Usenet isn't dying ...

[Stig Arne Bye]

Although the activity on some newsgroups (e.g. rss) is considerably
lower now than past years, it appear that Usenet isn't dying yet...

In my newsreader, I have a third-party statistics program/plugin
installed, and have discovered something interesting when viewing total
post history at the end of each of the past 6 months for all newsgroups
I currently subscribe to ...

Subscribed Total posts
As per newsgroups (all groups) Difference
------------- ---------- ------------ ----------
Sep 30, 2010 48 36,669
Oct 31, 2010 48 37,012 + 343
Nov 30, 2010 48 37,844 + 832
Dec 31, 2010 48 36,545 - 1,299
Jan 31, 2011 48 38,387 + 1,842
Feb 28, 2011 48 40,442 + 2,055

Although there were a noticeable drop in total posts in december (which
I guess is due to christmas holidays), the total post count have still
increased each month!

And at the last statistics count today (March 8, 2011), the total post
count is 40,898, i.e. there has been an increase of 456 posts so far
this month.



Regards,

Stig Arne Bye

92 Yamaha VT 480 TF/E (Venture)

E-mail ......: ***@footballfans.co.uk / ***@footballclubs.io
Contact .....: MSN Messenger: ***@footballfans.co.uk
Snail-Mail ..: Axel Borgens veg 4, NO-9900 Kirkenes, Norway
Homepage ....: UNDER CONSTRUCTION: http://stigbye.footballclubs.io
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Located just about 70°N 30°E - Almost at the top of the world!

[Doug Bissett]

On Tue, 8 Mar 2011 20:55:01 UTC, Stig Arne Bye

Post by Stig Arne Bye
Although the activity on some newsgroups (e.g. rss) is considerably
lower now than past years, it appear that Usenet isn't dying yet...

Usenet isn't dying from lack of use, as much as it is dying from lack
of support by the Internet Service Providers. A few years ago, my ISP
sent out a notice that they were dropping the news server. A few
months ago, they had some sort of a problem with it, fixed it, and
suddenly they did drop it. It took some serious searching to find
alternate access to the news groups that I lost (this is one of them).
Most people don't even know that Usenet ever existed, and those who
did make use of the ISP's news server, probably don't realize that
alternatives exist, so they don't even bother trying to find an
alternative. That does, in turn, lower usage, and lower usage causes
more ISPs to drop the service, because it is just overhead to them.

It is like one of the major oil companies deciding to close their gas
stations because there is an oil shortage caused by some nutcase in
the middle east. Since people aren't buying as much gas, they can
statistically prove that they don't need as many gas stations. Of
course, that causes people to look for alternatives, which further
reduces demand, which results in even more closures, and so on. The
demand is probably still there, but the supply is not, and the
statistics say that the need is not their, because people don't buy as
much. It is a self defeating cycle, but that is what happens.

[Dave Ward]

Hey Doug,
By looking at your emaill addy, I would have to guess you are in BC. I
switched from telus a few months ago and am using Shaw now. They carry the
newsgroups as well. Most people don't even know they exist. I asked my
Shaw installer (my son in law) if I could get the usenet newsgroups and he
didn't even know what I was talking about. I then showed him how to connect
and he now shows most techie type customers how to connect. Only way to
keep it alive................

Post by Doug Bissett
On Tue, 8 Mar 2011 20:55:01 UTC, Stig Arne Bye

Post by Stig Arne Bye
Although the activity on some newsgroups (e.g. rss) is considerably
lower now than past years, it appear that Usenet isn't dying yet...

Usenet isn't dying from lack of use, as much as it is dying from lack
of support by the Internet Service Providers. A few years ago, my ISP
sent out a notice that they were dropping the news server. A few
months ago, they had some sort of a problem with it, fixed it, and
suddenly they did drop it. It took some serious searching to find
alternate access to the news groups that I lost (this is one of them).
Most people don't even know that Usenet ever existed, and those who
did make use of the ISP's news server, probably don't realize that
alternatives exist, so they don't even bother trying to find an
alternative. That does, in turn, lower usage, and lower usage causes
more ISPs to drop the service, because it is just overhead to them.
It is like one of the major oil companies deciding to close their gas
stations because there is an oil shortage caused by some nutcase in
the middle east. Since people aren't buying as much gas, they can
statistically prove that they don't need as many gas stations. Of
course, that causes people to look for alternatives, which further
reduces demand, which results in even more closures, and so on. The
demand is probably still there, but the supply is not, and the
statistics say that the need is not their, because people don't buy as
much. It is a self defeating cycle, but that is what happens.
--
From the eComStation of Doug Bissett
dougb007 at telus dot net
(Please make the obvious changes, to e-mail me)

[Doug Bissett]

Post by Dave Ward
Hey Doug,
By looking at your emaill addy, I would have to guess you are in BC.

No, I am in Alberta...

Post by Dave Ward
I
switched from telus a few months ago and am using Shaw now. They carry the
newsgroups as well. Most people don't even know they exist. I asked my
Shaw installer (my son in law) if I could get the usenet newsgroups and he
didn't even know what I was talking about. I then showed him how to connect
and he now shows most techie type customers how to connect. Only way to
keep it alive................

That helps, but I suspect that cell phones don't have an app for it,
so it will be a tough sell.

[repairman54]

2x on the lack of support of UseNet.
My access now is via free.teranews since my last and current ISP's have
dropped it.
I've been on RSS since '95 and use here has dropped quite a bit. Hardly any
newbies in the last few years. Most of the groups I look at have dwindled
down to crazy ranters and outcasts from the online groups sadly.
I'm here though, outlook auto checks for posts and I look almost daily.
Guess I'm just old school.........

[David Courtney]

Post by repairman54
2x on the lack of support of UseNet.
My access now is via free.teranews since my last and current ISP's have
dropped it.
I've been on RSS since '95 and use here has dropped quite a bit. Hardly
any newbies in the last few years. Most of the groups I look at have
dwindled down to crazy ranters and outcasts from the online groups sadly.
I'm here though, outlook auto checks for posts and I look almost daily.
Guess I'm just old school.........
--
John
1200 Doo
600 Doo
700 Poo
400 Poo

Me too, I think I started here in '98.

[Dennis Mayer]

Post by Stig Arne Bye
Although the activity on some newsgroups (e.g. rss) is considerably
lower now than past years, it appear that Usenet isn't dying yet...
In my newsreader, I have a third-party statistics program/plugin
installed, and have discovered something interesting when viewing total
post history at the end of each of the past 6 months for all newsgroups
I currently subscribe to ...
Subscribed Total posts
As per newsgroups (all groups) Difference
------------- ---------- ------------ ----------
Sep 30, 2010 48 36,669
Oct 31, 2010 48 37,012 + 343
Nov 30, 2010 48 37,844 + 832
Dec 31, 2010 48 36,545 - 1,299
Jan 31, 2011 48 38,387 + 1,842
Feb 28, 2011 48 40,442 + 2,055
Although there were a noticeable drop in total posts in december (which
I guess is due to christmas holidays), the total post count have still
increased each month!
And at the last statistics count today (March 8, 2011), the total post
count is 40,898, i.e. there has been an increase of 456 posts so far
this month.
Regards,
Stig Arne Bye
92 Yamaha VT 480 TF/E (Venture)
Snail-Mail ..: Axel Borgens veg 4, NO-9900 Kirkenes, Norway
Homepage ....: UNDER CONSTRUCTION: http://stigbye.footballclubs.io
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Located just about 70°N 30°E - Almost at the top of the world!

I still check in once a WEEK..... Not very active, but I look
(lurk)....
At age 69... I sold all my sleds except for the 63 Cat 100-D, 64
Polaris K-80-D Sno-Traveler, & 66 Ski-Doo Alpine.
Big projects are now Growing Competition Dahlias (111) & Garden (G)
RRing.. Bye Dennis M from GBay, WI