Iceberg3
join:2008-05-17
Hobart, IN
|  News: Verizon KILLING their News Server!!!
Sorry if this was discussed elsewhere, but I haven't seen it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but...
This was posted yesterday/thursday in 0.verizon.announce
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IMPORTANT: CHANGE IN VERIZON NEWSGROUP SERVICE
On 06/24/2008, Verizon will be modifying its Newsgroup offerings to only offer groups in the Big-8 Newsgroup hierarchies, which are listed below. Users will not be able to post or download from any other newsgroups.
comp.*
humanities.*
misc.*
news.*
rec.*
sci.*
soc.*
talk.*
More information on the Big 8 hierarchies is available at
www.big-8.org.
The 0.verizon.* newsgroup hierarchy will also continue to be available.
In preparation for this change, you will need to modify your news client(s) and unsubscribe from all newsgroups other than the newsgroups listed above. Failure to do so may interfere with the functioning of the Verizon network or use of the network by other Verizon users which is a violation of our Acceptable Use Policy.
INFORMATION ABOUT CHANGES TO YOUR NEWSGROUP SERVICE
When will Verizon change its News service to carry only the Big 8?
The change will be effective on June 24, 2008. After June 24th,Verizon's Newsgroup service will carry only the Big 8 news hierarchies and the 0.verizon.* hierarchy.
[snipped the rest of the FAQ]
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So there you have it, folks! Because of a few pathetic child porn newsgroups, verizon is effectively going to kill off their good news server very, very soon! Why? Because the company is just that pathetic.
After all the days on hold talking to verizon tech support through the years...all the times I've wasted my life...all the slow, dial-up like speeds w/ my DSL, the only redeeming quality was the news server. Now that that is gone, there is absolutely no reason to stay with this horrible, awful, pathetic company - at least, for me personally.
I would complain, but I'm not sure who to complain too...*sigh* |
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Smith6612
Premium
join:2008-02-01
united state | This is all over the place, but it's OK. |
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Iceberg3
join:2008-05-17
Hobart, IN
1 edit | Sorry about that. 
I saw that the news about it had been posted, but had not seen anywhere in writing exactly what *specifically* was being removed and what was remaining. |
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storm64007
Premium
join:2001-05-21
Freeport, NY | It sucks. They removed every alt.binaries. |
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niblifar
join:2004-02-12
Ohio | reply to Iceberg3
Well, it was nice while it lasted.
--
Vita est bona. |
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starrin
join:2005-05-29
Virginia Beach, VA
| reply to Iceberg3
line running up the screen
Well, if you want to , you can post here - but as of right now they are not posting comments that I know have been made:
»policyblog.verizon.com
But, since this is a c0ontracted service, are we going to see a rebate each month. Why not? My guess is they will simply change their TOS agreement to match their actions and go happily on their way.
Me too, I already have COX in the house. They can have it all |
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Grrrrr
@verizon.net
| reply to Iceberg3
Re: News: Verizon KILLING their News Server!!!
Some problems with the newsgroups (in OE) is that it divulges your e-mail address - the login name for that account by default. If you use your main account then you rat yourself and get mined by the Veagra spammers and get bombed. With Verizon, you can't change your main acct without cancelling your service.
Limiting newsgroup service wont fix that though, because ALL the newsgroups are easy to mine for e-mail addresses. |
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Grrrr
@verizon.net
| reply to Iceberg3
Creeping fascism. Recent court cases find that there is no expectation of privacy on the Internet. I don't know what that means yet. I know it means that what you say in a public forum is indeed public, but I hope people aren't reading that to mean that no wire communications or the equipment connected to it are to be considered private. Phone? E-mail? Transactions? What we need is new standards in encription for web traffic and DNS since communications CAN be monitored without court order. |
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pende_tim
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Andover, NJ
 ·ProLog
 ·ViaTalk
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Iceberg3
That does not make me happy. Don't use the groups too much but they sure are handy in a pinch.
Tim
--
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. |
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just lou
join:2008-05-16
Staten Island, NY
 ·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | I posted this over in the FiOS forums, so maybe it will help some of you:
If you don't download more than 50MB per day, Teranews gives you free access to their premium usenet service. Their servers are excellent, even the free one. You only have to pay a one time activation fee of $3.95.
»www.teranews.com |
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BSAIII
join:2007-06-16
Apple Valley, CA
| Whew! Glad broadbandreports.com sent me an email saying I had not visited in awhile. That made me log on. And since I use Verizon glad I checked the Verizon messages.
Seems I won't be able to get to alt.dbs.echostar to get the dish on DISH.
Off to another news server! |
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starrin
join:2005-05-29
Virginia Beach, VA
| reply to just lou
line running up the screen
said by just lou  :I posted this over in the FiOS forums, so maybe it will help some of you: If you don't download more than 50MB per day, Teranews gives you free access to their premium usenet service. Their servers are excellent, even the free one. You only have to pay a one time activation fee of $3.95. » www.teranews.com How is their message retention on the servers? |
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just lou
join:2008-05-16
Staten Island, NY
·Verizon FIOS
2 edits | said by starrin :How is their message retention on the servers? On the pay servers it's 90+ days. I've noticed over 30 days on the free server. They also won't disconnect you if you're in the middle of downloading something over 50MB. Let's say you're downloading a 200MB file, they will deduct the credit from your free account, and you just won't be able to download anything for the next 3 days. |
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Lord_Black
join:2006-07-08
Walnut, CA
| reply to Iceberg3
Re: News: Verizon KILLING their News Server!!!
Not good. Do not want. I accept it was only a matter of time. Oh well, looks like I'm going to have to spring for a premium account. Sucks, I moved from Charter to Verizon due to them not limiting USENET access as much as Charter. Of course the short retention and the fact that some popular groups that were not accessible was a pain and I guess the writing was on the wall then, but it was still better to have the faster download speed from Verizon then being capped with Charter.
I guess the search is on for a premium account. |
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niblifar
join:2004-02-12
Ohio
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to Iceberg3
»news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-9967119-38.html
Am I to believe that child porn and some ignorant, political schmuck are the reasons for dropping them?
--
Vita est bona. |
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pende_tim
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Andover, NJ | reply to pende_tim
Anyone have a good low cost recommendation to replace this loss?
Looking for up to 10- 20 GB month. |
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Lord_Black
join:2006-07-08
Walnut, CA
1 edit | I don't really have a recommendation, but check these links for a list and rundown of premium newsgroups:
»www.slyck.com/ngnew.php?page=3
»www.newsgroupservers.net/
»www.exit109.com/~jeremy/news/pro···ers.html |
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Lord_Black
join:2006-07-08
Walnut, CA
2 edits | reply to niblifar
Supposedly Andrew Cuomo, New York's Attorney General, has these big ISPs shaking in their boots. IMO, Verizon and the other ISPs have been looking for any reason to dump alt.binaries for some time now and this gives those that haven't done it yet a safe and "feel good" reason to go ahead and remove them. This whole removal of alt.* is of course an overreaction as there are probably only a few newsgroups dedicated to child porn out of the hundreds of thousands of newsgroups that exist. |
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Bobcat
Cablevision sucks donkey balls
Premium
join:2001-02-04
Bedminster, NJ | reply to pende_tim
»news.astraweb.com |
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Bobcat
Cablevision sucks donkey balls
Premium
join:2001-02-04
Bedminster, NJ
1 edit | reply to Iceberg3
They just added alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.singing-cowboy on May 30th and now they're taking it away. |
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