Re: [Pan-users] Re: New version of pan ?

[Brad Rogers]

On Sat, 15 Jan 2011 19:30:50 +0000
Rui Maciel <address@hidden> wrote:

Hello Rui,

> Yes, I also believe there is a hefty dose of ignorance (wilful or not) 

Largely, not wilful, IMO.  Most people that came to the internet did so
well after the www exploded.  Those of us left that use nntp and have
even heard of gopher, never mind use it, are in an ever decreasing
minority.

> those web forums.  As some tend to run them with the purpose of
> generating some sort of income, they tend to avoid (and in some cases
> even censor) any reference to alternative forums, including usenet.

Anything that has moderators, will have censorship.  Of course, what the
wielder does with their powers is the crux of the matter.

> Some even have the audacity to mirror the content posted to a set of
> specific newsgroups and try to pass off as their own traffic.  Go
> figure.

Just like the people that sell software for a hefty sum, that is readily
available for free (OpenOffice.org for example), without adding any
value, there are those that fall for it hook line and sinker.  As P.T.
Barnum said "There's a sucker born every minute".  At least, I think it
was him.

> And meanwhile people shy away from usenet, which is a shame as it is
> far more than a forum.  In some cases, a newsgroup associated with a

Absolutely.  The word community comes to mind.  Oft overused, but I
don't think so in this context.

> decent search tool becomes an expert system.  And we are losing that.

I know.   :-(

> 
> >> What is there out there that is more convenient than following
> >> newsgroups?  
> > Email.  Possibly.  
> Mailing lists may provide a similar job as newsgroups but they are a 
> crude hack which is much less convenient than plain old newsgroups.  

I did say "possibly".   :-)

-- 
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         / )           "The blindingly obvious is
        / _)rad        never immediately apparent"
I'm not here for your entertainment
U & Ur Hand - P!nk