I had started writing a blog this morning related to the future of the desktop operating system (you know Microsoft versus LINUX versus Mac OSX and virtual appliances versus online applications, the evolution of the true thin client, blah, blah, blah) but when I tried to connect to a couple of Microsoft and networking-related Newsgroups that I occasionally scan for discussion posts, I found that I couldn't connect. I'm a Time Warner subscriber (in Maine) and so I checked out the Road Runner Website for server status to see if the Usenet server was down. Well, what do I find but a message that the Newsgroup Service will no longer be available for Road Runner customers. In fact today, June 23, was the termination date.
I was definitely curious about why Time Warner would dump Usenet and all I had to do was read a little farther in their announcement; I quote: "Due to low subscriber usage Road Runner has decided to discontinue Newsgroups service as of June 23, 2008." The announcement goes on to detail how users who still want access to newsgroups can contact a third party vendor (and pay for the privilege).
Now I certainly don't take advantage of Usenet all that often and most of my Microsoft product newsgroups are served up by Microsoft, so I will still have access to them. And I definitely read more blogs and e-articles than newsgroup posts. But I remember a day when I read Usenet newsgroup posts quite a bit. Back in the good old days (if they were good; they were definitely old) when I also used Internet Relay Chat to converse with other computer geeks and browsed Gopher servers on the Internet using Archie and Veronica.
As the Internet infrastructure is used for more advanced information sharing schemes, it makes sense that older communication platforms (such as Gopher) will fall by the wayside. In a Web server and design course that I teach at the University of New England, when we discuss the evolution of the Internet, I typically find that no one in the class has ever heard of Gopher or Internet Relay Chat and maybe only a couple know about Usenet. We live in the day of Facebook and Instant Messaging and I certainly use my iChat client to communicate with folks via video more than I do by email (but Time Warner do not take my email away) or posts in a newsgroup.
It is somewhat sad, however, to see a particular Internet communication tool fall by the wayside; although it is often replaced by something that provides greater possibility and typically better ease of use. This is definitely a good example of technical evolution, but with a twist, where even survival of the fittest is not assured to even the best of Internet tools (in terms of clients available and bandwidth use).
Although Usenet is not completely going away, Time Warner has certainly relegated it to a third class Internet onramp (unless you want to pay a third party company for Usenet). I doubt if many Road Runner subscribers will feel my pain (or even know they had Newsgroup access available in the first place) but I still bid Usenet a sad adieu.
Newsgroups
I feel your pain. It was so nice of Time Warner to ask our opinion or give us an official warning before removing newsgroups. I'm expecting a reduction in my monthly fee to compensate me for going elsewhere. (I also believe in the Easter Bunny.)
time warner stopped my newsgroups service
I upset was very upset at this happening with no warning, and I called to complain about losing a free service. The reps were polite and they had no idea what a newsgroup was! I noted it would cost me to replace it and was given a special rate of $22 less a month for a years period to keep my business. I thought of changing providers but who knows who else will bail out?
Low usage ...... Yeah Right and Pigs fly too.
The news groups were dropped because the movie and music trolls were threatening the ISP's with law suits again. Nowadays the ISP's cave in to what ever the big money wants instantly including handing over private customer information to all and sundry including the gov criminals.
I don't care if you don't even know what a news group is, call your ISP and complain to them that now you have to subscribe to a Newsgroup server you want your bill reduced.
The Old days were better in every way....
We didn't have the Microsoft theocracy in place, there was still hope that OS2 might win... :-)
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He who will not reason is a bigot, he who cannot is a fool, he who dares not is a slave.
Thomas Edison
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Didn't you get the memos?
Two weeks ago, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo issued a press release about his agreement with three ISPs “eliminating the Newsgroups”.
According to the press release, “An undercover investigation by the Attorney General's office uncovered a major source of online child pornography known as ‘Newsgroups,’ an online service not associated with websites.”
The press release further discussed the terms of the agreement by quoting Time Warner Cable Senior Vice President and Chief Ethics Officer Jeff Zimmerman: “Among the steps Time Warner Cable is taking are removing Newsgroups from our Internet service.”
According to Declan McCullagh, reporting for CNET, the agreement resulted from pressure on the ISPs by the New York Attorney General.
Alex Goldman, writing for ISP Planet gave us a clue about the type of pressure exerted on the ISPs:
do your homework
time warner dropped the newsgroups because they were strongarmed by the government to shut down sexual content. to avoid freedom of speech lawsuits they axed the whole newsgroup mechanism rather than ban selected newsgroups.
I Agree!
I agree with all these comments. I certainly don't believe that low usage prompted Time Warner to deep six the newsgroups. I also certainly agree that freedom of speech is at risk on the Internet; and the Internet was a better place in the good old days. People should complain about the demise of the newsgroups. Otherwise, the Internet will just become a very bloated electronic mall. Thanks to all of you for your comments.