Usenet Server

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Usenet Server

quentinreade

351 posts

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2degrees

#121021 21-Jun-2013 10:46

Hi all,

I know there are a few of you here that use our Usenet server, and I have some bad/sad news for you.

The server is at end of life/ almost dead. We are facing an expensive rebuild, plus engineer resource to do this, plus the usual ongoing subscription costs of several thousand dollars p.a.

At the moment, we only have 2-3 users a day accessing it, so it’s a hard business case to stack up, and we plan to decommission it shortly – i.e. within weeks.

There are some alternatives we know of.

The free ones are:
http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Usenet/Public_News_Servers/
But most of them are text only.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Comms chap

2degrees

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72 posts

Master Geek

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#840886 21-Jun-2013 10:53

I've found http://www.eternal-september.org/ to be the best of the free providers.

OldGeek

901 posts

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#840902 21-Jun-2013 11:19

As one of those Usenet users I am naturally sad to see the service discontinued. I acknowledge though that the numbers simply don't stack up.

I would point out though that when Seeby Woodhouse started Orcon one of the driving forces that differentiated Orcon from the other ISPs is that it provided such a broad spectrum of services that it naturally became the ISP of choice for geeks (as Seeby was himself). Sadly Orcon has morphed into another Xtra/Telecom/Vodafone - providing only the necessities to the mass-market. Orcon has been and is innovative - being one of the few ISPs offering UFB and non-business VOIP services but both these innovations need mass-market take-up to be profitable. The discontinuation of the Usenet server is only possible because there is no competitive pressure to keep it going. Such is the result of an industry now dominated by corporates rather than entrepreneurial start-ups such as Orcon once was.

khull

1245 posts

Uber Geek

#840948 21-Jun-2013 11:41

One way of seeing it is falling victim of trying to be everything to everyone in the market.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
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#840955 21-Jun-2013 11:50

The Minecraft server better not disappear.... Id be gutted if my little house is taken away :-p

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

LinkTree

ptinson

677 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#840960 21-Jun-2013 11:59

xpd: The Minecraft server better not disappear.... Id be gutted if my little house is taken away :-p

Whats that? You want me to turn the mine craft server off? OK.

meat popsicle

semigeek

1606 posts

Uber Geek

#840983 21-Jun-2013 12:38

Ah Usenet, pity its not as popular as it once was. nz.general was an interesting place, among others. I reckon the internet was more fun back in the days of Usenet, Gopher, and IRC.

ptinson

677 posts

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#840988 21-Jun-2013 12:43

semigeek: Ah Usenet, pity its not as popular as it once was. nz.general was an interesting place, among others. I reckon the internet was more fun back in the days of Usenet, Gopher, and IRC.

Our usenet server is not popular, usenet in general is very popular still, although i think its mainly for linux iso's now:)

meat popsicle

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

old3eyes

9120 posts

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#840996 21-Jun-2013 12:50

semigeek: Ah Usenet, pity its not as popular as it once was. nz.general was an interesting place, among others. I reckon the internet was more fun back in the days of Usenet, Gopher, and IRC.

It's still popular enough for the MPAA et al to issue increasing DMCA take down notices the Usenet providers.

Regards,

Old3eyes

ptinson

677 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#841086 21-Jun-2013 14:48

old3eyes:
semigeek: Ah Usenet, pity its not as popular as it once was. nz.general was an interesting place, among others. I reckon the internet was more fun back in the days of Usenet, Gopher, and IRC.

It's still popular enough for the MPAA et al to issue increasing DMCA take down notices the Usenet providers.

Like i say, all those linux iso are interesting.

meat popsicle

openmedia

3333 posts

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#841201 21-Jun-2013 18:26

ptinson:
old3eyes:
semigeek: Ah Usenet, pity its not as popular as it once was. nz.general was an interesting place, among others. I reckon the internet was more fun back in the days of Usenet, Gopher, and IRC.

It's still popular enough for the MPAA et al to issue increasing DMCA take down notices the Usenet providers.

Like i say, all those linux iso are interesting.

You bet they are.. Never have enough storage for all my Linux ISOs

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

OldGeek

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#850124 6-Jul-2013 15:10

quentinreade: Hi all,

I know there are a few of you here that use our Usenet server, and I have some bad/sad news for you.

The server is at end of life/ almost dead. We are facing an expensive rebuild, plus engineer resource to do this, plus the usual ongoing subscription costs of several thousand dollars p.a.

At the moment, we only have 2-3 users a day accessing it, so it’s a hard business case to stack up, and we plan to decommission it shortly – i.e. within weeks.

Any firm plans to turn news.orcon.net.nz off yet (ie a date)?

ptinson

677 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#850681 8-Jul-2013 10:18

OldGeek:
quentinreade: Hi all,

I know there are a few of you here that use our Usenet server, and I have some bad/sad news for you.

The server is at end of life/ almost dead. We are facing an expensive rebuild, plus engineer resource to do this, plus the usual ongoing subscription costs of several thousand dollars p.a.

At the moment, we only have 2-3 users a day accessing it, so it’s a hard business case to stack up, and we plan to decommission it shortly – i.e. within weeks.

Any firm plans to turn news.orcon.net.nz off yet (ie a date)?

Yep.
The turn off date is this friday. so that is 12th of July.

Paul

meat popsicle

shadou

30 posts

Geek

#850695 8-Jul-2013 10:36

I can definitely recommend both astraweb (if you can get a referral, I've had deals as cheap as $11/mo US unlimited + ssl + 20 connections pop up) and giganews -- they're an astraweb reseller.

I'm using giganews at the moment, works perfect, 1700+ day retention.

cheers,

aj

plas

455 posts

Ultimate Geek

#850745 8-Jul-2013 11:33

I wouldn't recommend Astraweb if your interested in Linux ISOs, their automated DMCA request system is pretty fast.

MattR

224 posts

Master Geek

#850750 8-Jul-2013 11:39

plas: I wouldn't recommend Astraweb.... their automated DMCA request system is pretty fast.

I used to use Astraweb - Internode provide it for free in Australia, and then as a paid subscription when we moved here. I've since moved to Tweaknews.

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