harder to do nowadays.


    In any case, "back then" seems to have had more of the smaller, cozier, communities that are difficult to find now.
    They're still out there, but usually in chat rooms which are much, much worse than fora.

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  • From Margaerynne@VERT/PALANT to Arelor on Fri Jan 20 22:36:03 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Arelor to Margaerynne on Fri Jan 20 2023 05:22 am

    BY the time I checked it out, it was a shadow of what it had been. The organization that managed the es. hierarchy
    had disbanded and therefore was no moderation or control over it, so the place was overtaken by flooders.
    Newsmasters didn't help much either.

    That's tragic! Platforms come and go, but tracing the trajectory from high-end telcom scientists to college students to AOL has the same feeling as watching the fall of Rome. Of course, had I been alive, I likely would have been one of the knuckleheads responsible. (Hey, just look at what I'm doing right now!)

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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Hustler on Sat Jan 21 11:38:27 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Hustler to Dumas Walker on Fri Jan 20 2023 08:48 pm

    and still do today. Usenet was where the terms moderated and un-moderated started. Then Fidonet had to have moderated and unmoderated messaging. What a joke. It was and still is a form of communism in my book. In the US of A we call it free speech. But we're always gonna have those big heads that enjoy "moderating" what people say. That's just my opinion.....I could be wrong ;-)

    well in fidonet the main rule was dont be annoying. and you really had to be super annoying.

    they could cut your link, but that wouldnt stop someone from posting if they were 'banned'. i saw people that were banned but still posting.

    The only problem i had with fidonet is some people who were feeding people had no business doing so; they couldn't keep their systems up or they had other problems.

    also i see that atleast twice someone entered my information wrong so now there's a site that uses that cached information and it's still on there.
    so it has me down as being a member when i wasnt for some long stretch of time.

    I'm pretty much through with msg nets. there's no reason especially when there's no users. i tried doing it for the gaming years ago and had nothing but problems because my feeds sucked even though they were the most popular ones. I even had my settings doublechecked by someone who was very fluent with ftn. also my local games are tons better than any networked game or game server.
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  • From Margaerynne@VERT/PALANT to Hustler on Sat Jan 21 13:35:17 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Hustler to Dumas Walker on Fri Jan 20 2023 08:48 pm

    Usenet, Newsgroups NNTP whatever you want to call them always had too many groups. Even in the early 90's there was
    over 1200 of them. It would take an hour to DL them at 2400 baud.
    I suppose that's one aspect of it that I didn't think about. When you can flip through forty years of history in half an hour, you tend to forget about the download speeds.

    Weren't BBSes also pretty slow, though? I imagine a morning/afternoon message sweep would be simpler than having
    to keep track of timebanking, but, again, that's coming from someone who never had to manage a CompuServ subscription.

    I still prefered BBS messaging even back then and
    still do today. Usenet was where the terms moderated and un-moderated started. Then Fidonet had to have moderated
    and unmoderated messaging. What a joke. It was and still is a form of communism in my book. In the US of A we call
    it free speech. But we're always gonna have those big heads that enjoy "moderating" what people say. That's just my
    opinion.....I could be wrong ;-)

    I think the issue is that moderation isn't a one-size-fits-all approach.

    There are some spaces on the internet that I enjoy particularly because they're very heavily moderated (academic mailing lists that don't tolerate spam or speculation), but small community-regulated spaces (here, forums, etc.) are
    usually a lot cozier.

    ---
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  • From Dr. What@VERT/CFBBS to Hustler on Sat Jan 21 16:27:00 2023
    Hustler wrote to Dumas Walker <=-

    Usenet, Newsgroups NNTP whatever you want to call them always had too many groups. Even in the early 90's there was over 1200 of them. It
    would take an hour to DL them at 2400 baud.

    Ya, that was the other problem. Even if you didn't have to download all of them, if you were on a system that had Usenet available, it would take forever at those speeds to read through all the messages.

    Often time, I would just mark them as read and move on, especially the (sadly too often) flamewars that broke out. And after a while, I'd just drop the group from my list.


    ... I may look busy, but I'm just confused!
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  • From Ogg@VERT/CAPCITY2 to Hustler on Sat Jan 21 08:40:00 2023
    Hello Hustler!

    ** On Friday 20.01.23 - 20:48, Hustler wrote to Dumas Walker:

    By: Dumas Walker to MARGAERYNNE on Fri Jan 20 2023
    16:15:00

    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?

    [...] Usenet was where the terms moderated and un-
    moderated started. Then Fidonet had to have moderated and
    unmoderated messaging. What a joke. It was and still is a
    form of communism in my book. In the US of A we call it
    free speech. But we're always gonna have those big heads
    that enjoy "moderating" what people say. That's just my
    opinion.....I could be wrong ;-)

    Nothing wrong or communist about moderated. A moderator is just
    as important to have in a debate to keep people on track and on
    topic.


    --- OpenXP 5.0.51
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  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to HUSTLER on Sat Jan 21 11:07:00 2023
    o today. Usenet was where the terms moderated and un-moderated started. Then


    On Usenet, moderated used to mean to keep the spam out, keeping the
    messages on topic. Back in the early 1990's, there were some good
    moderated groups. The un-moderated ones were not all bad, either. Some
    stayed on topic by nature, although you might sometimes get spam. Others
    were free-for-alls, some of which could be figured out by the NG name, like alt.freeforall, or alt.some-famous-person.die.die.die.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Overdrawn? No way! I still have checks left!

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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Margaerynne on Sat Jan 21 20:29:01 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Margaerynne to Hustler on Sat Jan 21 2023 01:35 pm

    I suppose that's one aspect of it that I didn't think about. When you can flip through forty years of history in half an hour, you tend to forget about the download speeds.

    it wasnt slow for what we were using it for.
    i used usenet on dialup and it really wasnt that bad. i even used it for binaries. it sucked because 1MB was half an hour

    the web wasn't slow on dialup until they started adding all the bullshit to webpages.
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  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to MRO on Sun Jan 22 09:39:00 2023
    the web wasn't slow on dialup until they started adding all the bullshit to
    e
    ages.

    Exactly.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Profanity, the language of computer professionals

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  • From Moondog@VERT/CAVEBBS to Dumas Walker on Tue Jan 24 12:08:00 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Dumas Walker to MRO on Sun Jan 22 2023 09:39 am

    the web wasn't slow on dialup until they started adding all the bullshit t
    e
    ages.

    Exactly.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Profanity, the language of computer professionals


    Speaking of vintage computing, I found a search site called Frogfind that is geared towards older machines accessing the internet

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  • From Nelgin@VERT/EOTLBBS to Margaerynne on Tue Jan 24 22:46:26 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Margaerynne to All on Thu Jan 19 2023 21:27:39

    Does anyone remember Usenet? Or, given the audience, does anyone _not_ remember Usenet?
    Yes, I do.

    For those of you who do, were you active? When did you join? Is there anything you miss or hated?

    Mostly in the mid 90's for 10 years or so. I miss it being a useful source of information and hate the amount of spam there is now, thanks mainly to Google.

    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?
    It doesn't. usenet is just a collection of articles. Bulletin boards offer that but more.

    I'm from an area of the country where The Internet wasn't really a thing outside of universities until the late 90s, and my parents were well out of college by the time computers came around, so I don't actually know anyone from Usenet in person. Hence, well, me posting here where the old guard meets.

    I run a usenet server. I'm trying to find a way to offer the service to other sysops (myself included) without having to import every messages into Synchronet. I have a way, but it would require the talents of a third party to code a usenet client in javascript for Synchronet so it appears to be a non-starter. I'm really not that good at JS. I can get by, but not to the level of complexity it would take.
    ---
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  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 05:06:26 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Nelgin to Margaerynne on Tue Jan 24 2023 10:46 pm

    I run a usenet server. I'm trying to find a way to offer the service to other sysops (myself included) without having to import every messages into Synchronet. I have a way, but it would require the talents of a third party to code a usenet client in javascript for Synchronet so it appears to be a non-starter. I'm really not that good at JS. I can get by, but not to the level of complexity it would take.

    if you run a usenet server people should be able to poll you with newslink. unless it's not compatible.
    ---
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  • From Gamgee@VERT/PALANT to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 07:51:00 2023
    Nelgin wrote to Margaerynne <=-

    <SNIP>

    I run a usenet server. I'm trying to find a way to offer the
    service to other sysops (myself included) without having to
    import every messages into Synchronet. I have a way, but it would
    require the talents of a third party to code a usenet client in
    javascript for Synchronet so it appears to be a non-starter. I'm
    really not that good at JS. I can get by, but not to the level of complexity it would take.

    As a former (90's and 00's) fairly heavy Usenet user, I don't think I
    would want to use a BBS to access Usenet articles. Just seems like an awkward/unnecessary "middle-man" way of doing it. Any serious Usenet
    user will already have a preferred client (my app of choice is Pan), and
    those are much more efficient/adapted to Usenet ways than doing it
    through a BBS. Just doesn't seem that it would offer any advantages
    over using an external client.


    ... All hope abandon, ye who enter messages here.
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  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Gamgee on Wed Jan 25 09:43:38 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Gamgee to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 2023 07:51 am

    As a former (90's and 00's) fairly heavy Usenet user, I don't think I would want to use a BBS to access Usenet articles. Just seems like an awkward/unnecessary "middle-man" way of doing it. Any serious Usenet
    user will already have a preferred client (my app of choice is Pan), and those are much more efficient/adapted to Usenet ways than doing it through a BBS. Just doesn't seem that it would offer any advantages
    over using an external client.

    Yeah, I've debated whether having newsgroups on a BBS these days ia useful or not. People can easily access a newsgroup server directly with their preferred news reader/client.

    Nightfox

    ---
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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@VERT/REALITY to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 06:29:00 2023
    Nelgin wrote to Margaerynne <=-

    Mostly in the mid 90's for 10 years or so. I miss it being a useful
    source of information and hate the amount of spam there is now, thanks mainly to Google.

    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?
    It doesn't. usenet is just a collection of articles. Bulletin boards
    offer that but more.

    There was a ba.* hierarchy for the San Francisco bay area, I don't know
    if there were other local hierarchies as busy as it. There were
    culture, housing, politics, radio, nightlife, dating and more newsgroups
    that got quite a following for a time. It felt like a "bridge" from
    BBSes to the internet while still keeping the local flavor.


    ... Powered By Celeron (Tualatin). Engineered for the future.
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Jan 25 15:48:10 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 2023 06:29 am

    There was a ba.* hierarchy for the San Francisco bay area, I don't know
    if there were other local hierarchies as busy as it. There were
    culture, housing, politics, radio, nightlife, dating and more newsgroups that got quite a following for a time. It felt like a "bridge" from
    BBSes to the internet while still keeping the local flavor.

    so it was basically gay dudes trying to hook up
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Gamgee@VERT/PALANT to Nightfox on Wed Jan 25 15:30:00 2023
    Nightfox wrote to Gamgee <=-

    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Gamgee to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 2023 07:51 am

    As a former (90's and 00's) fairly heavy Usenet user, I don't think I would want to use a BBS to access Usenet articles. Just seems like an awkward/unnecessary "middle-man" way of doing it. Any serious Usenet
    user will already have a preferred client (my app of choice is Pan), and those are much more efficient/adapted to Usenet ways than doing it
    through a BBS. Just doesn't seem that it would offer any advantages
    over using an external client.

    Yeah, I've debated whether having newsgroups on a BBS these days
    ia useful or not.

    It's an easy debate for me... not useful.

    People can easily access a newsgroup server
    directly with their preferred news reader/client.

    Yes. That's what I said up there above. ;-)



    ... Enter any 12 digit prime number to continue.
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL
  • From poindexter FORTRAN@VERT/REALITY to Nightfox on Wed Jan 25 12:18:55 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Nightfox to Gamgee on Wed Jan 25 2023 09:43 am

    Yeah, I've debated whether having newsgroups on a BBS these days ia useful or not. People can easily access a newsgroup server directly with their preferred news reader/client.

    I gate in usenet to my BBS mostly out of habit, from a day when people didn't have access to usenet. Those days, and usenet, are (mostly) long gone now.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.
  • From Margaerynne@VERT/PALANT to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Jan 25 16:54:46 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 2023 06:29 am

    There was a ba.* hierarchy for the San Francisco bay area, I don't know
    if there were other local hierarchies as busy as it. There were
    culture, housing, politics, radio, nightlife, dating and more newsgroups that got quite a following for a time. It felt like a "bridge" from
    BBSes to the internet while still keeping the local flavor.

    That's the real tragedy for me -- all the smaller hierarchies that aren't usually included in the Big 8/Alt dumps.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Moondog on Wed Jan 25 22:10:39 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Moondog to Dumas Walker on Tue Jan 24 2023 12:08 pm

    Re: Usenet
    By: Dumas Walker to MRO on Sun Jan 22 2023 09:39 am

    the web wasn't slow on dialup until they started adding all the bullshit t
    e
    ages.

    Exactly.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Profanity, the language of computer professionals


    Speaking of vintage computing, I found a search site called Frogfind that is geared towards older machines accessing the internet

    that doesn't work well with my pornhub.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to GAMGEE on Wed Jan 25 17:22:00 2023
    As a former (90's and 00's) fairly heavy Usenet user, I don't think I
    would want to use a BBS to access Usenet articles. Just seems like an awkward/unnecessary "middle-man" way of doing it. Any serious Usenet
    user will already have a preferred client (my app of choice is Pan), and those are much more efficient/adapted to Usenet ways than doing it
    through a BBS. Just doesn't seem that it would offer any advantages
    over using an external client.

    Once upon a time, before widespread internet access, it was often the only
    way a person could access Usenet. That has not been true for a long time, though, so I would have to agree with you.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Have a (cute) electrician check your shorts.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From Nopants@VERT/CITBBS to MRO on Thu Jan 26 17:53:00 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Moondog on Wed Jan 25 2023 10:10 pm

    that doesn't work well with my pornhub.


    https://imgur.com/gallery/EbH2K


    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Crack in Time BBS - crackintimebbs.ddns.net:2323
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Nopants on Fri Jan 27 12:31:13 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Nopants to MRO on Thu Jan 26 2023 05:53 pm

    Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Moondog on Wed Jan 25 2023 10:10 pm

    that doesn't work well with my pornhub.


    https://imgur.com/gallery/EbH2K

    sorry i cant view galleries on imgur.
    my adblocking dns
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Ted Long@VERT to Margaerynne on Sat Jan 28 19:51:00 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Margaerynne to All on Thu Jan 19 2023 09:27 pm

    Yep, I was a regular contributor to comp.os.unix and comp.os.linux for a few years in the early to late 90's. My usual handle was
    DocAliquot :>}. And of course, like most HS and college guys, a frequent downloader of the alt binary sleaze. It's sad to see the wasteland Usenet has become. It REALLY started going to hell in a handbasket soon after UUNET was sold to Sprint around 2002, and Sprint let the spam posters run amok.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Nopants@VERT/CITBBS to Margaerynne on Sun Jan 29 09:44:00 2023
    Re: Usenet
    By: Margaerynne to All on Thu Jan 19 2023 09:27 pm

    For those of you who do, were you active? When did you join? Is there anythi How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?

    I was active in a few hobby related usenets that were mostly positive experiences. I think the common goal of the hobby kept people polite.
    These lasted into the Google Groups era for awhile until web-based forums took slowly took over.


    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Crack in Time BBS - crackintimebbs.ddns.net:2323
  • From Nelgin@VERT/EOTLBBS to poindexter FORTRAN on Mon Jan 30 01:23:03 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to Nelgin on Wed Jan 25 2023 06:29:00

    There was a ba.* hierarchy for the San Francisco bay area, I don't know
    if there were other local hierarchies as busy as it. There were
    culture, housing, politics, radio, nightlife, dating and more newsgroups that got quite a following for a time. It felt like a "bridge" from
    BBSes to the internet while still keeping the local flavor.

    DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) had some very active newsgroups. There's still the occasional post.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com
  • From Pparker@VERT/PHARCYDE to All on Mon Jan 30 03:17:34 2023
    I used to post on alt.games.nintendo.pokemon on Google Groups about 10 years ago or so.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ thePharcyde_ telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin)
  • From Havok@VERT/ANARCHY to Dr. What on Mon Jan 30 19:53:50 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Margaerynne on Fri Jan 20 2023 07:45 am

    Today, most of the message networks (Usenet, FidoNet, etc.) are empty. On this BBS, I'm subscribed to maybe 30 message areas, but only about 5 actually get traffic.


    If I can ask what five message networks get any traffic at all, I know
    fsxnet does but seem not see any of the others.

    It would be interesting to have more that has traffic.



    -*|04Hav|12o|04k|07*-



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS - The Villages,FL
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Havok on Tue Jan 31 00:28:54 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Havok to Dr. What on Mon Jan 30 2023 07:53 pm

    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Margaerynne on Fri Jan 20 2023 07:45 am

    Today, most of the message networks (Usenet, FidoNet, etc.) are empty. On this BBS, I'm subscribed to maybe 30 message areas, but only about 5 actually get traffic.


    If I can ask what five message networks get any traffic at all, I know
    fsxnet does but seem not see any of the others.

    It would be interesting to have more that has traffic.



    if you arent part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
    it's all the same people. there are no real users.

    more traffic from who? it's all sysops.

    so, you, yourself could create traffic if you wanted to.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Dr. What@VERT/CFBBS to Havok on Tue Jan 31 07:29:00 2023
    Havok wrote to Dr. What <=-

    If I can ask what five message networks get any traffic at all, I
    know
    fsxnet does but seem not see any of the others.

    It would be interesting to have more that has traffic.

    That's a good question. I download my messages on this BBS, so it's hard to see what networks.

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what network
    that is.

    It looks like 3 of them are fsxnet (General, Mystic and BBS support).

    I think the other two are FidoNet (Memories and Politics).


    ... "640K ought to be enough for anybody." (Bill Gates, 1981)
    ___ MultiMail/Linux v0.52

    --- Mystic BBS/QWK v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi
  • From Dr. What@VERT/CFBBS to MRO on Tue Jan 31 07:29:00 2023
    MRO wrote to Havok <=-

    more traffic from who? it's all sysops.

    Seeing how the sysops went through the hassle of setting up a BBS and networked message bases, that would seem reasonable.

    so, you, yourself could create traffic if you wanted to.

    A new ChatGPT project!


    ... When an Agnostic dies, does he go to the Great Perhaps?
    ___ MultiMail/Linux v0.52

    --- Mystic BBS/QWK v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 09:36:42 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what network that is.

    It's Dove-Net.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 12:04:17 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    see what networks.

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what network that is.

    It looks like 3 of them are fsxnet (General, Mystic and BBS support).

    I think the other two are FidoNet (Memories and Politics).


    DN might be dorenet.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 12:09:45 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to MRO on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    MRO wrote to Havok <=-

    more traffic from who? it's all sysops.

    Seeing how the sysops went through the hassle of setting up a BBS and networked message bases, that would seem reasonable.

    yeah that stuff is a real hassle. takes minutes.
    what we NEED is users, not sysops acting like users.

    right now people are pretending that there isnt a slump, that sysops calling other sysops is all they need. i even saw some say bbsing is booming. bull-fucking-shit.

    bbses are systems designed for users. without users, it's not worth it.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 10:26:49 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what network that is.

    DOVE-Net. This is DOVE-Net General.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Rush quote #67:
    He's noble enough to win the world, but weak enough to lose it .. New World Man Norco, CA WX: 53.2øF, 17.0% humidity, 2 mph W wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Nightfox on Tue Jan 31 12:26:13 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Nightfox to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 2023 09:36 am

    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what network that is.

    It's Dove-Net.


    are you sure? mine are prefixed with dove-
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to all on Tue Jan 31 13:08:13 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Digital Man to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 2023 10:26 am

    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what network that is.

    DOVE-Net. This is DOVE-Net General.


    OH, he means literally this msg sub. i thought he was just looking at one and wondering what DN- meant.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 13:10:01 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to MRO on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am


    so, you, yourself could create traffic if you wanted to.

    A new ChatGPT project!

    yeah we can see who has the oldest archive of dovenet msgs, feed them into a database and have fake users ask questions and argue.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to MRO on Tue Jan 31 12:37:01 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Nightfox on Tue Jan 31 2023 12:26 pm

    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what
    network that is.

    It's Dove-Net.

    are you sure? mine are prefixed with dove-

    It was posted here on Dove-Net General. What other message network would it be? The BBS they're posting from could have their prefix configured differently than yours. "DN-" makes sense that it would be Dove-Net.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to DR. WHAT on Tue Jan 31 15:19:00 2023
    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what network that is.

    This one is indeed Dovenet.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Never draw fire, it irritates everyone around you.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From deon@VERT/ALTERANT to Havok on Wed Feb 1 09:11:18 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Havok to Dr. What on Mon Jan 30 2023 07:53 pm

    Today, most of the message networks (Usenet, FidoNet, etc.) are empty. On this BBS, I'm subscribed to maybe 30 message areas, but only about 5 actually get traffic.

    If I can ask what five message networks get any traffic at all, I know
    fsxnet does but seem not see any of the others.

    I'm starting to build that profile:
    https://clrghouz.bbs.dege.au/about



    ...ëîåï

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ AnsiTEX bringing back videotex but with ANSI
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Nightfox on Tue Jan 31 17:11:07 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Nightfox to MRO on Tue Jan 31 2023 12:37 pm

    There's this one. It's prefixed with "DN-", so I'm not sure what DW>> network that is.

    It's Dove-Net.

    are you sure? mine are prefixed with dove-

    It was posted here on Dove-Net General. What other message network would

    it
    be? The BBS they're posting from could have their prefix configured differently than yours. "DN-" makes sense that it would be Dove-Net.

    i thought he was just listing msg subs via nntp or something. i didn't think someone could actually not know they are on dovenet.

    i've seen dorenet prefixed like that in the past.

    i guess it takes all kinds.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Havok@VERT/ANARCHY to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 15:47:05 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 07:29 am

    That's a good question. I download my messages on this BBS, so it's hard to see what networks.

    So I see it is pretty much the same for you, I'm scratching my head trying
    to figure out what is up. Back in the day with two modems I noticed much
    more traffic in the networks and for that matter last year was more busy.

    Between Dove-Net and FSXNET they are really the only networks with any traffic
    of any kind.

    Hard to figure out!

    Thanks for the reply...


    -*|04Hav|12o|04k|07*-

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS - The Villages,FL
  • From Gamgee@VERT/PALANT to MRO on Tue Jan 31 17:46:00 2023
    MRO wrote to Dr. What <=-

    more traffic from who? it's all sysops.

    Seeing how the sysops went through the hassle of setting up a BBS and networked message bases, that would seem reasonable.

    yeah that stuff is a real hassle. takes minutes.
    what we NEED is users, not sysops acting like users.

    right now people are pretending that there isnt a slump, that
    sysops calling other sysops is all they need. i even saw some say
    bbsing is booming. bull-fucking-shit.

    bbses are systems designed for users. without users, it's not
    worth it.

    Okay, so......... leave. Go away.



    ... Ignorance can be cured. Stupid is forever.
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL
  • From Havok@VERT/ANARCHY to deon on Tue Jan 31 19:09:35 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: deon to Havok on Wed Feb 01 2023 09:11 am

    I'm starting to build that profile:
    https://clrghouz.bbs.dege.au/about

    Very cool I'm looking forward to seeing it when your finished.

    I don't know about the other feeds but sure would be nice if they
    had a search lookup for the feed your looking for.

    Laughing the eyes are getting old...


    -*|04Hav|12o|04k|07*-

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS - The Villages,FL
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Havok on Tue Jan 31 20:21:01 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Havok to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 2023 03:47 pm


    Between Dove-Net and FSXNET they are really the only networks with any traffic
    of any kind.

    Hard to figure out!


    and it's pretty much the same people except for a handful just want to
    be on fxnet.

    we're still a bunch of fishbowls. the krad guys have their own couple of msg nets too. can't teach an old dog new tricks.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Nopants@VERT/CITBBS to MRO on Tue Jan 31 17:18:00 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Dr. What on Tue Jan 31 2023 01:10 pm

    have fake users ask questions and argue.

    This is what it's like now. I'd hope our AI Overlords would improve our reality. Sad.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Crack in Time BBS - crackintimebbs.ddns.net:2323
  • From Dr. What@VERT/CFBBS to MRO on Wed Feb 1 07:42:00 2023
    MRO wrote to Dr. What <=-

    Seeing how the sysops went through the hassle of setting up a BBS and networked message bases, that would seem reasonable.

    yeah that stuff is a real hassle. takes minutes.

    But non-trivial to the people who don't have the knowledge.

    what we NEED is users, not sysops acting like users.

    I agree. But most of us are from the Glory Days of BBSs and were sysops or wanted to be sysops.


    ... If Version 1.0 works someone goofed...
    ___ MultiMail/Linux v0.52

    --- Mystic BBS/QWK v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi
  • From Dr. What@VERT/CFBBS to MRO on Wed Feb 1 07:42:00 2023
    MRO wrote to Dr. What <=-

    A new ChatGPT project!

    yeah we can see who has the oldest archive of dovenet msgs, feed them
    into a database and have fake users ask questions and argue. ---

    It would probably create more intelligent discussions than some of the
    people in the FidoNet Politics group. :)


    ... Here, you go first, you're immune to bullets.
    ___ MultiMail/Linux v0.52

    --- Mystic BBS/QWK v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
    * Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi
  • From Havok@VERT/ANARCHY to MRO on Wed Feb 1 06:06:32 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Havok on Tue Jan 31 2023 08:21 pm

    and it's pretty much the same people except for a handful just want to
    be on fxnet.

    Agreed, but still miss the days of old!

    we're still a bunch of fishbowls. the krad guys have their own couple of msg nets too. can't teach an old dog new tricks.

    Laughing speak for yourself, this old, old dog still wants to learn more!
    Poor dm most likely rolls his eyes everytime he see's me asking something.

    Just a not awake yet thought...




    -*|04Hav|12o|04k|07*-

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS - The Villages,FL
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dr. What on Wed Feb 1 09:15:44 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to MRO on Wed Feb 01 2023 07:42 am

    MRO wrote to Dr. What <=-

    Seeing how the sysops went through the hassle of setting up a BBS and networked message bases, that would seem reasonable.

    yeah that stuff is a real hassle. takes minutes.

    But non-trivial to the people who don't have the knowledge.


    Honestly I've done it several times with no knowledge (and various programs) or just from forgetting it because I didn't do it for years. There are people who are running msg networks past and present who had my help setting it up or i did it FOR THEM via vnc/teamviewer. You just punch in the right numbers.

    I have also corrected people's settings when they had their fidonet feed go in there and set it up incorrectly or very messy.

    I just fixed my friend's settings using a program that I never used before and I haven't setup a FTN in many years.


    I agree. But most of us are from the Glory Days of BBSs and were sysops or wanted to be sysops.


    users are what make it fun. I used to be friends with all my users. visiting sysops are just that.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dr. What on Wed Feb 1 09:17:11 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dr. What to MRO on Wed Feb 01 2023 07:42 am

    MRO wrote to Dr. What <=-

    A new ChatGPT project!

    yeah we can see who has the oldest archive of dovenet msgs, feed them into a database and have fake users ask questions and argue. ---

    It would probably create more intelligent discussions than some of the people in the FidoNet Politics group. :)



    I've hooked up to fidonet like 3-4 times and then unplugged because of those people and because of dead echos.

    It's just not worth it.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Havok on Wed Feb 1 09:20:15 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Havok to MRO on Wed Feb 01 2023 06:06 am


    we're still a bunch of fishbowls. the krad guys have their own couple of msg nets too. can't teach an old dog new tricks.

    Laughing speak for yourself, this old, old dog still wants to learn more!
    Poor dm most likely rolls his eyes everytime he see's me asking something.

    Just a not awake yet thought...

    no i mean we never change how we do things. we are always separate in our little fishbowls. we never came together and that's probably part of the reason the internet took over so quickly and caused such harm to bbses.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Cougar428@VERT to DEON on Wed Feb 1 11:25:00 2023
    Quoting Deon to Havok <=-

    If I can ask what five message networks get any traffic at all, I know
    fsxnet does but seem not see any of the others.

    I'm starting to build that profile:
    https://clrghouz.bbs.dege.au/about

    Interesting site Deon, thanks for your efforts!

    Cougar


    ... Back in my day, 56k was high speed!

    ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to DR. WHAT on Thu Feb 2 17:08:00 2023
    A new ChatGPT project!

    yeah we can see who has the oldest archive of dovenet msgs, feed them into a database and have fake users ask questions and argue. ---

    It would probably create more intelligent discussions than some of the
    people in the FidoNet Politics group. :)

    Someone supposedly exposed that ChatGPT has political leanings of its own
    by asking it to write a nice poem about Trump and about Biden.

    For Biden, it composed a long, glowing poem of 12-16 lines.

    For Trump, it refused on the grounds that it might be political.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Be reasonable......do it my way.

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    þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Dumas Walker on Thu Feb 2 18:31:46 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dumas Walker to DR. WHAT on Thu Feb 02 2023 05:08 pm

    A new ChatGPT project!

    yeah we can see who has the oldest archive of dovenet msgs, feed them into a database and have fake users ask questions and argue. ---

    It would probably create more intelligent discussions than some of the people in the FidoNet Politics group. :)

    Someone supposedly exposed that ChatGPT has political leanings of its own
    by asking it to write a nice poem about Trump and about Biden.

    For Biden, it composed a long, glowing poem of 12-16 lines.


    so instead of artificial intelligence it is artificial stupidity?
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    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From BoomieMovie@VERT/WIREHEAD to MRO on Fri Feb 3 19:12:27 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Dumas Walker on Thu Feb 02 2023 18:31:46

    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Dumas Walker to DR. WHAT on Thu Feb 02 2023 05:08 pm

    A new ChatGPT project!

    yeah we can see who has the oldest archive of dovenet msgs, feed them into a database and have fake
    users
    ask questions and argue. ---

    It would probably create more intelligent discussions than some of the people in the FidoNet Politics group.
    :)

    Someone supposedly exposed that ChatGPT has political leanings of its own by asking it to write a nice poem about Trump and about Biden.

    For Biden, it composed a long, glowing poem of 12-16 lines.


    so instead of artificial intelligence it is artificial stupidity?

    If I am correct ChatGPT and GPT-3 in general were fed articles biased towards that and they also implented filters so the AI won't learn things that they dislike

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    þ Synchronet þ The Wirehead's Den
  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to MRO on Fri Feb 3 15:40:00 2023
    Someone supposedly exposed that ChatGPT has political leanings of its own by asking it to write a nice poem about Trump and about Biden.

    For Biden, it composed a long, glowing poem of 12-16 lines.

    so instead of artificial intelligence it is artificial stupidity?

    Could be!


    * SLMR 2.1a * Life would be much easier if I had the source code.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to BoomieMovie on Fri Feb 3 17:01:00 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: BoomieMovie to MRO on Fri Feb 03 2023 07:12 pm

    so instead of artificial intelligence it is artificial stupidity?

    If I am correct ChatGPT and GPT-3 in general were fed articles biased towards that and they also implented filters so the AI won't learn things that they dislike


    so you think biden deserves a long glowing poem?
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    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From BoomieMovie@VERT/WIREHEAD to MRO on Sat Feb 4 20:40:21 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to BoomieMovie on Fri Feb 03 2023 17:01:00

    so you think biden deserves a long glowing poem?

    That sounds pretty funny. Might as well write homosexual erotica detailing the rape of Joe Biden for laughs

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    þ Synchronet þ The Wirehead's Den
  • From Dumas Walker@VERT/CAPCITY2 to BOOMIEMOVIE on Sat Feb 4 10:55:00 2023
    For Biden, it composed a long, glowing poem of 12-16 lines.


    so instead of artificial intelligence it is artificial stupidity?

    If I am correct ChatGPT and GPT-3 in general were fed articles biased towards at and they also implented filters so the AI won't learn things that they disl
    e

    So they built in bias? That is good. That way the AI will be no better
    than people, complete with our prejudices and political beliefs.


    * SLMR 2.1a * A Crucifix? Oy vey, have YOU got the wrong vampire...

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    þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * capcity2.synchro.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/Rlogin/HTTP
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to BoomieMovie on Sat Feb 4 16:16:09 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: BoomieMovie to MRO on Sat Feb 04 2023 08:40 pm

    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to BoomieMovie on Fri Feb 03 2023 17:01:00

    so you think biden deserves a long glowing poem?

    That sounds pretty funny. Might as well write homosexual erotica detailing the rape of Joe Biden for laughs

    no i wouldn't find that funny.

    i'm talking about the AI generating a poem.
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    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From anthk@VERT to Margaerynne on Fri Feb 10 10:04:21 2023
    On 2023-01-20, Margaerynne <margaerynne@PALANT> wrote:

    Greetings, friends!

    Does anyone remember Usenet? Or, given the audience, does anyone _not_ remember Usenet?

    For those of you who do, were you active? When did you join? Is there anything you miss or hated?
    How does it compare to BBSes, then and now?


    I was born right as it was hitting its peak, so it was well into decline before I would have been interested.
    As such, there's a certain type of mythical shine to it, and it's both fascinating and charming to see the roots of
    modern internet culture mixed with people's full name and address.

    I'm from an area of the country where The Internet wasn't really a thing outside of universities until the late 90s, and my parents were well out of college by the time computers came around, so I don't actually know anyone from Usenet in person. Hence, well, me posting here where the old guard meets.

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    þ Synchronet þ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL

    I connect to Synchro.net thru NNTP. Also, I follow some tech based groups
    in actual Usenet, too.

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Havok@VERT/ANARCHY to MRO on Sun Feb 12 19:45:17 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Havok on Wed Feb 01 2023 09:20 am

    no i mean we never change how we do things. we are always separate in our little fishbowls. we never came together and that's probably part of the reason the internet took over so quickly and caused such harm to bbses.

    Oh I agree, but I do not miss the slow speeds of a modem from back in the
    day but I do miss the people. I remember rushing home to see how many
    people logged on so far that day. Even then I think in 92 I had two message
    networks lots of doors and they were played a lot by people that on one of
    the two 9200 to 14400 modems, the first one being 9200.

    But I guess you live with what you had and what you got now.

    Thanks for the reply!


    -*|04Hav|12o|04k|07*-

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    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS - The Villages,FL
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Havok on Mon Feb 13 17:48:29 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Havok to MRO on Sun Feb 12 2023 07:45 pm

    people logged on so far that day. Even then I think in 92 I had two message
    networks lots of doors and they were played a lot by people that on one of
    the two 9200 to 14400 modems, the first one being 9200.

    But I guess you live with what you had and what you got now.


    well those days are gone and you can't even compare the 2.
    what we are doing is not the same thing. There's people saying that now it's booming and things are great. that just goes to show you how delusional people can be. recently i switched my bbs to private. i'll open it back up when we have users again.
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    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Gamgee@VERT/PALANT to MRO on Mon Feb 13 20:46:00 2023
    MRO wrote to Havok <=-

    people logged on so far that day. Even then I think in 92 I had two message
    networks lots of doors and they were played a lot by people that on one of
    the two 9200 to 14400 modems, the first one being 9200.

    well those days are gone and you can't even compare the 2.
    what we are doing is not the same thing. There's people saying
    that now it's booming and things are great. that just goes to
    show you how delusional people can be. recently i switched my bbs
    to private. i'll open it back up when we have users again.

    Ummmm.... quick question.

    How will you get users again when .... your BBS is private?

    LOL, you can't make this kind of clown show up!



    ... Ignorance can be cured. Stupid is forever.
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
    þ Synchronet þ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Gamgee on Mon Feb 13 21:20:18 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Gamgee to MRO on Mon Feb 13 2023 08:46 pm

    to private. i'll open it back up when we have users again.

    Ummmm.... quick question.

    How will you get users again when .... your BBS is private?

    LOL, you can't make this kind of clown show up!

    I think my brain is broken.

    Nightfox

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    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Havok@VERT/ANARCHY to MRO on Tue Feb 14 06:38:15 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Havok on Mon Feb 13 2023 05:48 pm

    well those days are gone and you can't even compare the 2.
    what we are doing is not the same thing. There's people saying that now it's booming and things are great. that just goes to show you how delusional people can be. recently i switched my bbs to private. i'll open it back up when we have users again.

    Sad to say your right on the topic points.

    But it is still hard for me to understand why, I guess being the Internet
    you can surf all over and never throw a name in like you do with a bulletin
    board. I have to laugh though being if the Internet ever went down and a
    sysop has a modem or modem bank then things would look much different.

    But being it is a hobby I'll just live with what we have, still the good
    old days shine bright in my mind.




    -*|04Hav|12o|04k|07*-

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    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS - The Villages,FL
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Havok on Tue Feb 14 07:48:00 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: Havok to MRO on Tue Feb 14 2023 06:38 am

    you can surf all over and never throw a name in like you do with a bulletin
    board. I have to laugh though being if the Internet ever went down and a
    sysop has a modem or modem bank then things would look much different.


    well a lot of phones are now voip. i'm with spectrum aka charter and it's all voip.

    if the internet went down we wouldn't have anything.
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    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Havok@VERT/ANARCHY to MRO on Tue Feb 14 13:31:07 2023
    Re: Re: Usenet
    By: MRO to Havok on Tue Feb 14 2023 07:48 am

    well a lot of phones are now voip. i'm with spectrum aka charter and it's all voip.

    Where I'm one day going to move to I would be it is not, but also I have
    been reading their are ways aorund that also. But it is true talk about
    control.

    I remember about 5 years ago when they did the big 1 gig rollout I did
    a search on Japan rolling out 5 gig for 49.00 a month while here it was
    rolling out 1 gig for some where around 79 to 99.00 a month talk about
    rape!


    -*|04Hav|12o|04k|07*-

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    þ Synchronet þ Anarchy BBS - The Villages,FL