• New Site

    From Dan Marotta@21:1/5 to All on Tue Mar 5 12:36:00 2024
    Where is the "new" RAS?

    --
    Dan 5J

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  • From GliderWobble@21:1/5 to Dan Marotta on Wed Mar 6 04:34:29 2024
    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.

    On 3/5/24 12:36 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?

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  • From Sarah Anderson@21:1/5 to GliderWobble on Wed Mar 6 07:36:22 2024
    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/



    On 3/5/24 10:34 PM, GliderWobble wrote:
    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.
    On 3/5/24 12:36 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?



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  • From Dave Nadler@21:1/5 to Sarah Anderson on Wed Mar 6 10:35:01 2024
    Just a mere matter of software.
    Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
    Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

    On 3/6/2024 8:36 AM, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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/

    On 3/5/24 10:34 PM, GliderWobble wrote:
    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.
    On 3/5/24 12:36 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?

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  • From Sarah Anderson@21:1/5 to Dave Nadler on Wed Mar 6 11:23:31 2024
    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.


    On 3/6/24 9:35 AM, Dave Nadler wrote:
    Just a mere matter of software.
    Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
    Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

    On 3/6/2024 8:36 AM, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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/

    On 3/5/24 10:34 PM, GliderWobble wrote:
    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.
    On 3/5/24 12:36 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?


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  • From Dan Marotta@21:1/5 to Dan Marotta on Wed Mar 6 13:46:47 2024
    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
    On 3/5/24 12:36, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?


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  • From Sarah Anderson@21:1/5 to Dan Marotta on Wed Mar 6 15:24:29 2024
    "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.

    On 3/6/24 2:46 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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
    On 3/5/24 12:36, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?


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  • From Tim Newport-Peace@21:1/5 to Sarah Anderson on Wed Mar 6 22:26:23 2024
    On 06/03/2024 17:23, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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😛).


    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.


    On 3/6/24 9:35 AM, Dave Nadler wrote:
    Just a mere matter of software.
    Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
    Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

    On 3/6/2024 8:36 AM, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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/

    On 3/5/24 10:34 PM, GliderWobble wrote:
    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. >>>> On 3/5/24 12:36 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?


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  • From Dan Marotta@21:1/5 to Sarah Anderson on Wed Mar 6 15:35:24 2024
    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
    On 3/6/24 14:24, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    "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.

    On 3/6/24 2:46 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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
    On 3/5/24 12:36, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?


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  • From Eric G@21:1/5 to Dan Marotta on Thu Mar 7 06:32:04 2024
    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

    On 3/6/2024 2:35 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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
    On 3/6/24 14:24, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    "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.

    On 3/6/24 2:46 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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
    On 3/5/24 12:36, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?


    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Dan Marotta@21:1/5 to Eric G on Thu Mar 7 09:27:52 2024
    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
    On 3/7/24 07:32, Eric G wrote:
    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

    On 3/6/2024 2:35 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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
    On 3/6/24 14:24, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    "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.

    On 3/6/24 2:46 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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
    On 3/5/24 12:36, Dan Marotta wrote:
    Where is the "new" RAS?



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  • From Eric G@21:1/5 to Moshe Braner on Fri Mar 8 07:10:46 2024
    On 3/8/2024 6:35 AM, Moshe Braner wrote:
    On 3/6/2024 12:23 PM, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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.


    On 3/6/24 9:35 AM, Dave Nadler wrote:
    Just a mere matter of software.
    Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
    Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

    On 3/6/2024 8:36 AM, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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/

    On 3/5/24 10:34 PM, GliderWobble wrote:
    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. >>>>> On 3/5/24 12:36 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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

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  • From Sarah Anderson@21:1/5 to Eric G on Fri Mar 8 10:41:21 2024
    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.



    On 3/8/24 9:10 AM, Eric G wrote:
    On 3/8/2024 6:35 AM, Moshe Braner wrote:
    On 3/6/2024 12:23 PM, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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.


    On 3/6/24 9:35 AM, Dave Nadler wrote:
    Just a mere matter of software.
    Preventing/filtering spam is hard though.
    Why would this have any advantage over using Thunderbird??

    On 3/6/2024 8:36 AM, Sarah Anderson wrote:
    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/

    On 3/5/24 10:34 PM, GliderWobble wrote:
    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. >>>>>> On 3/5/24 12:36 PM, Dan Marotta wrote:
    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

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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