Newsgroups

Yzzim

Lifer
Feb 13, 2000
11,990
1
76
I'm having a little trouble understanding Newsgroups.

My ISP is MSN, and my dsl line is provided by Qwest. Not sure if MSN/Qwest has a newsgroup service setup. Does anyone know?

Say that they do, what client do I use to access it? Is there a special Newsgroup Reader that I need or can I use Outlook?

Now once I've accessed the Newsgroup, am confined to browse only MSN/Qwest newsgroups? Am I free to browse all other Newsgroups out there?

I signed up and paid for newzBin but how do I download files? I've read the FAQ and it says I need a client, which brings me back to my questions above ^^
 

TommyVercetti

Diamond Member
Jan 4, 2003
7,623
1
0
Client needed for downloading files is Newsbin Pro. Outlook Express is great for reading discussions, but sucks for downloading. Once you are connected to the news server, it depends on the provider what newsgroups they have allowed. All the well known ones are usually available, just some small, unpopular ones won't be available.
 

dighn

Lifer
Aug 12, 2001
22,820
4
81
your isp should have a usenet server. try looking on their web page or ask them

looks like newzbin is just an indexing service
 

Yzzim

Lifer
Feb 13, 2000
11,990
1
76
oh great, Newsbin Pro says "Currently MSN Servers aren't supported, blame Chairman Bill for this."

:frown:
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,207
66
91
Use outlook express, MS likes MS stuff.

There are a ton of other News readers though.

 

Yzzim

Lifer
Feb 13, 2000
11,990
1
76
Originally posted by: Squisher
Use outlook express, MS likes MS stuff.

There are a ton of other News readers though.

Can't connect to server! wtf!
 

Linflas

Lifer
Jan 30, 2001
15,395
78
91
I don't know about newzBin but I use a service called easynews. Once you get a usent client you simply enter the news server name and your user id and password if you have one. Once you do that the next thing to do is download the list of all newsgroups your service provides, pick the ones you want to "subscribe" to and periodically download the headers. Any decent news reader these days will assemble binary posts into what appears to be one header that you download and decode all in one step. I use Forte Agent and double clicking on the header downloads it and decodes it all in 1 step. It should not matter who your isp is if you are using a paid news service.
 

her209

No Lifer
Oct 11, 2000
56,352
11
0
I use Xnews. It works great. I installed Newsbin and was not very impressed with the UI.
 

Hector13

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2000
1,694
0
0
Originally posted by: her209
I use Xnews. It works great. I installed Newsbin and was not very impressed with the UI.

I also use xnews only... though it doesn't look like it is actively being worked on anymore!
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,207
66
91
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: Squisher
Use outlook express, MS likes MS stuff.

There are a ton of other News readers though.

Can't connect to server! wtf!

Is it asking for authentification? If it is, you probably use you primary email addess and password.

They might have even changed the name of the server from when that page that I got that server's name from was published.

You might need to call to get permission to use newsgroups, every ISP I ever used had their own way of doing things.

 

Yzzim

Lifer
Feb 13, 2000
11,990
1
76
Originally posted by: Squisher
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: Squisher
Use outlook express, MS likes MS stuff.

There are a ton of other News readers though.

Can't connect to server! wtf!

Is it asking for authentification? If it is, you probably use you primary email addess and password.

They might have even changed the name of the server from when that page that I got that server's name from was published.

You might need to call to get permission to use newsgroups, every ISP I ever used had their own way of doing things.

Nope, didn't ask for username/pass, though I did enter in my dsl info.

Tried to connect but never established a connection.
 

Yzzim

Lifer
Feb 13, 2000
11,990
1
76
Originally posted by: Linflas
I don't know about newzBin but I use a service called easynews. Once you get a usent client you simply enter the news server name and your user id and password if you have one. Once you do that the next thing to do is download the list of all newsgroups your service provides, pick the ones you want to "subscribe" to and periodically download the headers. Any decent news reader these days will assemble binary posts into what appears to be one header that you download and decode all in one step. I use Forte Agent and double clicking on the header downloads it and decodes it all in 1 step. It should not matter who your isp is if you are using a paid news service.

Informative post, thanks!
 
Feb 10, 2000
30,029
66
91
My recollection is that MSN/Qwest does not offer newsgroup servers. I was briefly an MSN/Qwest customer, a couple of years ago, and I know they didn't then. That was one of the reasons I dumped them.
 

element

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
4,635
0
0
boo @ teh outloogie espresso

use Gravity for a newsreader, contact your ISP or look on their website help section for the correct news server address and use the same username password as you do to log onto your ISP (usually)

edit disregard the ISP part...seems MSN/Qwest doesn't have a news server...man that sucks.

not that outfook won't work, it just sucks is all.
 

her209

No Lifer
Oct 11, 2000
56,352
11
0
Also, if you paid for access to a news server, they should have given you a username/password. Keep in mind that some ISP do not carry binary newsgroups for legal and cost reasons.
 

Pepsei

Lifer
Dec 14, 2001
12,895
1
0
Why not switch to Verizon DSL? free unlimited use of their usenet servers.

It maybe a little slow, but who cares when you can download everything when you go to bed?
 

Yzzim

Lifer
Feb 13, 2000
11,990
1
76
Originally posted by: Pepsei
Why not switch to Verizon DSL? free unlimited use of their usenet servers.

It maybe a little slow, but who cares when you can download everything when you go to bed?

maybe because not everyone has Verizon in their community....?
 

Pepsei

Lifer
Dec 14, 2001
12,895
1
0
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: Pepsei
Why not switch to Verizon DSL? free unlimited use of their usenet servers.

It maybe a little slow, but who cares when you can download everything when you go to bed?

maybe because not everyone has Verizon in their community....?

I feel sorry for you. :p

Any other options? Before Verizon, I used terranews, you can even sign up to their free server ($3.95 one time fee I think).
 

Yzzim

Lifer
Feb 13, 2000
11,990
1
76
Originally posted by: Pepsei
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: Pepsei
Why not switch to Verizon DSL? free unlimited use of their usenet servers.

It maybe a little slow, but who cares when you can download everything when you go to bed?

maybe because not everyone has Verizon in their community....?

I feel sorry for you. :p

Any other options? Before Verizon, I used terranews, you can even sign up to their free server ($3.95 one time fee I think).

Qwest came in here about 3 months ago and setup dsl. No other options yet. :(

Thanks for the info about terranews, I'll check them out.

Anythings you don't like about them?