[Info-vax] This is for the folks who get comp.os.vms via the Info-VAX mailing list

[Fred. Zwarts]

Op 06.dec.2023 om 12:01 schreef David Wade:
> On 06/12/2023 00:33, Subcommandante XDelta wrote:
>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 06:37:33 -0600, "Craig A. Berry"
>> <craigberry at nospam.mac.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> On 11/29/23 1:56 AM, Andy Burns wrote:
>>>> bill wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Ken Robinson wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I've put in a filter to kill any posts that come from Google groups
>>>>>
>>>>> Looks like my news server is doing that now and it is resulting in
>>>>> legitimate posts being dropped.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, considering VMS people to be technically competent, a surprising
>>>> number of them use google groups :-(
>>>>
>>>>> Considering how many free public
>>>>> and very inexpensive news servers are available I hope anyone
>>>>> expecting to actually use USENET leaves google groups.
>>>>
>>>> +1
>>>
>>> As has been said many times (whenever this suggestion comes up), not
>>> everyone has NNTP access.  Corporate firewalls mostly block it, for one
>>> thing.
>>
>> Everyone can have direct, unmediated (by corporate, or institutional
>> networks) NNTP access, if they have the will, and inclination, to do
>> so:
>>
>> 1. Private Internet access by whatever means (home internet, or
>> hotspot off their mobile phone internet)
>>
>> 2. A NNTP block account from a Usenet Newsgroup service provider -
>> fixed once off fee, lasts essentially forever if you are only
>> participating in text groups and not downloading binaries.
>>
>> - or -
>>
>> Use a free, quality, NNTP text newsgroup feed such as:
>>
>> https://www.i2pn2.org/
>>
>> https://www.eternal-september.org/
>>
>> Anyone claiming they can only access via google groups merely wants
>> the convenience of participating with comp.os.vms during their working
>> hours.
>>
>> Of course, I am happy to stand corrected (I've had a lot of practice,
>> historically) if someone presents a compelling technical scenario
>> where someone's only possible recourse to comp.os.vms is via google
>> groups. :-)
> 
> Its hard for any one who does not own, or perhaps use on a regular basis 
> a "real" computer of their own, so only own a Tablet or Phone but have 
> access to a locked down real computer for work, and I think there are 
> more of those these days.
> 
> In fact many have a PC but don't use it on a regular basis. My wife is 
> like that. She uses an iPad for 99% of her work. She does have access to 
> a PC but tends to only use it for serious work, and its in a room we 
> don't often use.
> 
> I have searched high and low and have yet to find a decent news reader 
> for Android or IOS as I too would like to ditch my Laptop, which is 
> heavy and has short battery life, for a 12" Android Tablet...
> 
> ... you might say "we don't want those sorts on usenet" but if thats the 
> case then USENET is pretty much doomed.

There is a discussion here:
https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/WUX6T9ADy60
Experiences seem to vary. I have no experience. Maybe if Thunderbird for 
Android comes out that I will give it a try.