although there are dozens of free news servers (such as those listed with
links here https://sybershock.com/#usenet) and great freeware newsreaders
(e.g. 40tude dialog), seems like rocksolid is becoming especially popular
in consideration of google groups imminent demise, because it runs in any
web browser and is tor-friendly, user-friendly, and it works really great,
see https://news.novabbs.org/computers/thread.php?group=soc.culture.china

(using Tor Browser 13.0.8)
https://gitlab.com/rslight-public/rocksolid-light

rocksolid-light
Project information
Rocksolid Light is a web based forum using nntp as a backend. It may be run >as a standalone server, or may synchronize with other nntp servers and other >instances of Rocksolid Light.
Name Last commit Last update >Rocksolid_Light Fix added 'Re: ' (again Polish) on 5 days ago
articles that are not replies.
INSTALL.md Add upgrade information for 0.9.0. 4 months ago >LICENSE.md Fix copywrite date in license.md. 4 months ago >README.md Bring README a bit up to date. 4 months ago >README.md
Rocksolid Light (rslight) - a web based Usenet news client
Visit https://www.novabbs.com to try Rocksolid Light
Rocksolid Light is based on NewsPortal, which discontinued development in 2008,
and was developed by Florian Amrhein https://florian-amrhein.de/newsportal/ >rslight contains some major code and feature changes, but would not exist >without NewsPortal as a basis for development.
Rocksolid Light is a php web forum interface that basically uses nntp as a >backend. Forums can be Usenet newsgroups, or any groups you wish to create. >Forums can be synchronized with other rslight installs, or other nntp servers.
*Uses sqlite3 database. No configuration required
*Does not require Javascript
*Built in nntp server
*Synchronize with inn or another rslight site, or run standalone
*Read and post using a news client
*SSL encryption
*Tested with Claws Mail, Thunderbird, Knews, tin, Pan and some others
*NoCeM and Spamassassin support
*Message expiration by site or by group
*Send/Receive mail to/from users at other Rocksolid Light sites
*Search article bodies
*Display body snippet in overboard and search results
*Email authentication if enabled
*Protect poster email addresses if enabled
*Interface works reasonably well on small devices
*Colors in CSS are in a separate file for easy testing and modification *Groups can be renamed for cleaner display
*Configuration options may be set for each individual 'section'
See INSTALL.md for installation instructions.
If you have trouble, post to rocksolid.nodes.help (www.novabbs.com) and
we'll try to help.
Retro Guy retroguy@novabbs.com

[end quote]

e.g. (using Tor Browser 13.0.8) . . . https://news.novabbs.org/common/connect.php

Clearnet Newsreader Access:
Approximately 42,000 Usenet text groups
Create an account on www.i2pn2.org (it's free)
Direct your news client to: news.i2pn2.org:119 or 563
Using i2p or Tor?
Create an account on:
rslight.i2p
http://rslight.i2p/common/register.php
or
fev4bgoasgxttqb3x3tukxxia6lwryteq6a2ramqb2gjiol3zbu6xaid.onion >http://fev4bgoasgxttqb3x3tukxxia6lwryteq6a2ramqb2gjiol3zbu6xaid.onion/common/register.php
Connect your news client here: >v77lu6t26velvaddm4gibyzd5sogskuczp7vwoc4vxmukvvaucva.b32.i2p
or
tk4pwu574u4zrndofwx7dtlh2g2swauhtfblyrbhzxypznomgxxhgqyd.onion:119

[end quote]

https://www.i2pn2.org/common/grouplist.php

List of Groups containing messages
(total groups 42790)
...

page shows 10,671 newsgroups containing at least one or more messages,
leaving about 42790 - 10671 = 32119 newsgroups containing no messages,
so about 75% - three out of four - of these newsgroups not being used;
the novabbs group list (https://news.novabbs.org/common/grouplist.php)
includes a selection of about seven hundred (703) of these newsgroups;
if more websites (https://rocksolid.sybershock.com/rocksolid/index.php
for example) offered the rocksolid format, they could include whatever newsgroups they prefer available on any nntp servers of their choosing,
e.g. for foreign language, low traffic and special interest newsgroups

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)