I started working with Usenet back in 1987. In about 1993 I started converting the Perl scripts that I was using to find and track the free Usenet servers on the internet to display in a web page. Those early pages were crude, no search, just a daily result link and black with green text (old monochrome monitor habit). That site quickly evolved to allows visitors to search for usenet newsgroups on free and commercial servers; Freenews is the oldest newsgroup search site on the internet and has allowed visitors to browse for news servers with newsgroups they are interested in since before the internet really even went commercial.
In the last few years Freenews has evolved further to include reviews of Newsgroup servers and clients, etc. But, much of the content still comes from Perl scripts written over 20 years ago. So, in an attempt at simplifying my life and being able to allow other authors to generate and maintain my content I have been looking at various CMS packages such as Joomla & Drupal, but neither was a great fit for me. I also tried putting it all into a wiki, with equally dissatisfying results. Finally, I started looking at blogging software, and although it is not a “perfect” fit, it meets most of the requirements I had, plus I have figured out how to tweak it with shortcodes and my old Perl scripts to allow dynamic content.
So, here it is, my constantly evolving site of reviews of the best Usenet servers and newsreaders along with information on the rest. In addition I have lists of Usenet providers that have free Usenet trials and special offers available from my site. In the future you can expect reviews for newsgroup search engines, NZB sites, VPNs and Online storage as these companies continue to expand their services.
| Best Newsgroup Servers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newsgroup Provider | Free Trial | Retention | Included Features | Price | Notes |
| UseNetServer | 14 Days/100 GB | binaries [javascript src=”http://www.usenetserver.com/affiliate-banners/unsbr.js”] days | Usenet Search | $10.00/month $95.40/year |
Lowest monthly fee |
| Giganews | 14 Days | binaries [javascript src=”http://www.giganews.com/banners/bin_ret.js”] days | Usenet Client Online Storage VyprVPN |
$34.95/month | Tier-1 Provider Only $17.49/month for first 3 months |
| Newshosting | 21 Days/30GB | binaries [javascript src=”http://www.newshosting.com/affiliate-banners/nhbr.js”] days | Usenet Client | $9.99/month | Tier-1 Provider |
| EasyNews | 14 Days/10GB | 200 days Web 1330 days NNTP |
Web-based Newsreader | Web $29.94/month NNTP $9.95/month |
HTTP account includes unlimited NNTP access |
| Usenet.net | 5 Days/10GB | binaries [javascript src=”http://www.supernews.com/js/bin_ret.js”] days | $9.99/month | ||
Greetings! Nice article about the “internet before the internet”.
I access usenet primarily via Google Groups, and I have a small problem:
“None”
“None” is the handle of a stalker who has been following me around the Usenetosphere since about 2013. It started in rec.audio.pro, an audio production newsgroup for the discussion of sound, audio recording, mixing, mastering, and the tools of the trade: mixers, microphones, digital audio workstations, and types of processing.
When I started discussing the loudness war on there, “None”
struck with a vengeance. Calling me a slew of filthy names
(short-bus dumb f**, etc). As though I had leaked some industry secret!. Since then, it(for lack of better definition) has followed me onto other usenet groups I have frequented for years, crashing good threads and tarnishing my good name on usenet.
Several IT professionals and tech-geeks I know are certain that “None” knows me in person, and that we have met before. It itself claims to have told me several times where I know it from, but that I’m too “thick skulled” to get it.
Google Groups has the means to report Spam or Violent content, but None’s tirades continue, reducing MY popularity across Usenet!
It’s approximate IP is in north-central Massachusetts, and I would just like to know how to be rid of it – if it is even a human entity, or just a ‘swearbot’. Google Groups has no ignore or filter capability, and I know of no free Usenet reader alternatives.
Helllp!!