Google Groups ending support for Usenet
If you work with Usenet groups in Google Groups, support for these groups
is ending soon.

What’s changing?
Starting on February 22, 2024, you can no longer use Google Groups (at
groups.google.com) to post content to Usenet groups, subscribe to Usenet
groups, or view new Usenet content. You can continue to view and search for
historical Usenet content posted before February 22, 2024 on Google Groups.

In addition, Google’s Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) server and
associated peering will no longer be available, meaning Google will not
support serving new Usenet content or exchanging content with other NNTP
servers.

This change will not impact any non-Usenet content on Google Groups,
including all user and organization-created groups. Most of the current
Google Groups content is not Usenet content and will not be affected.

What do I need to do?
If you don’t actively engage with Usenet content, you don’t need to do
anything. Current Usenet users will need to do two things before February
22, 2024 if they want to continue engaging with Usenet content:

Find a new Usenet client. Several free and paid alternatives are available,
both web-based and application-based. To find a client, do a web search for
"how do I find a usenet text client"
Find a new public Usenet server. The new client you choose will likely have
a default server or a set of curated options for you. If not, to find a
server, do a web search for "public NNTP servers."
Because Usenet is a distributed system, you do not need to migrate data.
All of the Usenet content you can access today on Google Groups should
already be synced to the new server you choose. After you select a new
client and server, you can reselect the groups you’re interested in.

Why is Google Groups support for Usenet ending?
Over the last several years, legitimate activity in text-based Usenet
groups has declined significantly because users have moved to more modern
technologies and formats such as social media and web-based forums. Much of
the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary (non-text) file
sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as well as spam.

--
Spike

Spike wrote:

> Google Groups ending support for Usenet

+5million

Here from the horse's mouth

<https://support.google.com/groups/answer/11036538>

On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
> Google Groups ending support for Usenet
> If you work with Usenet groups in Google Groups, support for these groups
> is ending soon.
> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary (non-text)
> file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as well as spam.

It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.

This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal with large downloads and local message storage.

Owain

On 15/12/2023 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
> On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
>> Google Groups ending support for Usenet If you work with Usenet
>> groups in Google Groups, support for these groups is ending soon.
>> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary
>> (non-text) file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as
>> well as spam.
>
> It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
>
> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
> with large downloads and local message storage.
>
Well tbird can be set to simply delete anything over a few days old.
Storage is minimal

You can choose to read online and never download as well I think

> Owain
>

--
"Anyone who believes that the laws of physics are mere social
conventions is invited to try transgressing those conventions from the
windows of my apartment. (I live on the twenty-first floor.) "

Alan Sokal

On 15/12/2023 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
> On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
>> Google Groups ending support for Usenet If you work with Usenet
>> groups in Google Groups, support for these groups is ending soon.
>> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary
>> (non-text) file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as
>> well as spam.
>
> It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
>
> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
> with large downloads and local message storage.

While I dislike the site intensely, there is always homeowners hub. Not
sure how you can quote a previous post though.
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Home_owners_hub

Of course many here block the site but there's no reason why rules can't
be generated in applications like Thunderbird to allow through specific
posters.

Owain Lastname wrote:

> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
> with large downloads and local message storage.

I don't see that a text-based group should need huge bandwidth or
storage ... consider a USB stick with portable thunderbird?

On 15 Dec 2023 at 14:20:59 GMT, "Andy Burns" <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

> Owain Lastname wrote:
>
>> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
>> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
>> with large downloads and local message storage.
>
> I don't see that a text-based group should need huge bandwidth or
> storage ... consider a USB stick with portable thunderbird?

I don't see that it should require any storage at all, other than what is
needed for the app itself.

--
“It is not the truth of Marxism that explains the willingness of intellectuals to believe it, but the power that it confers on intellectuals, in their attempts to control the world. And since ... it is futile to reason someone out of a thing that he was not reasoned into, we can conclude that Marxism owes its remarkable power to survive every criticism to the fact that it is not a truth-directed but a power-directed system of thought.”

Sir Roger Scruton

Tim Streater wrote:

> Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> I don't see that a text-based group should need huge bandwidth or
>> storage ... consider a USB stick with portable thunderbird?
>
> I don't see that it should require any storage at all, other than what is
> needed for the app itself.

While you can set 0 days retention (globally or per group) I doubt it'd
be very useful to work with?

An alternative web-based interface
<https://www.novabbs.com/aus+uk/thread.php?group=uk.d-i-y>

On Friday 15 December 2023 at 13:29:21 UTC, Fredxx wrote:
> On 15/12/2023 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
> > On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
> >> Google Groups ending support for Usenet If you work with Usenet
> >> groups in Google Groups, support for these groups is ending soon.
> >> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary
> >> (non-text) file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as
> >> well as spam.
> >
> > It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
> >
> > This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
> > access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
> > with large downloads and local message storage.
> While I dislike the site intensely, there is always homeowners hub. Not
> sure how you can quote a previous post though.
> http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Home_owners_hub
>
> Of course many here block the site but there's no reason why rules can't
> be generated in applications like Thunderbird to allow through specific
> posters.
Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to acess eternal September from TB

Thanks, Jonathan

On Fri, 15 Dec 2023 07:28:40 -0800, Jonathan wrote:

> On Friday 15 December 2023 at 13:29:21 UTC, Fredxx wrote:
>> On 15/12/2023 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
>> > On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
>> >> Google Groups ending support for Usenet If you work with Usenet
>> >> groups in Google Groups, support for these groups is ending soon.
>> >> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary
>> >> (non-text) file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as
>> >> well as spam.
>> >
>> > It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
>> >
>> > This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
>> > access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
>> > with large downloads and local message storage.
>> While I dislike the site intensely, there is always homeowners hub. Not
>> sure how you can quote a previous post though.
>> http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Home_owners_hub
>>
>> Of course many here block the site but there's no reason why rules
>> can't be generated in applications like Thunderbird to allow through
>> specific posters.
> Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to
> acess eternal September from TB
>
> Thanks, Jonathan

Have you explored all of the work-arounds that are needed to make
Thunderbird use the user name / password log in to Eternal September?

I had to look all of that up again when I tried to use Thunderbird again
recently. Without the work-arounds you can see only internal news groups.

IIRC correctly on my version, select always require authentication, and
then shut down and restart Thunderbird.

Cheers,
nib

On 15/12/2023 in message
<cd9830cd-d4fe-4e27-8c59-734d665f2d0en@googlegroups.com> Jonathan wrote:

>Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to acess
>eternal September from TB
>
>Thanks, Jonathan

If you're willing to part with 10 Euros PA NIN is excellent, text only and
has its own spam filtering:

https://news.individual.net/

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
There is absolutely no substitute for a genuine lack of preparation

On 15/12/2023 16:14, Jeff Gaines wrote:
> On 15/12/2023 in message
> <cd9830cd-d4fe-4e27-8c59-734d665f2d0en@googlegroups.com> Jonathan wrote:
>
>> Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to
>> acess eternal September from TB
>>
>> Thanks, Jonathan
>
> If you're willing to part with 10 Euros PA NIN is excellent, text only
> and has its own spam filtering:
>
> https://news.individual.net/
>
Yep, used them for 24 years now. Excellent service,

On 12/15/2023 10:28 AM, Jonathan wrote:
> On Friday 15 December 2023 at 13:29:21 UTC, Fredxx wrote:
>> On 15/12/2023 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
>>> On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
>>>> Google Groups ending support for Usenet If you work with Usenet
>>>> groups in Google Groups, support for these groups is ending soon.
>>>> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary
>>>> (non-text) file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as
>>>> well as spam.
>>>
>>> It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
>>>
>>> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
>>> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
>>> with large downloads and local message storage.
>> While I dislike the site intensely, there is always homeowners hub. Not
>> sure how you can quote a previous post though.
>> http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Home_owners_hub
>>
>> Of course many here block the site but there's no reason why rules can't
>> be generated in applications like Thunderbird to allow through specific
>> posters.
> Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to acess eternal September from TB
>
> Thanks, Jonathan
>

In the Thunderbird server settings, tick the "Always Request Authentication".
Then be prepared to enter your account and password when the dialog appears.

[Picture]

https://i.postimg.cc/vmTqvxd2/Always-Request-Authentication.gif

*******

You can use paganini.bofh.team:119 for posting without an account.

There is another free server, but it is like a car with flat tyres
and on most days, perfectly useless.

Paul

On 15/12/2023 14:20, Andy Burns wrote:
> Owain Lastname wrote:
>
>> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
>> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
>> with large downloads and local message storage.
>
> I don't see that a text-based group should need huge bandwidth or
> storage ... consider a USB stick with portable thunderbird?
>

While I've usually travelled with a laptop, I'd be interested to know if
anyone can recommend an Android client on the basis of hands on
experience.
--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
> On 15/12/2023 in message
> <cd9830cd-d4fe-4e27-8c59-734d665f2d0en@googlegroups.com> Jonathan wrote:
>
> >Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to acess
> >eternal September from TB
> >
> >Thanks, Jonathan
>
> If you're willing to part with 10 Euros PA NIN is excellent, text only and
> has its own spam filtering:
>
> https://news.individual.net/
>
I use that and Eternal September and between them they provide a
pretty comprehensive feed. I think in reality either would probably
be fine.

--
Chris Green
·

Jonathan <wardjfb@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Friday 15 December 2023 at 13:29:21 UTC, Fredxx wrote:
> > On 15/12/2023 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
> > > On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
> > >> Google Groups ending support for Usenet If you work with Usenet
> > >> groups in Google Groups, support for these groups is ending soon.
> > >> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary
> > >> (non-text) file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as
> > >> well as spam.
> > >
> > > It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
> > >
> > > This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
> > > access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
> > > with large downloads and local message storage.
> > While I dislike the site intensely, there is always homeowners hub. Not
> > sure how you can quote a previous post though.
> > http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/Home_owners_hub
> >
> > Of course many here block the site but there's no reason why rules can't
> > be generated in applications like Thunderbird to allow through specific
> > posters.
> Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to acess
> eternal September from TB
>
Still working fine for me, are you sure it wasn't just a short term
issue?

--
Chris Green
·

Robin <rbw@outlook.com> wrote:
> On 15/12/2023 14:20, Andy Burns wrote:
>> Owain Lastname wrote:
>>
>>> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
>>> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
>>> with large downloads and local message storage.
>>
>> I don't see that a text-based group should need huge bandwidth or
>> storage ... consider a USB stick with portable thunderbird?
>>
>
> While I've usually travelled with a laptop, I'd be interested to know if
> anyone can recommend an Android client on the basis of hands on
> experience.

No. ;-) I use an app called Newsreader on my Android phone (called
NewsGroup Reader in the App Store) but I can’t recommend it as a “good”
client.

It’s rather rubbish but it seems to be the best of a very limited choice.
The free version only allows you to subscribe to one group at a time. The
paid for version is better.

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

On 15/12/2023 17:21, Chris Green wrote:
> Jeff Gaines <jgnewsid@outlook.com> wrote:
>> On 15/12/2023 in message
>> <cd9830cd-d4fe-4e27-8c59-734d665f2d0en@googlegroups.com> Jonathan wrote:
>>
>>> Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to acess
>>> eternal September from TB
>>>
>>> Thanks, Jonathan
>>
>> If you're willing to part with 10 Euros PA NIN is excellent, text only and
>> has its own spam filtering:
>>
>> https://news.individual.net/
>>
> I use that and Eternal September and between them they provide a
> pretty comprehensive feed. I think in reality either would probably
> be fine.
>

and try cyber23.de

On 15-Dec-23 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
> On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
>> Google Groups ending support for Usenet
>> If you work with Usenet groups in Google Groups, support for these groups
>> is ending soon.
>> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary (non-text)
>> file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as well as spam.
>
> It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
>
> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal with large downloads and local message storage.

Each to their own, but I can't imagine that download & local storage of
a couple of text-based Usenet groups would be any kind of challenge to a
'modern' (i.e. built in the last 10 years) PC.

--
Sam Plusnet

On 15 Dec 2023 at 14:33:12 GMT, "Andy Burns" <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

> Tim Streater wrote:
>
>> Andy Burns wrote:
>>
>>> I don't see that a text-based group should need huge bandwidth or
>>> storage ... consider a USB stick with portable thunderbird?
>>
>> I don't see that it should require any storage at all, other than what is
>> needed for the app itself.
>
> While you can set 0 days retention (globally or per group) I doubt it'd
> be very useful to work with?

I've been running with "deleting bodies" after 0 days, now I've added
"deleting threads" after 0 days, I'll see how that goes.

--
Bessie Braddock: "Winston, you are drunk!"
Churchill: "And you, madam, are ugly. But I shall be sober in the morning."

Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
> On 15-Dec-23 10:19, Owain Lastname wrote:
> > On Friday 15 December 2023 at 08:55:56 UTC, Spike wrote:
> >> Google Groups ending support for Usenet
> >> If you work with Usenet groups in Google Groups, support for these groups
> >> is ending soon.
> >> Much of the content being disseminated via Usenet today is binary (non-text)
> >> file sharing, which Google Groups does not support, as well as spam.
> >
> > It seems that most of the spam comes from Google Groups anyway.
> >
> > This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal with
> large downloads and local message storage.
>
>
> Each to their own, but I can't imagine that download & local storage of
> a couple of text-based Usenet groups would be any kind of challenge to a
> 'modern' (i.e. built in the last 10 years) PC.
>
I run a local news server for my own use (leafnode) and currently
collect news from 40 groups. I keep articles for a month (at least).
It consumes 47Mb, not really a problem nowadays I would have thought.

--
Chris Green
·

Last time I tried a run-from-media newsreader in my local library,
port 119 was blocked. FTP was also blocked, so I wouldn't be
surprised if everything was blocked other than HTTP.

On 15/12/2023 15:28, Jonathan wrote:
> Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to acess eternal September from TB
>
I'm using TB and ES. It must be your end.

Andy

On 15/12/2023 17:51, Tim+ wrote:
> Robin <rbw@outlook.com> wrote:
>> On 15/12/2023 14:20, Andy Burns wrote:
>>> Owain Lastname wrote:
>>>
>>>> This may see me off the group; I currently have very limited internet
>>>> access and a web-based front end suits me fine. I don't want to deal
>>>> with large downloads and local message storage.
>>>
>>> I don't see that a text-based group should need huge bandwidth or
>>> storage ... consider a USB stick with portable thunderbird?
>>>
>>
>> While I've usually travelled with a laptop, I'd be interested to know if
>> anyone can recommend an Android client on the basis of hands on
>> experience.
>
> No. ;-) I use an app called Newsreader on my Android phone (called
> NewsGroup Reader in the App Store) but I can’t recommend it as a “good”
> client.
>
> It’s rather rubbish but it seems to be the best of a very limited choice.
> The free version only allows you to subscribe to one group at a time. The
> paid for version is better.
>

I appreciate negative recommendations :)

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On 15/12/2023 21:08, Vir Campestris wrote:
> On 15/12/2023 15:28, Jonathan wrote:
>> Ca someonr reccomend a good usenet server . I no longer seem able to
>> acess eternal September from TB
>>
> I'm using TB and ES. It must be your end.

Same here...

--
Cheers,

John.

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