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Big-8 Usenet Proposing Removal of 198 Newsgroups

February 18, 2011 by

The Big-8 Usenet Management Board is considering the removal of some 198 unmoderated newsgroups.  The Request for Discussion (RFD) was initiated on February 1st, 2011.  Marking the 1st RFD.  To be followed by a 2nd RFC and then finally a Last Call for Comments (LCC).  With updates posted every 4 weeks or so.

Here is the Big-8 downsizing RFD announcement:

From: Big-8 Management Board <board@big-8.org>
Subject: 1st RFD: The Great Downsizing 2011/1
Message-ID: <great-downsizing-2011-1-rfd-1@news.albasani.net>

              REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (RFD)

This is a formal Request for Discussion (RFD) to remove the following
198 unmoderated newsgroups.

RATIONALE:

All groups listed below fulfill these conditions:
- no moderated groups
- no group names matching *.misc
- zero on-topic, non-crossposted threads in the past 18 months
- on-topic questions that received no on-topic answer do not count

DISTRIBUTION:

news.announce.newgroups
news.groups.proposals
news.groups

Because of the magnitude of the group list this proposal is not cross-
posted to target groups. In the course of these proceedings the B8MB
will post pointers to this announcement to appropriate groups. Readers
are encouraged to take initiative and spread the message.

PROCEDURE:

The procedure shall take at least 8 weeks, with announcements posted
every 4 weeks: 1st RFD, 2nd RFD, and LCC. The group lists may be re-
vised during this stage. Discussion about candidate groups should take
place in moderated group news.groups.proposals. After publication of
the LCC the board votes on each newsgroup individually.
More details can be found here:

  http://www.big-8.org/wiki/Mass_removal_of_groups

NEWSGROUP LINES:

comp.arch.bus.vmebus		Hardware and software for VMEbus Systems.
comp.archives.msdos.d		Discussion of materials available in MSDOS archives.
comp.bbs.tbbs		The Bread Board System bulletin board software.
comp.bbs.tsx		TSX BBS discussions.
comp.bugs.2bsd		Reports of UNIX* version 2BSD related bugs.
comp.bugs.4bsd		Reports of UNIX version 4BSD related bugs.
comp.bugs.sys5		Reports of USG (System III, V, etc.) bugs.
comp.compilers.tools.pccts		Construction of compilers and tools with PCCTS.
comp.databases.revelation		All products produced by Revelation Software.
comp.dcom.frame-relay		Technology and issues regarding frame relay networks.
comp.dcom.isdn		The Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN).
comp.dcom.lans.fddi		Discussions of the FDDI protocol suite.
comp.dcom.lans.token-ring		Installing and using token ring networks.
comp.dcom.servers		Selecting and operating data communications servers.
comp.dcom.sys.bay-networks		Bay Networks hardware, software, other products.
comp.emulators.freemware		Open source PC Virtualisation software.
comp.emulators.mac.executor		ARDI's Mac emulator, Executor.
comp.games.development.art		Creative use of visual art in games.
comp.games.development.audio		Music, sound, speech production.
comp.graphics.api.inventor		Object-oriented 3D graphics in Inventor.
comp.graphics.api.pexlib		The PEXlib application programming interface.
comp.graphics.apps.avs		The Application Visualization System.
comp.graphics.apps.data-explorer		IBM's Visualization Data Explorer (DX).
comp.graphics.apps.freehand		Questions, answers, tips and suggestions.
comp.graphics.apps.iris-explorer		The IRIS Explorer, aka MVE.
comp.graphics.apps.softimage		Softimage applications and products.
comp.graphics.apps.wavefront		Wavefront software products, problems, etc.
comp.groupware.groupwise		Novell's Groupwise product (Wordperfect Office).
comp.infosystems.harvest		Harvest information discovery and access system.
comp.infosystems.interpedia		The Internet Encyclopedia.
comp.infosystems.intranet		Intranet topics.
comp.infosystems.www.advocacy		Comments and arguments over the best and worst.
comp.infosystems.www.databases		Web Database Integration.
comp.infosystems.www.servers.mac		Web servers for the Macintosh platform.
comp.internet.services.social.myspace		Teenage social networking.
comp.ivideodisc		Interactive videodiscs -- uses, potential, etc.
comp.lang.basic.visual.3rdparty		Add-ins for Visual Basic.
comp.lang.limbo		The Inferno OS's Limbo programming language.
comp.lang.lisp.mcl		Discussing Apple's Macintosh Common Lisp.
comp.lang.pascal.delphi.advocacy		Contentious issues related to Delphi.
comp.lang.pascal.delphi.components.usage		Using pre-written components.
comp.lang.pascal.delphi.components.writing		Writing Delphi components.
comp.lang.sather		The object-oriented computer language Sather.
comp.lsi.cad		Electrical Computer Aided Design.
comp.mail.list-admin.policy		Policy issues in running mailing lists.
comp.mail.mush		The Mail User's Shell (MUSH).
comp.mail.smail		Administering & using the smail email transport system.
comp.mail.zmail		The various Z-Mail products and their configurability.
comp.org.cpsr.talk		Issues of computing and social responsibility.
comp.org.decus		Digital Equipment Computer Users' Society newsgroup.
comp.org.eff.talk		Discussion of EFF goals, strategies, etc.
comp.org.issnnet		The International Student Society for Neural Networks.
comp.org.sug		Talk about/for the The Sun User's Group.
comp.org.user-groups.apcug		Association of Personal Computer User Groups.
comp.org.user-groups.management		Running a user group.
comp.org.user-groups.newsletters		User group newsletter Production.
comp.os.chorus		CHORUS microkernel issues, research and developments.
comp.os.inferno		The Inferno network operating system from Lucent.
comp.os.lantastic		The LANtastic network operating system.
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.comm		MS-Windows communication applications.
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.compatibility.win95		Running DOS&Win3 apps in Win95.
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.utilities.win3x		Utility/add-on programs for Win3.x.
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.winsock.mail		Winsock email applications.
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.winsock.news		Winsock news applications.
comp.os.ms-windows.networking.ras		Windows RAS networking.
comp.os.ms-windows.nt.advocacy		Windows NT advocacy arguments.
comp.os.ms-windows.nt.pre-release		Unreleased and beta Windows NT versions.
comp.os.ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware		Windows NT hardware setup.
comp.os.ms-windows.pre-release		Pre-release/beta versions of Windows.
comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.multimedia		Multimedia programming.
comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.tools.owl		OWL-based development for Windows.
comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.winhelp		WinHelp/Multimedia Viewer development.
comp.os.ms-windows.setup.win3x		Setup, hardware, and driver issues in Win3.x.
comp.os.ms-windows.setup.win95		Setup, hardware, and driver issues in Win95.
comp.os.ms-windows.win95.setup		Setup and Configuration of Windows 95.
comp.os.msdos.mail-news		Administering mail & network news systems under MS-DOS.
comp.os.netware.security		Netware Security issues.
comp.os.os2.comm		Modem/Fax hardware/drivers/apps/utils under OS/2.
comp.os.os2.programmer.oop		Programming system objects (SOM, WPS, etc).
comp.os.os2.scitech		Real-time, engineering/CAD, sciences, etc.
comp.os.parix		Forum for users of the parallel operating system PARIX.
comp.os.xinu		The XINU operating system from Purdue (D. Comer).
comp.protocols.appletalk		Applebus hardware & software.
comp.protocols.ibm		Networking with IBM mainframes.
comp.protocols.iso		The ISO protocol stack.
comp.publish.cdrom.multimedia		Software for multimedia authoring & publishing.
comp.publish.electronic.developer		Electronic publishing developer tools.
comp.publish.electronic.end-user		Electronic publishing end-user tools.
comp.security.gss-api		Generic Security Service Application Program Interface.
comp.security.pgp.resources		PGP related resources, information and more.
comp.society		The impact of technology on society.
comp.society.development		Computer technology in developing countries.
comp.soft-sys.app-builder.appware		Novell's visual development environment.
comp.soft-sys.app-builder.dynasty		Dynasty Development.
comp.soft-sys.khoros		The Khoros X11 visualization system.
comp.soft-sys.middleware.opendoc		OpenDoc and its related technologies.
comp.soft-sys.shazam		The SHAZAM econometrics computer program.
comp.soft-sys.stat.systat		The statistical program package SYSTAT.
comp.sources.games.bugs		Bug reports and fixes for posted game software.
comp.specification.larch		Larch family of formal specification languages.
comp.std.internat		Discussion about international standards.
comp.sys.alliant		Info and discussion about Alliant computers.
comp.sys.amiga.datacomm		Methods of getting bytes in and out.
comp.sys.amiga.multimedia		Animations, video, & multimedia.
comp.sys.amiga.networking		Amiga networking software/hardware.
comp.sys.amiga.uucp		Amiga UUCP packages.
comp.sys.apple2.gno		The AppleIIgs GNO multitasking environment.
comp.sys.be.advocacy		Why BeOS is better/worse than XYZ.
comp.sys.be.programmer		Topics related to BeOS programming.
comp.sys.convex		Convex computer systems hardware and software.
comp.sys.harris		Harris computer systems, especially real-time systems.
comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.marketplace		PC clone games wanted and for sale.
comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard.advocacy		Advocacy for a particular soundcard.
comp.sys.intergraph		Intergraph hardware and software products.
comp.sys.isis		The ISIS distributed system from Cornell.
comp.sys.mac.games.adventure		Adventure games for the Macintosh.
comp.sys.mac.oop.macapp3		Version 3 of the MacApp object oriented system.
comp.sys.mac.oop.powerplant		Metrowerks' PowerPlant (CodeWarrior) Framework.
comp.sys.mac.oop.tcl		Symantec's THINK Class Library for object programming.
comp.sys.mac.programmer.codewarrior		Macintosh programming using CodeWarrior.
comp.sys.mac.programmer.games		Macintosh game programming.
comp.sys.net-computer.advocacy		Relative merits of Network Computers.
comp.sys.next.advocacy		The NeXT religion.
comp.sys.next.bugs		Discussion and solutions for known NeXT bugs.
comp.sys.nsc.32k		National Semiconductor 32000 series chips.
comp.sys.proteon		Proteon gateway products.
comp.sys.psion.comm		Discussions about Psion communications.
comp.sys.psion.marketplace		Buy and sell Psion computers and accessories.
comp.sys.ridge		Ridge 32 computers and ROS.
comp.sys.sequent		Sequent systems, (Balance and Symmetry).
comp.sys.sgi.audio		Audio on SGI systems.
comp.sys.sgi.graphics		Graphics packages and issues on SGI machines.
comp.sys.tahoe		CCI 6/32, Harris HCX/7, & Sperry 7000 computers.
comp.text.desktop		Technology & techniques of desktop publishing.
comp.unix.advocacy		Arguments for and against Unix and Unix versions.
comp.unix.cde		The Common Desktop Environment.
comp.unix.large		UNIX on mainframes and in large networks.
comp.unix.machten		The MachTen operating system and related issues.
comp.unix.pc-clone.16bit		UNIX on 286 architectures.
comp.unix.pc-clone.32bit		UNIX on 386 and 486 architectures.
comp.unix.sys3		System III UNIX discussions.
comp.unix.sys5.r3		Discussing System V Release 3.
comp.unix.xenix.sco		XENIX versions from the Santa Cruz Operation.
comp.windows.garnet		The Garnet user interface development environment.
comp.windows.interviews		The InterViews object-oriented windowing system.
comp.windows.open-look		Discussion about the Open Look GUI.
comp.windows.suit		The SUIT user-interface toolkit.
comp.windows.ui-builders.teleuse		Using/augmenting the TeleUSE UI Builder.
comp.windows.x.i386unix		The XFree86 window system and others.
misc.forsale.computers.discussion		Discussions only about items for sale.
misc.forsale.computers.mac-specific.cards.video		Macintosh video cards.
misc.forsale.computers.mac-specific.portables		Portable Macintosh systems.
misc.forsale.computers.mac-specific.systems		Complete Macintosh systems.
misc.forsale.computers.monitors		Monitors and displays for sale and wanted.
misc.forsale.computers.other.systems		Complete other types of systems.
misc.forsale.computers.pc-specific.audio		PC audio equipment.
misc.forsale.computers.pc-specific.cards.video		PC video cards.
misc.forsale.computers.pc-specific.motherboards		PC motherboards.
misc.forsale.computers.printers		Printers and plotters for sale and wanted.
misc.industry.pulp-and-paper		Technical topics in the pulp and paper industry.
misc.jobs.offered.entry		Job listings only for entry-level positions.
news.admin.nocem		NoCeM protocol policy issues and information.
rec.arts.comics.elfquest		The Elfquest universe and characters.
rec.arts.sf.starwars.collecting.customizing		Customizing Star Wars toys.
rec.arts.sf.tv.quantum-leap		Quantum Leap TV, comics, cons, etc.
rec.autos.sport.rally		Any type of interest in any form of rally motorsport.
rec.crafts.dollhouses		Collecting and making of dollhouse miniatures.
rec.games.bolo		The networked strategy war game Bolo.
rec.games.computer.quake.editing		Editing and hacking Quake-related files.
rec.games.computer.quake.playing		Playing Quake and user-created levels.
rec.games.computer.quake.quake-c		Modifying Quake with Quake-C.
rec.games.frp.industry		Roleplaying industry & companies.
rec.games.frp.storyteller		World of Darkness and StoryTeller games.
rec.games.trading-cards.marketplace.magic.trades		Trading Magic cards.
rec.games.trading-cards.startrek		Star Trek Trading Card Games.
rec.games.video.cd-i		CD-i topics with emphasis on games.
rec.games.video.cd32		Gaming talk, info and help for the Amiga CD32.
rec.games.xtank.play		Strategy and tactics for the distributed game Xtank.
rec.games.xtank.programmer		Coding the Xtank game and its robots.
rec.music.artists.ani-difranco		Ani Difranco, related topics.
rec.music.artists.danny-elfman		Composer Danny Elfman's music.
rec.music.artists.stevie-nicks		Singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks.
rec.music.artists.wallflowers		Music group The Wallflowers.
rec.music.iranian		Discussion of Iranian music.
rec.parks.theme		Entertainment theme parks.
rec.scouting.guide+girl		Guiding and girl scout organizations.
rec.sport.basketball.women		Women's basketball at all levels.
rec.sport.footbag		Discussion about the sport of footbag.
rec.sport.orienteering		All matters related to the sport of orienteering.
rec.sport.skating.roller		Conventional (quad) roller skating.
rec.video.dvd.advocacy		DVD-Video pro/con arguments.
sci.aquaria		Only scientifically-oriented postings about aquaria.
sci.engr.coastal		Coastal and ocean engineering.
sci.engr.marine.hydrodynamics		Marine Hydrodynamics.
sci.med.occupational		Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) & job injury issues.
soc.adoption.parenting		Adoptive parenting by adoptive parents.
soc.college.teaching-asst		Issues affecting collegiate teaching assistants.
soc.support.depression.seasonal		Seasonal affective disorder.

CHANGE HISTORY:

2011-02-01      1st RFD
Filed Under: Usenet History Tagged With: , ,

2010 Usenet Year in Review

December 30, 2010 by

While 2010 went by in a blink there were quite a few Usenet achievements.  The ongoing retention gains and reduced prices have made Usenet more popular than ever.  In this post we’ll focus on new technologies and features added in 2010 that have changed Usenet for the better.

Usenet achievements were plentiful this year.  In past years the discussion revolved around retention levels.  While retention continues to grow the industry expanded in other directions as well this year.  Everything from Usenet providers adding clients, VPN, storage, enhanced web access and supprt for mobile devices.

Let’s take a closer look at a few Usenet providers who left an extra mark this year:

Giganews – (VyprVPN and Mimo Usenet Browser)

Giganews was certainly busy innovating this year.  First with their addition of VyprVPN and then Mimo Usenet browser.  VyprVPN provides Diamond members with free VPN access to help secure their privacy while online.  Mimo newsreader is also free for Diamond members and provides a Usenet search feature in addition to a nice user interface.  Not to by missed Giganews continued to lead the industry in retention.  With speed and reliability to match their premium services.

Easynews – (New Web Interface, Mobile Apps)

Easynews was hard at work innovating this year.  Starting with network upgrades to ensure a high level of performance and reliability.  In October Easynews launched a new web interface and continue to enhance the online features.  We were impressed with the ease of use and wrote a full review of the beta release. More recently Easynews added 3rd party mobile apps like EZ Global Search.  Available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.  In addition Easynews added unlimited NNTP access and support for PayPal this year.

NewsDemon – (Online Storage)

NewsDemon added free online storage for their unlimited customers this year.  Partnering with StorageNinja to offer 30 GB of free online storage to members who subscribe to an unlimited plan.  In addition they continued to include a fully licensed copy of News Rover newsreader for all members.

Newshosting – (Free Easynews Account)

Newshosting recently announced a partnership with Easynews to offer free web Usenet access to NHXL members.  This means NHXL subscribers not only receive unlimited NNTP Usenet access from Newshosting but also a 10 GB monthly Easynews account at no additional cost.  Newshosting also continued to increase retention and added support for PayPal in 2010.

Not to be missed are all the Usenet providers who offer low cost Usenet access with reliability and continued retention gains.  A list including UseNetServer, Supernews, ThunderNews, Astraweb and many more.  Cheers to everyone who helped improve Usenet in 2010.  We look forward to the years ahead!

Filed Under: Astraweb, Easynews, Giganews, NewsDemon, Newshosting, Supernews, ThunderNews, Usenet History, Usenet Providers, UseNetServer Tagged With: ,

DMCA Takedown Requests Effect Usenet Completion

November 19, 2010 by

Many in the Usenet community are wondering why completion rates seem to be dropping and content disappearing from news servers.  At first some thought the issue surrounded a particular group of Usenet providers.  Now it seems like several top providers are in the same boat.  Are they having technical issues?  Or are they simply complying with DMCA takedown notices?  We don’t know for sure but we suspect they are complying with the safe harbor provision of the DMCA which requires the removal of infringing content on request of the rights holder.  The same provision that protected YouTube in their copyright infringement case earlier this year.

Please take into account that we’re all geeks.  Meaing we’re giving you our unqualified opinion.  For those unfamiliar with the DMCA it stands for “Digital Millennium Copyright Act“.  The DMCA includes the “Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act” which provides safe harbor for online services like Usenet providers, YouTube, ISP’s, etc. as long as they follow the guidelines which include promptly removing infringing material based on the copyright holders request.

Since most Usenet providers are based in the U. S. the DMCA and safe harbor protection could be very important to the future of Usenet.  Not complying with takedown notices could mean the end of Usenet as we know it.  Now that you understand why newsgroup services are compelled to comply we would like to show you how and why the DMCA removals can effect Usenet completion.  When at times it just appears like the content went missing.

Let’s take a look at a couple scenarios:

Content is unavailable via NZB file

Perhaps you go out and find an NZB file for the content you wish to download from Usenet.  Then when you go to actually download the files they are missing.

The headers are in my newsreader but the articles are missing

Perhaps you download headers on a frequent basis.  One day you decide to mark some content to download.  Although you see the headers in your newsreader the articles no longer exist on the news server.

DMCA takedown request

In both scenarios it’s possible the content you are trying to download was part of a DMCA takedown request.  Meaning the content was infringing and the rights holder requested that it be removed from Usenet.  So while it was once on the news server it had to be removed and no longer exists to download.

Again we’re not saying that all Usenet completion issues are due to DMCA requests but it appears more frequent so we thought the topic was worth mentioning.  If you are having technical issues with content you don’t feel should fall under the DMCA then we suggest you contact your Usenet provider for technical support.  If the problem persists you can always visit Newsgroup Reviews to explore your options.

Filed Under: Usenet Providers, Usenet Tutorials Tagged With: , , ,

Mimo Usenet Guide Part 3 : Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts

November 10, 2010 by

Welcome to the third and final installment of our Mimo Usenet Guide.  In Part 1 we discussed how to install Mimo.  In part 2 we covered the top 10 Mimo newsreader features.  Now in part 3 we’re going to share some tips, tricks and shortcuts to help make your Mimo experience even more enjoyable.

We found a few shortcuts and keystrokes helpful in navigating and using Mimo newsreader rev. 0.1.9 and would like to share them.  We’ll keep the post updated with new tips so please send us any you might come across – feedback (at) newsgroupreviews.com.

Giganews Newsgroups

Mimo Tips and Tricks

1. Run Mimo in full screen mode

I know this one is simple but it helped so much.  When we first tested Mimo it felt like something was missing.  Mainly from a UI perspective.  Just like any new reader we had to figure our way around.  Finally someone said “Hey, we’re not running in full screen mode”.  Doing so made all the difference.

Running Mimo in full screen mode gave us access to the Mimo Taskbar.  Similar to the Windows taskbar it gives you access to important features and stats.  You can easily bring up Downloads, Group List or New Conversation (post to a text group).  Then on the right side you can see the current download speed along with recognition that SSL encryption and Giganews Accelerator are enabled.

2. Get to know the Usenet search filters

When you first open Mimo the “Search” tab is blank for the most part.  You can choose whether to search via Golden Frog, NZBIndex.nl or Find a Newsgroup.  However, you can’t set any search filters yet.

First do a simple search.  In our case we searched for “Ubuntu” which brought back lots of results along with filtering options to help narrow things down.  First you have the option to hide messages, images or files from the result pane.  You can also set a filter on the min/max file size in MB or GB and the max age in days.  All of which can be very helpful in narrowing the search results.

3. Get to know the Download screen

This isn’t a how-to-use Mimo tutorial so we’re not going step by step through using Mimo.  We’ll leave that Golden Frog or Giganews.  Rather we thought the download screen features were worth sharing and also had a couple comments to share for enhancing this area of Mimo.

The download screen is accessible via the Mimo taskbar at the bottom or the View menu or by pressing Ctrl + D.  Here you will see anything in your queue along with other files that have downloaded and any failures.  To clean out completed downloads simply right click and choose “Clear inactive downloads“.  If you want to open the files right click and choose “Show in Folder“.  A nice feature.  Remember Mimo automatically takes care of the RAR assembly and PAR recovery process (assuming PAR files were available).

If you queue up several downloads you’ll notice they all run at once.  It would be great to have the option to prioritize downloads.  In the meantime though you can pause and restart downloads.  We found the word “restart” confusing at first.  After downloading 50% the last thing we wanted to do was start over.  In this case though ‘restart” actually meant “start where the download was paused”.  We would have preferred the word “Resume download” but the outcome is the same.

4. Configuring Mimo server settings

There are a number of configurable settings in Mimo.  First of which are the server settings.  You can access them by clicking Tools – Server Settings or pressing Ctlr + Alt + S.

The first thing you will see on the server settings page are port settings.  All traffic through Mimo is SSL encrypted.  By default the browser uses port 563.  If your ISP happens to throttle that port you can change it to port 443.

The next option is maximum connections.  The default is set to 10.  As a Diamond member you can use up to 50 simultaneous connections.  For the best performance choose the minimum number of connections required to max your Internet connection or achieve your desired speed.  It can take a few tries to find the sweet spot but it’s worth it as running too many connections will tie up your system resources.

On the opposite end of maxing your speed through increasing connections you have the option to throttle bandwidth.  This can come in handy.  Especially if you share your Internet connection with others who would appreciate some bandwidth while you download.  Remember Giganews network is very fast so if you don’t want it maxing your line then configure this option.

5. Configuring Mimo download settings

There are also a few configurable settings for how Mimo treats your downloads.  You can access them by clicking Tools – Download Settings or pressing Ctlr + Alt + D.

The Target Directory and Spool Directory are set by default but you can change them to any folder you desire.  When files are downloaded Mimo will create subfolders based on the newsgroups.  We’re use to this approach and find it helpful in organizing downloads.

Next you have some options for automating Rar, Par and file clean up.  First is “Recover the files after download if possible“.  Set by default Mimo will use any Par files to repair damaged archives as necessary.  The second options is “Automatically unpackage RAR files“.  No more need for WinRAR or another third party utility to unRAR your downloads.  The last option is “Delete individual RAR archive parts after successful assembly“.  We chose to let Mimo take care of this as well.  Nice to keep downloads organized and more free disk space.

Now we’d like to share our Mimo shortcuts cheat sheet with you.  All the shortcuts are visible in the Mimo menu’s but we find it easier to have a sheet for reference since keystrokes are always faster than multiple clicks.  Feel free to use the list below or download a PDF of the Mimo Shortcuts cheat sheet from NGR.

Keyboard shortcuts for Mimo Usenet Browser

File Shortcuts:

Ctrl+T – New Search Tab
Ctrl+O – Open NZB File
Ctrl+Q – Exit Mimo

View Shortcuts:

Ctrl+L – Group List
Ctrl+D – Downloads
Ctrl+Shift+J – Status Console
Ctrl+W – Close Current Tab
Ctrl++ – Increase Font Size
Ctrl+- – Decrease Font Size
Ctrl+0 – Reset Font Size

Tools Shortcuts:

Crtl+N – New Usenet Message
Ctrl+Alt+S – Server Settings
Ctrl+Alt+D – Download Settings
Ctrl+Alt+I – Identity Settings
Ctrl+Alt+B – Block List Settings
Ctrl+Shift+Del – Clear Download List

That’s a wrap.  We hope you’ve enjoyed our Mimo Usenet Guide series and will become a regular visitor to NewsgroupReviews.com where we cover the entire Usenet industry including reviews, tutorials, free trials and special offers.  If you’re not already a Giganews Diamond member sign up now and receive a 14 day free trial and 50% off your first month!

Filed Under: Giganews, Golden Frog, Mimo, Newsreaders, NZB Sites, Usenet Tutorials Tagged With: , , ,

Mimo Usenet Guide Part 2 : Mimo’s Top 10 Features

November 9, 2010 by

In part one of our Mimo Usenet Guide we discussed how to install the Usenet browser.  Now in part two we’re going to cover Mimo’s top 10 features.  What really makes the Mimo newsreader shine!

All newsreaders have their good qualities and opportunities for improvement.  These two categories can intersect as well since we all have our own preferences in how we browse newsgroups and download binaries from Usenet.  We preface the list with that comment because our “Top 10” might not be the same as yours.  Please share your thoughts with us as we continue to learn about the new browser.

Unlike most “Top 10 Lists” we’re not going to count down from 10 to 1.  No need to keep anyone waiting.  We’ll cover what we think is the coolest feature right from the start and go into detail for each feature on the list.

Giganews Newsgroups

Top 10 Mimo Newsreader Features

1. Built-in Usenet search engine

The Mimo browser includes two built-in Usenet search engines.  You can choose from the default Golden Frog engine or NZBIndex.nl engine.  We’re crossing our fingers for a future Binsearch engine.

When searching for binaries you have a number of options.  You can simply search by subject or add details like min/max file size, max age and whether to hide images or files.  Once you find what you’re looking for Mimo will take care of the download, repair and extraction of the files.

In addition to the Usenet search indexes you can also choose to “Find a Group” and search for newsgroups by topic.  For example if your interested in Corvettes you can search for the term “Corvette” and find the alt.autos.corvette group.  Then easily add it to your favorite groups.

2. Automated RAR assembly

We get questions from new Usenet users all the time asking what to do with the RAR files they download.  It can be difficult getting started with newsgroups if you don’t know the ropes.  Two of which are RAR and PAR files.  Using Mimo you don’t have to worry about what to do with the Rar’s because the newsreader will automatically assemble them for you.  Without the need for WinRAR or another third party application.

3. PAR2 recovery as needed

Assembling the Rar’s is only half the story.  At times you will need to repair the Rar archive with the use of PAR files.  Normally you would need a third party application like QuickPar.  With Mimo all you need are the Par’s which are typically included in large file sets.  If necessary Mimo will repair your download and extract it to the destination folder without your interaction.  Very cool!

It appears that Mimo downloads the full file set including all the PAR files and then uses them for repairing as needed.  Which is fine.  A cool future enhancement would be to only download the smallest Par to check and then just enough Par’s for the repair.  Since Giganews completion is very high you’ll find that many times you won’t need the Par’s at all.  When you do though they are a life saver.

4. Giganews Accelerator

Giganews Accelerator compresses header downloads.  With the GN Accelerator built into Mimo the newsreader can download headers up to 10 times faster than a normal Usenet client without the feature.  We offer a more detailed explanation of Giganews Accelerator on the main NGR site and Giganews offers a video tutorial in their Usenet University section.  Remember though the video guide walks you through setting up the Accelerator in other readers.  You will not need to do anything to use it in Mimo.

5. Image thumbnails / binary descriptions

When browsing a newsgroup you can simply click on any post that includes an image file and the image will show up below in the content pane.  A nice feature since you don’t have to open the download folder to view images.

Mimo does a very nice job of presenting information based on content type – text, image or binary for example.  Text posts are presented similar to an email which makes them easy to read.  For binaries the NFO contents will be displayed when one exists along with a list of included binary files.

6. Easily post to text groups

Let’s face it some newsreaders are just meant for binaries and don’t support text newsgroups.  Mimo isn’t one of those.  In fact if you can use popular email programs like Outlook or Thunderbird then using Mimo for text posts will be a piece of cake.

The first nice Mimo feature for text groups in threading.  Mimo will automatically thread related posts.  Clicking on any post or opening the thread will display the highlighted post in the content pane.  From there your email skills and instincts will kick in.

When viewing a text post you have options to reply to the newsgroup, reply via e-mail, forward via e-mail or block the poster.  Not than any newsgroup discussions ever get heated…

7. Filter text, binaries and images

If you subscribe to large newsgroups or look through a large set of Usenet search results then filtering is your friend.  It can really help narrow down the results and find what your looking for.  Especially considering Giganews holds around 2,700 days of text groups and well over 800 in binary groups.

Mimo has three images up at the top of the search pane, just beside the search box.  They allow you to hide messages (text posts), images (jpg, gif, etc) and files (binaries).  You can toggle each filter off or on at any time.

8. Import NZB files

Being able to import and associate NZB files with Mimo is important.  Especially if you have a favorite Usenet search engine other than Golden Frog or NZBIndex.  In our case we have a few favorites.  The folks at Golden Frog recognize that you might want to import NZB’s into Mimo.  Once you download the NZB file from any site simply double click it if you set the association during setup or click File – Open NZB File from within the browser.

9. Supports multiple SSL connections

Speed and security are always important.  We like to keep our connections capped as much as possible and know that all newsreader communication is encrypted.  Mimo makes both possible.

First for speed – Diamond customers can use up to 50 connections.  This is an area where some get confused.  By default Mimo is configured with 10 connections.  If that maxes your Internet connection then don’t increase the number.  It will only tie up more resources.  However, if you need more connections to max the speed click on Tools – Server settings and adjust the Maximum Connections until you find the right spot.

Security / privacy – all communication through Mimo is protected via 256-bit SSL encryption.  In addition as a Diamond customer you have free access to VyprVPN.  If you’ve not tried it yet you should.  It will help protect you outside of Usenet including web browsing and email.

10. Windows & Mac compatible

So many newsreaders are Windows-only.  Mimo coming out with Mac compatibility is a big win for Apple fans.  We’re slowly leaning toward Mac for web development so we appreciate the added support.  To be more specific Mimo is compatible with MAC OS X 10.6 or higher.

Stay tuned for part three of our Mimo Usenet Guide where we’ll cover tips and tricks to make your Mimo experience even more enjoyable.  If you’re not already a Giganews Diamond member sign up now and receive a 14 day free trial and 50% off your first month!

Filed Under: Giganews, Golden Frog, Mimo, Newsreaders, NZB Sites, NZBIndex.nl, Usenet Tutorials Tagged With: , ,

Mimo Usenet Guide Part 1 : Installing the Browser

November 8, 2010 by

This week we’re going to cover the new Mimo Usenet Browser that Giganews is offering free as part of their Diamond account features.  The Mimo client beta is open to all new and existing Diamond customers.

In part one of our Mimo Usenet Guide series we’re going to cover the installation of the client.  Then in part two we will talk about the Mimo Browser features and Golden Frog search.  Finally in part three we will offer some tips and tricks to make your Mimo experience even more enjoyable.

Mimo Usenet Guide Part 1 – Installing the Browser

Already a Giganews Diamond subscriber?  If so then you’re all set.  Otherwise click on the image below for a two week free trial and 50% off your first month.

Now that you have a Giganews Diamond account you’ll want to download Mimo.

You can choose between the Windows and Mac versions of the Mimo client.  We chose the Windows download.

The Mimo Windows package is about 30 MB and took us around 10 seconds to download.  After the download is complete double click the Mimo Installer.exe file to start the installation.

There aren’t any decisions to make in Step 1 of the install.  Click “Next” to move forward.


In step 2 you will need to agree to the Golden Frog Mimo license agreement.  Make sure to read and memorize as there will be a quiz!  Once you’ve marked the button to accept the terms click “Next” to continue.


In part 3 of the Mimo install you can choose the installation path.  Make any desired modifications or leave the default path and click “Next” to move on.


In step 4 you can decide what shortcuts you want setup for Mimo.  By default you will have a shortcut in the Start Menu and a Mimo program group added to be accessible by all users of the computer.  Make any necessary changes and click “Next” to continue.


In part 5 of the install you can choose whether or not to associate NZB files with Mimo.  Assuming you plan to use Mimo as your primary Usenet client we suggest you let it add the .nzb association.


Now that Mimo has all the information necessary the installation will complete.


On the final screen you can choose whether you want to launch the Mimo client or open the Mimo manual.  We chose to launch Mimo.

The first time you launch Mimo it will ask for your Giganews user name and password and give you an opportunity to test the credentials.  Once completed you will be presented with the Mimo home screen above.

This is where we’ll start in our next post.  With an overview of Mimo features and Golden Frog Usenet search.  You can expect part 2 of our Mimo guide to be available in the next day or two.  In the meantime enjoy the new Mimo Browser.  If you’re not already a Giganews Diamond member sign up now and receive a 14 day free trial and 50% off your first month!

Filed Under: Giganews, Mimo, Newsreaders, Usenet Tutorials Tagged With: , , , ,

Google Wave Dead : “Wave in a Box” Open Source

November 2, 2010 by

Back in early August Google announced they would be discontinuing development on Google Wave as a standalone effort.  Taking some of the collaborative technology and achievements on to other future projects.  Google had already open sourced quite a bit of Google Wave code and offered developer interaction through the Google Wave API and Google Wave Federated Protocol.

Was the lackluster reception of Google Wave a sign of it’s weakness or was the technology just ahead of it’s time?  In this case we enjoyed Wave and think you’ll see some the innovative ideas well into the future.  Unfortunately it just didn’t catch on.  Much like Bill Gates early efforts to promote interactive computing.  While the timing wasn’t right we’re seeing a huge shift to tablets and other touch screen devices now.  Perhaps parts of the Google Wave technology will thrive in future years as well.

Google has decided to make available an open source package with the Wave web server and client code called “Wave in a Box“.  According to the Google blog post:

This project will include:

  • an application bundle including a server and web client supporting real-time collaboration using the same structured conversations as the Google Wave system
  • a fast and fully-featured wave panel in the web client with complete support for threaded conversations
  • a persistent wave store and search implementation for the server (building on contributed patches to implement a MongoDB store)
  • refinements to the client-server protocols
  • gadget, robot and data API support
  • support for importing wave data from wave.google.com
  • the ability to federate across other Wave in a Box instances, with some additional configuration

We look forward to seeing how developers continue the effort to extend the existing Google Wave code. It will be interesting to see what areas might be influenced by the effort.  If you are interested in hosting your own Wave or taking a peak at the code stay tuned to the Google Wave Federation Protocol site.

Filed Under: Usenet History Tagged With: , , , ,

How do NZB files end up on Usenet?

October 5, 2010 by

Ever wonder how NZB files end up on Usenet? There are a few ways NZBs are created and we will discuss two popular scenarios.

1)  NZB created and posted with the file:   Many times when users are uploading articles to Usenet they create an NFO file and an NZB file along with the archive.  There are uploading programs available that automatically create an NZB for you during the posting process.  This is the preferred method as the NZB file will point to the entire file set including the RAR parts, NFO, Par2 files, etc.

2)  NZB search engine:  Other times, there are 3rd party services such as Usenet indexing or NZB search engines that help you create the NZB file.  These NZB Indexing sites will allow you to search for a file by subject or filename. Some NZB sites will give you many more options to search with.  Once you find the file it will be displayed as a file collection.  Once you find the articles/file collection that you are looking for there will generally be an option to create the NZB.

There are many Usenet indexing sites / Usenet search engines on the market. Some are free while others are pay for use. The fees for the pay sites are very modest ranging from a few cents a month to $10/year.  We recommend using NZB’s because of the time it saves.  Either type of nzb site make using Usenet much easier and more efficient.  For example, the NZB search engines offer a user many options to search by.  A Usenet user can search by subject/filename, minimum or maximum date of the post, the poster, size of the file, search only in specific newsgroups and much more.  Some sites even go as far as letting you filter your search by file format type, file categories, and even search for file by defining a maximum or minimum file size.

Usenet search engine / Usenet indexing services:
–  Ngindex – small fee
–  Binsearch – free
–  Newzbin – small fee
–  NZBindex – free
–  Newzleech – free

Nzb sites:
–  NZBsRUS – small fee
–  Merlin’s Portal– free
–  Nzbmatrix – small fee

To open an NZB, you must use a newreader that supports the use of NZB’s.  Most Usenet Browsers support the functionality but be sure to visit NGR or the Usenet clients site to confirm.

Filed Under: NZB Sites, Usenet Tutorials Tagged With: , ,

Beginner’s Guide to Free Usenet Newsgroup Trials

September 6, 2010 by

Are you new to Usenet and confused by all the choices out there?  Perhaps a friend has recommended a Usenet provider or you’ve read about services on Newsgroup Reviews but haven’t quite decided yet.

Free Usenet trials are a great way to test newsgroup services and help make a buying decision.  Most top providers offer free Usenet access for new customers.  As with any free trial you’ll want to understand the terms prior to signing up.  That’s where this guide comes in.  Below we will list the top newsgroup trials from NGR along with details for each trial.  First though we want to cover some general Q & A.

Why do Usenet provider’s require so much information for a free trial?  Why not just ask for my email address?

Fraud prevention.  A trial based simply on email address would be abused.

Alright they need some personal information but why collect billing information for a free trial?

Free Usenet trials are similar to Netflix, Blockbuster, Rhapsody and other brand name subscription services.  While signing up for a free trial you will choose a plan and enter billing information.  Some will even preauthorize charges prior to activating the trial.

Why would I choose a paid account type for a “free” trial?

The “paid” subscription applies if you exceed the trial terms (either in days or usage) before canceling service.  In other words if you exceed the trial terms they assume you want to keep the service and bill accordingly based on the plan chosen during sign up.

That one really seems to catch some people.  They sign up for a free trial and forget to cancel or exceed the download limit by accident.  Then are confused when the provider bills them.  Please be clear that it is your responsibility to cancel during the trial period to avoid charges.  That means if the trial is 14 days and up to 10 gigs you shouldn’t exceed either one.  There isn’t typically a warning sent when you get close to the download or time limit.  Exceeding either one will transition the free trial into a paid account.

More general tips on how free Usenet trials work:

Most Usenet veterans seem comfortable with the way trials work.  Probably because they’ve tried a few through the years.  New users sometimes get frustrated.  Thinking the free trial will expire without any action on their part.  That isn’t the case.  You have to cancel the account during the trial period to avoid being charged.  Before exceeding the time or download limit.

The cancellation process varies between services but you normally visit the website, log in to your account and cancel service.  Each provider should have clear instructions on the site.  If you are considering a service that doesn’t make it clear you might want to avoid them.

Also pay attention to the account choices during sign up.  Some provider’s will offer discounted annual plans.  Most include one time billing.  Meaning if you exceed the free trial terms without canceling the company will automatically bill for a year of service.  Normally at a considerable discount which is nice if you want the service but not so good if you just forget to cancel.

Free Usenet Trial Details:

Now that we’ve covered the basics let’s take a close look at some of the top Usenet provider’s free trial offerings.

1.  NewsDemon

Trial details:  NewsDemon offers our visitors a special free trial.  They call it the “NGR Demon Trial“.  It consists of 7 days of free Usenet and up to 15 gigs of usage.  What makes the trial so special is that it combines with their “Demon Deal” which includes over 50% off unlimited Usenet access.  Meaning if you stay beyond the trial the cost is $10.95 a month versus the normal $22.99.

Pros: Trial + discount, free newsreader and free online storage.

Cons: None

2.  Newshosting

Trial details:  Newshosting also offers NGR visitors a free trial combined with discount pricing.  The trial term is 14 days with up to 10 gigs of downloads.  Followed by a discounted price of $12.95 for Unlimited or $15.95 for XL Powerpack account.  The differnce being number of connections.  Tip: go with the Unlimited account as 30 connections is plenty.

Pros: Trial + discount

Cons: None

3.  Giganews

Trial details:  Giganews offers a 14 day free Usenet trial with up to 10 GB of usage.  They also combine it with a special offer of 50% off the first month for Diamond sign ups.

Pros: Trial + discount for Diamond account

Cons: Diamond accounts do not include VyprVPN access during the trial period.

4. UseNetServer

Trial details:  UseNetServer offers a 14 day, 10 GB free Usenet trial.  We like the service a lot but what makes it a great value is the UNS special offers which include unlimited access for $10 a month or $95.40 a year.  Unfortunately if you take advantage of their free trial retail pricing applies.  In this case we suggest forgoing the trial for the lifetime discount.

Pros: Standard trial terms.

Cons: The trial ends in retail pricing.

5. Power Usenet

Trial details:  Power Usenet offers a 5 days, 10 GB free newsgroup trial.  They also combine it with a special offer that includes 50% off your first month of unlimited access.

Pros: Trial + discount.

Cons: The trial term (5 days) is a bit shorter than most.  Still plenty of time though.

6. Easynews

Trial details:  Easynews offers a 14 day free Usenet trial with up to 10 GB of downloads.  The trial only applies to Classic accounts.

Pros: Standard trial terms.

Cons: The trial only applies to Classic accounts.

I hope this guide has helped you better understand how free Usenet trials work.  We will keep a running list of the best free newsgroup trials on NGR along with the details of each trial.  Leaving you with the final advice of always reading and understanding the full terms of a Usenet trial or any other offer before signing up.

Filed Under: Usenet Providers, Usenet Tutorials Tagged With: , ,

Personal Home Page Tools (PHP) Newsgroup Post

June 8, 2010 by

Happy birthday to PHP!  Fifteen years ago Rasmus Lerdorf announced Personal Home Page Tools (PHP Tools) version 1.0 via a Usenet post.

Here is the original post in the comp.infosystems.www.authoring.cgi newsgroup.  Archived in Google Groups:

Announcing the Personal Home Page Tools (PHP Tools) version 1.0.
These tools are a set of small tight cgi binaries written in C.
They perform a number of functions including:

. Logging accesses to your pages in your own private log files
. Real-time viewing of log information
. Providing a nice interface to this log information
. Displaying last access information right on your pages
. Full daily and total access counters
. Banning access to users based on their domain
. Password protecting pages based on users’ domains
. Tracking accesses ** based on users’ e-mail addresses **
. Tracking referring URL’s – HTTP_REFERER support
. Performing server-side includes without needing server support for it
. Ability to not log accesses from certain domains (ie. your own)
. Easily create and display forms
. Ability to use form information in following documents

Here is what you don’t need to use these tools:

. You do not need root access – install in your ~/public_html dir
. You do not need server-side includes enabled in your server
. You do not need access to Perl or Tcl or any other script interpreter
. You do not need access to the httpd log files

The only requirement for these tools to work is that you have
the ability to execute your own cgi programs.  Ask your system
administrator if you are not sure what this means.

The tools also allow you to implement a guestbook or any other
form that needs to write information and display it to users
later in about 2 minutes.

The tools are in the public domain distributed under the GNU
Public License.  Yes, that means they are free!

For a complete demonstration of these tools, point your browser
at: http://www.io.org/~rasmus

—
Rasmus Lerdorf
ras…@io.org
http://www.io.org/~rasmus

Filed Under: Usenet History Tagged With: , , ,
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