Losing Newsgroup Service

On Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:44:51 -0400, Ben Myers
wrote:

Which usenet service do you use and how much do you pay? My time is worth a
helluva lot more than, say, $100/year... Ben Myers

--snip--


Ben, I use Giganews but you can't get my rate because I'm
grandfathered in. I haven't checked the latest rates but see
giganews.com for that. Frankly they aren't the cheapest from what I
read from others but they are quality. I didn't pay any attention to
the others because it's not worth it to me to save a little to find
out. I'm quite satisfied with them but when I'm not, I then look
around. I've had them for several years now.

RnR wrote:
On Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:44:51 -0400, Ben Myers
wrote:

Which usenet service do you use and how much do you pay? My time is worth a
helluva lot more than, say, $100/year... Ben Myers

--snip--


Ben, I use Giganews but you can't get my rate because I'm
grandfathered in. I haven't checked the latest rates but see
giganews.com for that. Frankly they aren't the cheapest from what I
read from others but they are quality. I didn't pay any attention to
the others because it's not worth it to me to save a little to find
out. I'm quite satisfied with them but when I'm not, I then look
around. I've had them for several years now.
The cheapest for Giganews is 8 bucks a month for 2 Gigs. 13 bucks a
month for 25 Gigs, 25 bucks a month for Unlimited and for Unlimited and
SSL, it is 20 bucks for the first month and 30 bucks for the rest.

And I agree to disagree and still claim that if an ISP pulls the plug on usenet,
the ISP is infringing on First Amendment rights to free speech... Ben Myers

Maybe if it was the only Internet service you could make that case but
since there are alternatives, it won't fly.

Tom Lake

True. I happen to be within two miles of the Verizon CO, so I could downgrade
to Verizon DSL. I may do so, but I'm holding out for FIOS, which everyone
around here really likes... Ben Myers

On Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:03:18 -0400, "Tom Lake" wrote:

And I agree to disagree and still claim that if an ISP pulls the plug on usenet,
the ISP is infringing on First Amendment rights to free speech... Ben Myers

Maybe if it was the only Internet service you could make that case but
since there are alternatives, it won't fly.

Tom Lake

On Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:57:13 -0400, Dan Sgambelluri
wrote:

Looks like Charter removed any mention of newsgroups on their site
regarding it being part of the Internet Service. They do have support
for it though.

Dan

Charter's "support" for newsgroups! You be the judge. Here is a Charter Chat
transcript:

Thank you for choosing Charter Chat Live! A Customer Care representative from
HSD Support will be with you shortly.
You are currently number 3 in the queue.
All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.
You are currently number 1 in the queue.
You have been connected to TTD Cisell .
ben myers: 502 Access Denied (Connection Limit Reached) (newsfe03.iad) (Tornado
v1.0.9.482)

Configuration:
Account: nntp.charter.net
Server: nntp.charter.net
Protocol: NNTP
Port: 119
Secure(SSL): 0
Error Number: 502
Code: 800ccca0
This has been going on for 3 days, but sometimes it works OK.
ben myers: I just sent you the response I am getting from Charter's news server,
NNTP.CHARTER.NET. It is broken and needs to be repaired.
ben myers: Did you receive my 2 earlier messages? Please acknowledge.
TTD Cisell : Thank you. One moment, please.
ben myers: I am using Outlook Express, as suggested by Charter telephone
support. Previously, I have been using Free Agent, which Charter "does not
support." In the last 6 years, NNTP.CHARTER.NET has worked generally very well.
What has happened to your sevice in the last 3 days?
TTD Cisell : You need to change both incoming and outgoing mail server settings
on your Outlook/Outlook Express to match the mail server settings of the service
provider.
Mail Client Server Settings (Outlook, Outlook Express, etc):
Incoming mail server = pop.charter.net
Outgoing mail server = smtp.charter.net
ben myers: This is NOT an email problem!!!!! It is a problem with Charter's NEWS
server. The mail settings are unimportant!!!
TTD Cisell : The Web Server may be down, too busy, or experiencing other
problems preventing it from responding to requests. You may wish to try again at
a later time.
ben myers: Repeat: This problem has been going on for the last 3 days. Sometimes
NNTP.CHARTER.NET responds properly, but not very often. NNTP.CHARTER.NET is not
a web server.
TTD Cisell : Correct server settings (nntp.charter.net).
TTD Cisell : 2 simultaneous connections are allowed.
ben myers: Better still, please escalate the problem to someone at Charter who
has an operational knowledge of news servers and news readers and who can
duplicate the problem.
TTD Cisell : I am very sorry. Please call our level II support at 1-888-438-2427
for further assistance.
TTD Cisell : I am very sorry, but you need to call.
TTD Cisell : Please call our level II support at 1-888-438-2427 for further
assistance.
ben myers: YES my settings are nntp.charter.net and there is never more than one
simultaneous connection from here. It is Charter's problem. Please escalate it
yourself. You have all the information here that you need.
TTD Cisell : I am very sorry. Please call our level II support at 1-888-438-2427
for further assistance.
ben myers: This has been a complete waste of my time. Charter needs to do better
with its tech support!!!!!!

Now here is an email. Note it is not addressed to anyone at Charter.

To:
From: Me
Subject: nntp.charter.net non operational

Charter's telephone tech support has told me to escalate the following to your
attention, because Highwinds operates Charter's news server.

Following is the response I get from nntp.charter.net (IP address 69.16.185.250)
whenever I attempt to access it using either Outlook Express, Free Agent, or
Firefox.

502 Access Denied (Connection Limit Reached) (newsfe03.iad) (Tornado v1.0.9.482)

Configuration:
Account: nntp.charter.net
Server: nntp.charter.net
Protocol: NNTP
Port: 119
Secure(SSL): 0
Error Number: 502
Code: 800ccca0

This problem has persisted for the last three days, although occasionally (one
time in ten at best) I actually succeed in accessing several usenet groups. I
do not have any other newsreader applications running in this computer, so the
message "Connection Limit Reached" is in error. Over the last six years that I
have been a Charter customer, its news service has operated properly by and
large, so something has gone haywire on your end in the last three days. Please
verify these symptoms independently and take the necessary corrective action.
If you need any further information from me, please ask. Thank you for your
prompt attention to this matter.

Ben Myers

That shows exactly what kind of support Charter offers for newsgroups. None.
Nil. Zero. Nulla. Niente.

Ben Myers wrote:
On Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:57:13 -0400, Dan Sgambelluri
wrote:

Looks like Charter removed any mention of newsgroups on their site
regarding it being part of the Internet Service. They do have support
for it though.

Dan

Charter's "support" for newsgroups! You be the judge. Here is a Charter Chat
transcript:

Thank you for choosing Charter Chat Live! A Customer Care representative from
HSD Support will be with you shortly.
You are currently number 3 in the queue.
All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.
You are currently number 1 in the queue.
You have been connected to TTD Cisell .
ben myers: 502 Access Denied (Connection Limit Reached) (newsfe03.iad) (Tornado
v1.0.9.482)

Configuration:
Account: nntp.charter.net
Server: nntp.charter.net
Protocol: NNTP
Port: 119
Secure(SSL): 0
Error Number: 502
Code: 800ccca0
This has been going on for 3 days, but sometimes it works OK.
ben myers: I just sent you the response I am getting from Charter's news server,
NNTP.CHARTER.NET. It is broken and needs to be repaired.
ben myers: Did you receive my 2 earlier messages? Please acknowledge.
TTD Cisell : Thank you. One moment, please.
ben myers: I am using Outlook Express, as suggested by Charter telephone
support. Previously, I have been using Free Agent, which Charter "does not
support." In the last 6 years, NNTP.CHARTER.NET has worked generally very well.
What has happened to your sevice in the last 3 days?
TTD Cisell : You need to change both incoming and outgoing mail server settings
on your Outlook/Outlook Express to match the mail server settings of the service
provider.
Mail Client Server Settings (Outlook, Outlook Express, etc):
Incoming mail server = pop.charter.net
Outgoing mail server = smtp.charter.net
ben myers: This is NOT an email problem!!!!! It is a problem with Charter's NEWS
server. The mail settings are unimportant!!!
TTD Cisell : The Web Server may be down, too busy, or experiencing other
problems preventing it from responding to requests. You may wish to try again at
a later time.
ben myers: Repeat: This problem has been going on for the last 3 days. Sometimes
NNTP.CHARTER.NET responds properly, but not very often. NNTP.CHARTER.NET is not
a web server.
TTD Cisell : Correct server settings (nntp.charter.net).
TTD Cisell : 2 simultaneous connections are allowed.
ben myers: Better still, please escalate the problem to someone at Charter who
has an operational knowledge of news servers and news readers and who can
duplicate the problem.
TTD Cisell : I am very sorry. Please call our level II support at 1-888-438-2427
for further assistance.
TTD Cisell : I am very sorry, but you need to call.
TTD Cisell : Please call our level II support at 1-888-438-2427 for further
assistance.
ben myers: YES my settings are nntp.charter.net and there is never more than one
simultaneous connection from here. It is Charter's problem. Please escalate it
yourself. You have all the information here that you need.
TTD Cisell : I am very sorry. Please call our level II support at 1-888-438-2427
for further assistance.
ben myers: This has been a complete waste of my time. Charter needs to do better
with its tech support!!!!!!

Now here is an email. Note it is not addressed to anyone at Charter.

To:
From: Me
Subject: nntp.charter.net non operational

Charter's telephone tech support has told me to escalate the following to your
attention, because Highwinds operates Charter's news server.

Following is the response I get from nntp.charter.net (IP address 69.16.185.250)
whenever I attempt to access it using either Outlook Express, Free Agent, or
Firefox.

502 Access Denied (Connection Limit Reached) (newsfe03.iad) (Tornado v1.0.9.482)

Configuration:
Account: nntp.charter.net
Server: nntp.charter.net
Protocol: NNTP
Port: 119
Secure(SSL): 0
Error Number: 502
Code: 800ccca0

This problem has persisted for the last three days, although occasionally (one
time in ten at best) I actually succeed in accessing several usenet groups. I
do not have any other newsreader applications running in this computer, so the
message "Connection Limit Reached" is in error. Over the last six years that I
have been a Charter customer, its news service has operated properly by and
large, so something has gone haywire on your end in the last three days. Please
verify these symptoms independently and take the necessary corrective action.
If you need any further information from me, please ask. Thank you for your
prompt attention to this matter.

Ben Myers

That shows exactly what kind of support Charter offers for newsgroups. None.
Nil. Zero. Nulla. Niente.
At least, they didn't blame your PC for it not working.

"Daddy" wrote in message
...
My ISP - Comcast - is following the lead of other ISPs and discontinuing
newsgroup service. I can continue to access this newsgroup until some time
in October, then I have to find another usenet provider.

It's not like there aren't other providers, both free and paid. (I follow
this newsgroup at work through a free provider.) Free providers are fine,
but you can't always count on them being around when they're not making any
money. And as much as I enjoy your company, in a perverse sort of way, I'm
not prepared to pay for the privilege.

Given the dwindling support for usenet, are there any plans to host this
group on something other than usenet?

Daddy

Check out Google Groups. Its free, and you can use your google account
(free) to set up.
Ken

Daddy wrote:
Yes, motzarella is on my list of usenet providers to investigate. I'm not sure if the founders named the service after their favorite cheese or if they're really into Passover.

Verizon dropped almost all newsgroups a while back and I signed up for
motzarella. Works just fine.

As Ron Popeil would say, just set it and forget it.

Bob

I use it too. Very reliable. Why pay for it when you can get it free?

"Bob Levine" wrote in message
...
Daddy wrote:
Yes, motzarella is on my list of usenet providers to investigate. I'm not
sure if the founders named the service after their favorite cheese or if
they're really into Passover.

Verizon dropped almost all newsgroups a while back and I signed up for
motzarella. Works just fine.

As Ron Popeil would say, just set it and forget it.

Bob

"Very reliable. Why pay for it when you can get it free?"

Reminds me of this woman I knew in college...

Daddy

"WSZsr" wrote in message ...
I use it too. Very reliable. Why pay for it when you can get it free?

"Bob Levine" wrote in message
...
Daddy wrote:
Yes, motzarella is on my list of usenet providers to investigate. I'm not
sure if the founders named the service after their favorite cheese or if
they're really into Passover.

Verizon dropped almost all newsgroups a while back and I signed up for
motzarella. Works just fine.

As Ron Popeil would say, just set it and forget it.

Bob