| SONIC.NET!! While the CableVos, TelCos, and some others have obviously adopted business plans, dictated by their bean-counting management, with the goal of offering a short-list of enumerated network services rather than Internet connectivity, a few "real ISP's" still exist that are operated by "real internet people". Sonic.net is one of those, and there's apparently no offer that could ever be big enough to tempt the owners to sell. I know personally someone who tried to buy into them years ago, and heard a rumor about how swiftly an offer of several million dollars made by an independent telco was swept back out the door.
The owners' commitment to the company is complemented by their reverence to the traditions of the 'Net, and treat USENET access in an accordingly reverent manner.
They've always ran an in-house nttp server, and I've heard that it currently has several TB of drives online. Right now, I just counted 35830 different groups there. They handle "add newsgroup" requests courtously, and usually within hours. Limited access to Supernews is also provded as a backup to Sonic members.
Get real. Get Sonic. I've been over 10 years.
-NK |
