New Site

[Dan Marotta]

Where is the "new" RAS?

[GliderWobble]

Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a better
use of efforts to make a new website.... however I haven't worked with NNTP
and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Sarah Anderson]

That's a good idea. Someone with time and background in active webpage design could improve on google's work.

Here's a project (C#) that illustrates how little is needed by NNTP. The rest of the work is the user interface.
I suggest a monochrome green text-only window with a blinking cursor. It should be designed to also run well on an ASR-33 teletype. ;)

https://www.geekpedia.com/developing-an-nntp-newsgroup-reader/

Post by GliderWobble
Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a better
use of efforts to make a new website.... however I haven't worked with NNTP
and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Dave Nadler]

Just a mere matter of software.
Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

Post by Sarah Anderson
That's a good idea. Someone with time and background in active webpage
design could improve on google's work.
Here's a project (C#) that illustrates how little is needed by NNTP.
The rest of the work is the user interface.
I suggest a monochrome green text-only window with a blinking cursor.
It should be designed to also run well on an ASR-33 teletype.  ;)
https://www.geekpedia.com/developing-an-nntp-newsgroup-reader/

Post by GliderWobble
Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a
better use of efforts to make a new website....
however I haven't worked with NNTP and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Sarah Anderson]

I think the idea is to point to an existing NNTP server, like eternal-september (which gets rid of 99.99% of the spam.)
You could use a custom web-page "app" that displays/posts just like google RAS used to.

But you're right, it's not better. Just skips a step, installing t-bird.
People would still need to set up an account on e-s.

A UI is a lot of work. (Unless ChatGPT can write it).

I don't think it would help. Google may have killed Usenet by "supporting it", making people forget what a news reader is... and
then dropping it.

Post by Dave Nadler
Just a mere matter of software.
Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

Post by Sarah Anderson
That's a good idea. Someone with time and background in active webpage design could improve on google's work.
Here's a project (C#) that illustrates how little is needed by NNTP. The rest of the work is the user interface.
I suggest a monochrome green text-only window with a blinking cursor. It should be designed to also run well on an ASR-33
teletype.  ;)
https://www.geekpedia.com/developing-an-nntp-newsgroup-reader/

Post by GliderWobble
Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a better use of efforts to make a new website....
however I haven't worked with NNTP and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Tim Newport-Peace]

Post by Sarah Anderson
I think the idea is to point to an existing NNTP server, like
eternal-september (which gets rid of 99.99% of the spam.)

It is more likely that it is T-bird that is removing the spam.

It does arrive from eternal-september.org, but is promptly expired (as
is OBTP😛).

Post by Sarah Anderson
You could use a custom web-page "app" that displays/posts just like google RAS used to.
But you're right, it's not better.  Just skips a step, installing t-bird.
People would still need to set up an account on e-s.
A UI is a lot of work. (Unless ChatGPT can write it).
I don't think it would help.  Google may have killed Usenet by
"supporting it", making people forget what a news reader is... and then
dropping it.

Post by Dave Nadler
Just a mere matter of software.
Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

Post by Sarah Anderson
That's a good idea. Someone with time and background in active
webpage design could improve on google's work.
Here's a project (C#) that illustrates how little is needed by NNTP.
The rest of the work is the user interface.
I suggest a monochrome green text-only window with a blinking cursor.
It should be designed to also run well on an ASR-33 teletype.  ;)
https://www.geekpedia.com/developing-an-nntp-newsgroup-reader/

Post by GliderWobble
Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a
better use of efforts to make a new website....
however I haven't worked with NNTP and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Moshe Braner]

Post by Sarah Anderson
I think the idea is to point to an existing NNTP server, like
eternal-september (which gets rid of 99.99% of the spam.)
You could use a custom web-page "app" that displays/posts just like google RAS used to.
But you're right, it's not better.  Just skips a step, installing t-bird.
People would still need to set up an account on e-s.
A UI is a lot of work. (Unless ChatGPT can write it).
I don't think it would help.  Google may have killed Usenet by
"supporting it", making people forget what a news reader is... and then
dropping it.

Post by Dave Nadler
Just a mere matter of software.
Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

Post by Sarah Anderson
That's a good idea. Someone with time and background in active
webpage design could improve on google's work.
Here's a project (C#) that illustrates how little is needed by NNTP.
The rest of the work is the user interface.
I suggest a monochrome green text-only window with a blinking cursor.
It should be designed to also run well on an ASR-33 teletype.  ;)
https://www.geekpedia.com/developing-an-nntp-newsgroup-reader/

Post by GliderWobble
Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a
better use of efforts to make a new website....
however I haven't worked with NNTP and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

If the server this hypothetical web thing runs on has its own login to
Eternal September, why would visitors need their own login to *read*
postings? Its purpose should be to make it easy for visitors, no setup
needed.

Alternatively, instead of working through Eternal September, the server
can simply connect to NNTP just like the unix nodes of old. But limited
to one newsgroup. That would not provide any spam protection for
messages coming in from the rest of the world, but maybe that's not a
problem, now that Google is not a conduit.

In either case, such a server would need to store the messages, at least
the new ones, for a while. Just like TB does.

And in either case the question remains, how to handle posting of new
messages. Should a login be required? Would any moderation happen? Is
it needed? Certainly it would attract fewer spammers than the whole
Google entity did.

[Eric G]

Post by Sarah Anderson
I think the idea is to point to an existing NNTP server, like eternal-september (which
gets rid of 99.99% of the spam.)
You could use a custom web-page "app" that displays/posts just like google RAS used to.
But you're right, it's not better.  Just skips a step, installing t-bird.
People would still need to set up an account on e-s.
A UI is a lot of work. (Unless ChatGPT can write it).
I don't think it would help.  Google may have killed Usenet by "supporting it", making
people forget what a news reader is... and then dropping it.

Post by Dave Nadler
Just a mere matter of software.
Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

Post by Sarah Anderson
That's a good idea. Someone with time and background in active webpage design could
improve on google's work.
Here's a project (C#) that illustrates how little is needed by NNTP. The rest of the
work is the user interface.
I suggest a monochrome green text-only window with a blinking cursor. It should be
designed to also run well on an ASR-33 teletype.  ;)
https://www.geekpedia.com/developing-an-nntp-newsgroup-reader/

Post by GliderWobble
Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a better use of
efforts to make a new website....
however I haven't worked with NNTP and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

If the server this hypothetical web thing runs on has its own login to Eternal September,
why would visitors need their own login to *read* postings?  Its purpose should be to make
it easy for visitors, no setup needed.
Alternatively, instead of working through Eternal September, the server can simply connect
to NNTP just like the unix nodes of old.  But limited to one newsgroup.  That would not
provide any spam protection for messages coming in from the rest of the world, but maybe
that's not a problem, now that Google is not a conduit.
In either case, such a server would need to store the messages, at least the new ones, for
a while.  Just like TB does.
And in either case the question remains, how to handle posting of new messages.  Should a
login be required?  Would any moderation happen?  Is it needed?  Certainly it would
attract fewer spammers than the whole Google entity did.

Seems like a lot of effort to set up a group that many may not see as worth using over (or
in addition to) RAS_Prime. The only extra feature of it seems to be that Old Bob and Dan
might be willing to post on it.
Eric G

[Sarah Anderson]

Yes, implementing even a simple news reader client in a web page (like Google's old RAS page) is
non-trivial. And even so, it would still have to lean on a peer-to-peer NNTP *server* such as Eternal-September.

Eric G: > Seems like a lot of effort to set up a group that many may not see as worth using over (or in addition to) RAS_Prime.

Exactly. Some idle webpage programmer who wants to replicate that client functionality will need to implement it using this, with
some tedious TCP/IP socket programming: https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3977#page-28

Just use thunderbird or one of the many other Usenet apps. Or Ras_prime.

Post by Sarah Anderson
I think the idea is to point to an existing NNTP server, like eternal-september (which gets rid of 99.99% of the spam.)
You could use a custom web-page "app" that displays/posts just like google RAS used to.
But you're right, it's not better.  Just skips a step, installing t-bird.
People would still need to set up an account on e-s.
A UI is a lot of work. (Unless ChatGPT can write it).
I don't think it would help.  Google may have killed Usenet by "supporting it", making people forget what a news reader is... and
then dropping it.

Post by Dave Nadler
Just a mere matter of software.
Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

Post by Sarah Anderson
That's a good idea. Someone with time and background in active webpage design could improve on google's work.
Here's a project (C#) that illustrates how little is needed by NNTP. The rest of the work is the user interface.
I suggest a monochrome green text-only window with a blinking cursor. It should be designed to also run well on an ASR-33
teletype.  ;)
https://www.geekpedia.com/developing-an-nntp-newsgroup-reader/

Post by GliderWobble
Wonder how hard it would be to make a web-based NNTP setup that would
roughly do what Google did, except only for RAS? IMO that would be a better use of efforts to make a new website....
however I haven't worked with NNTP and not sure what would be involved.

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

If the server this hypothetical web thing runs on has its own login to Eternal September, why would visitors need their own login
to *read* postings?  Its purpose should be to make it easy for visitors, no setup needed.
Alternatively, instead of working through Eternal September, the server can simply connect to NNTP just like the unix nodes of
old.  But limited to one newsgroup.  That would not provide any spam protection for messages coming in from the rest of the world,
but maybe that's not a problem, now that Google is not a conduit.
In either case, such a server would need to store the messages, at least the new ones, for a while.  Just like TB does.
And in either case the question remains, how to handle posting of new messages.  Should a login be required?  Would any moderation
happen?  Is it needed?  Certainly it would attract fewer spammers than the whole Google entity did.

Seems like a lot of effort to set up a group that many may not see as worth using over (or in addition to) RAS_Prime. The only extra
feature of it seems to be that Old Bob and Dan might be willing to post on it.
Eric G

[Dan Marotta]

Well, I got a PM from one of the users and he sent me a link to what
appears to be rasprime.  Seems like there are an awful lot of postings
and that's great, but it looks like it's google groups. So, what's the
status?  Is google dropping ras or groups in general?

Dan 5J

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Sarah Anderson]

"RAS_Prime" is a Google "Groups" site. Google is supporting those with no changes -- just not Usenet, RAS the original.

You can read it here: https://groups.google.com/g/rasprime

Could be worse. Could be a facebook group.

Well, I got a PM from one of the users and he sent me a link to what appears to be rasprime.  Seems like there are an awful lot of
postings and that's great, but it looks like it's google groups. So, what's the status?  Is google dropping ras or groups in general?
Dan 5J

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Dan Marotta]

Well, I guess I'll occasionally peruse it, but I don't think I want to
submit to the red banner, "must include a reason for joining".  Looks
like some little third world dictator is flexing his muscles.  He knows
who he is...

Dan 5J

Post by Sarah Anderson
"RAS_Prime" is a Google "Groups" site. Google is supporting those with
no changes -- just not Usenet, RAS the original.
You can read it here:  https://groups.google.com/g/rasprime
Could be worse.  Could be a facebook group.

Post by Dan Marotta
Well, I got a PM from one of the users and he sent me a link to what
appears to be rasprime.  Seems like there are an awful lot of
postings and that's great, but it looks like it's google groups. So,
what's the status?  Is google dropping ras or groups in general?
Dan 5J

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Eric G]

Steady, big fella! The moderation is to keep the penis worshipers out, not totally
acceptable glider pilots such as yourself; also, I think you can read the postings without
joining. Give it a whirl.
Eric G

Well, I guess I'll occasionally peruse it, but I don't think I want to submit to the red
banner, "must include a reason for joining".  Looks like some little third world dictator
is flexing his muscles.  He knows who he is...
Dan 5J

Post by Sarah Anderson
"RAS_Prime" is a Google "Groups" site. Google is supporting those with no changes --
just not Usenet, RAS the original.
You can read it here:  https://groups.google.com/g/rasprime
Could be worse.  Could be a facebook group.

Well, I got a PM from one of the users and he sent me a link to what appears to be
rasprime.  Seems like there are an awful lot of postings and that's great, but it looks
like it's google groups. So, what's the status?  Is google dropping ras or groups in
general?
Dan 5J

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?

[Dan Marotta]

Yup, I looked at the postings and found some interesting stuff, but I
think I'm past contributing anything useful.  My stuff is old and solid
and, should anyone need or want my help, my email address is available
to all on this site.  You can probably still find it on the SSA site, as
well.

And, as to the weirdos, Thunderbird seems to take care of all of that

Dan 5J

Post by Eric G
Steady, big fella! The moderation is to keep the penis worshipers out,
not totally acceptable glider pilots such as yourself; also, I think
you can read the postings without joining. Give it a whirl.
Eric G

Post by Dan Marotta
Well, I guess I'll occasionally peruse it, but I don't think I want
to submit to the red banner, "must include a reason for joining". 
Looks like some little third world dictator is flexing his muscles. 
He knows who he is...
Dan 5J

Post by Sarah Anderson
"RAS_Prime" is a Google "Groups" site. Google is supporting those
with no changes -- just not Usenet, RAS the original.
You can read it here:  https://groups.google.com/g/rasprime
Could be worse.  Could be a facebook group.

Post by Dan Marotta
Well, I got a PM from one of the users and he sent me a link to
what appears to be rasprime.  Seems like there are an awful lot of
postings and that's great, but it looks like it's google groups.
So, what's the status?  Is google dropping ras or groups in general?
Dan 5J

Post by Dan Marotta
Where is the "new" RAS?