I don't know how long this question will stay here, but I need to post it somewhere. I usually access alt.tv.er through deja.com because I have a lot of trouble with my default email to access newsgroups. Apparently deja was taken over by a company known as "Google". I can no longer sign in using my deja account. Though I can access the message board, the messages are posted in a strange order, and replies to posts are randomly spaced, without the original message or other replies. Does anyone know of other online sites that allow you to access usenet without having to pay, the way deja did? I'd hate to lose my access to the newsgroup. Thanks.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001

Answers

Sorry, don't know why that posted twice.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

No...but I'm I having the same problem with deja. It's nice to see all the messages on the thread, but I still haven't worked out how to reply to a message. I don't deal well with change :) However, google did indicate that they are making improves so perhaps it will be easier to access in the future?

-- Emma (webbef@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

I had the same problem, but then I did the "advanced search". All I filled out was the bottom part where it says something like "search only in newsgroup:" so I typed in alt.tv.er and from what I could tell, the posts were in order from most recent and after each post listing, you can click on a link to read the full thread. It's still a pain in the ass but it's easier than trying to sort through all the posts that are out of order.

-- Juliana (Doolie99@aol.com), February 12, 2001.

This whole thing with newsgroups being taken over is really annoying me. It happend first with Remarq and now with Deja. It seems like everytime I find somewhere I like it gets taken over and revamped! I can't make heads or tales out of the Google NG. If anyone figures out how it works please let us know. I wonder if we will eventually be able to subsribe to newsgroups and do everything like at Deja. I have become so addicted to these newsgroups that I think I will go into seroius withdrawl without them !:)

Sorry about my rant! May

-- May (mary_may@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

Just a clarification -- newsgroups don't belong to Deja or Google or anyone else. Newsgroups (Usenet) are much older than the web. What Deja et al. do is provide access to newsgroups for people who don't have direct access to them (e.g. from a Unix system).

Could someone please explain how to post messages to newsgroups via Google?

-- Driad (driad@mailcity.com), February 12, 2001.

Could someone please explain how to see recent messages for those, like me, who don't subscribe to it? I keep getting old messages and I have to keep searching for new ones. Thanks!

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), February 12, 2001.

What Deja et al. do is provide access to newsgroups for people who don't have direct access to them (e.g. from a Unix system).

You misspelled "for people who don't want to pay for it."

The simplest, most effective way to post to Usenet is to get a news reader and do it directly -- not through Deja, not through any other free Usenet service. You probably already have Usenet access but don't know about it; ask your ISP. If you don't have Usenet access, and you don't like how Deja-turned-Google is doing things, then you'll have to decide whether access to newsgroups is worth a bit of your cash every month.

-- Mike Sugimoto (phloem@fumbling.com), February 12, 2001.

Google also seems to post a bit of the actual message right along w/ the heading, so be extra careful if you don't like spoilers!

-- MM (conjuror_3x3@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

"You probably already have Usenet access but don't know about it; ask your ISP"

Or if your ISP has been doing "improvements" access to newsgroups can be iffy. ATT@home has improved so much that it is no longer accessible through the software I was using. Oh, well.

I read http://groups.google.com/googlegroups/help.html and am baffled as to why they would take over a service without using the functioning software or having comparable software in place.

Now I have no excuse to avoid work.

-- Chris (LansdaalFamily@home.com), February 12, 2001.

Mine doesn't offer it either which is strange considering they offer one for "NewsRadio" which was cancelled two years ago.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), February 12, 2001.

I'm not even sure what my ISP is, I'm on a network. I think that may be why I can't figure out how to access newsgroups, if they are offered. It scares me how computer illiterate I am about the simple things.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

how different does the new format look? when i used the advanced search and typed in alt.tv.er it just brought up a bunch of out of order dated topics but not listed like we had on deja.com

please advise!!!

thanks

-- diane (dstopczynski@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

Joanne, go into your e-mail system. It may say Inbox, Outbox, ect.. or something like that. Then somewhere there may be a section called news. Click on it and it'll say would you like to see what newsgroups are available. Click yes and you should be able to figure it out from there. That's how mine works anyways. I'm not that computer literate either so don't worry about it.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), February 12, 2001.

I'm currently using Outlook Express. Does anyone know how, and if, I can access my Express account on another computer... like the one I use at work? I liked using deja and remarq because I could access it almost everywhere.

-- Samira (scarlet1016@email.com), February 12, 2001.

They don't seem to update stuff do they? The latest post is from Feb. 11th and it's Feb. 13th today.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), February 13, 2001.

I'm in the same boat as the rest of the former deja users. My unix service doesn't list alt.tv.er, or many of the other groups tht I also belonged to. I'm trying to find another web-based server, since deja can't possible have been the only one. I'm going to try http://newsone.net/nnr/listl/alt.tv.er -- If it works, I'll let you know.

-- Molly (mo1ly_97@yahoo.com), February 13, 2001.

Ok, I tried www.interbulletin.com and it seems to be pretty good, a little different format, but I'm pretty sure it allows users to reply (haven't tried yet, but there is an option). The format works like deja did, only you see the hierarchy right away, instead of clicking on the subject heading first. This could work.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), February 13, 2001.

I posted a great source for this discussion on a seperate thread so people could read it, but I guess it was deemed not important enough and has been deleted. Since it can help a lot of people here is the info I got from a friend, Fatcat.

You may try this :

http://news.interbulletin.com/

Just type alt.tv.er.creative under the box "Direct Jump to Newsgroup" and you'll read the new post there. I think this one has been the most convenience access to atec through the web browser since Deja has gone. Hope this helps! Remember to click "Actualization" a few minutes after you post a reply. It may take longer for longer message.

-- Kristen (kdarganin@hotmail.com), February 13, 2001.

You can, in fact, read and post from NewsOne.Net. That address is http://newsone.net/nnr/listl/alt.tv.er Hope that helps!

-- Molly (mo1ly_97@yahoo.com), February 13, 2001.

And here's another wrinkle in the Google acquisition of Deja... For those of you not familiar with Google, it's raison d'etre is really as a SEARCH engine. For those "in the business," Google is **the** "search engine o'the day" because it tends to have better indexing, can de-dupe results list (so they aren't artificially inflated by repeats of the same link/doc, etc.) I've used it pretty exclusively for the last 6-8 months, I think, and like it better than all others. But lest you think I actually work at Google, here's the point I want to make...Google acquired Deja so that it can *index* and provide access to all of the newsgroup info that has been sent to/accessed through deja. Owning the deja service means they get the *content* of the old "deja lists." What does this mean to you? Well don't be surprised if a friend says to you one day "yeah, I was doing this search and saw your name (or saw a comment you wrote on xxx board, etc.). It will happen.

This isn't meant to scare anyone, but just to make you aware of what's going on. Content is a *market* and content companies will continue to sell content to other companies or will be acquired. It's just a little weird when you find comments you made about your favorite (or least favorite) show/thing/person appear in a much more public way. On the brighter side, maybe a search our new friend "andreaux" will yield some really intersting info...

My $.04, Robin

-- Robin (rldale2@netscape.net), February 13, 2001.

Thanks, Molly! The newsone seems to work for me. I haven't tried posting a reply yet, but at least I can see whole threads! :-)

-- MM (conjuror_3x3@hotmail.com), February 14, 2001.

It looks like Deja.com's Usenet Search and upkeep is gone forever. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/16888.html

I've started to use Outlook Express, but it harder to keep track of the newer messages, and of course I can only use it on one computer.

-- Chris (LansdaalFamily@home.com), February 15, 2001.

thanks for the direction to interbulletin. how do i change the look of the page though? the bottom half is strictly the search page so it cuts off practically the entire discussion page.

-- diane (dstopczynski@hotmail.com), February 16, 2001.