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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Mustang / April 2007

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

Ever Google yourself?

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dwight - 15 Apr 2007 03:24 GMT
No, not Google Groups (or what used to be DejaVu), but Google web search.

I find it truly amazing how many websites mirror this newsgroup as
"content," or disguised as their own internal discussion group. All over the
globe, too.

I know that some years ago Bill S. gave up, in large part because of this
issue, but it's not just one or two websites that mirror RAMFM. The Google
results go on for page after page after page.

Well, here's a bold statement:

If you're reading this message on a website or a discussion board, I didn't
put it there. See, there's this little-known, somewhat secret society that
uses a small corner of the internets called "usenet" or "newsgroups." And,
get this, they are PUBLIC discussion groups.

The website you're using to read this has merely intercepted these public
messages and posted them through their own site, pretending to be WAY more
popular than they are. No doubt, it has something to do with their selling
banner ads, or some such, but don't be fooled. They're pretenders and
frauds.

If you want to cut out the middleman, Google up "usenet newsgroups" and read
up on how to access them without some lame-a.s website. You can do it.

dwight
www.tfrog93.com
Jeff Mayner - 15 Apr 2007 04:40 GMT
> No, not Google Groups (or what used to be DejaVu), but Google web
> search.
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> dwight
> www.tfrog93.com

Amen brutha...
Brent P - 15 Apr 2007 05:46 GMT
> I find it truly amazing how many websites mirror this newsgroup as
> "content," or disguised as their own internal discussion group. All over the
> globe, too.

Happens to rec.autos.driving too. Every so often we get idiots from those
groups. It's become a running joke that when a fatal collision occurs
some grieving family member will start posting from some obscure web
based forum. So far it is believed they are mostly fakes.

> I know that some years ago Bill S. gave up, in large part because of this
> issue, but it's not just one or two websites that mirror RAMFM. The Google
> results go on for page after page after page.

For mustangs, I am sure it does.

> Well, here's a bold statement:
> If you're reading this message on a website or a discussion board, I didn't
> put it there. See, there's this little-known, somewhat secret society that
> uses a small corner of the internets called "usenet" or "newsgroups." And,
> get this, they are PUBLIC discussion groups.

Most people who think the internet started in 1995 don't know of usenet.
Usenet being as unfamiliar to them as 'gopher'. For those that don't know
what gopher was, gopher was made obsolete by the web. Gopher was a way to
search out information/files on various anon ftp sites. It was pretty
painful by current standards.

> If you want to cut out the middleman, Google up "usenet newsgroups" and read
> up on how to access them without some lame-a.s website. You can do it.

Of course google will push people to their web-based usenet interface ;)

I am still reading and posting to usenet the old fashioned way, from a
terminal based newsreader run from a unix shell.
A Guy Named Steve - 15 Apr 2007 08:02 GMT
On Apr 14, 9:46 pm, tetraethylleadREMOVET...@yahoo.com (Brent P)
wrote:
> In article <g7WdnYvjft1UEbzbnZ2dnUVZ_uejn...@comcast.com>, dwight wrote:
> > I find it truly amazing how many websites mirror this newsgroup as
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> I am still reading and posting to usenet the old fashioned way, from a
> terminal based newsreader run from a unix shell.

I first started reading newsgroups as an AOL'er in, ahem, around 1995
('96 I think actually though).  I didn't really know what it was, but
I knew how to get there via AOL's interface.  Then I went to freewwweb
and got my internet for free, but used the AOL for those with external
access.  Then I dumped AOL.  Freewwweb eventually dried up and I went
to peoplepc.com (which is where it "appears" I'm posting from now).
That was while I was on dialup.  I figured out how to use Outlook
Express to get usenet groups.  Then I went to Earthlink through dialup
and then through DSL (where I am now).  But I just don't feel like
firing up Outlook Express for usenet since I don't use it for email.
And I don't use usenet enough to bother downloading another program
specifically for it.  So I just access it using Google Groups and my
old peoplepc address (which I haven't had for over 5 years).

Of course when I google myself, I usually find stuff relative to
Buicks, Fingerprints, or being a preacher in the Sydney, Australia
area.  2 of the 3 are likely actually me though.  It's amazing how
many sites mirror the content of others.  My wife got a promotion that
was listed in the local business section.  It shows up on sites that
have nothing to do with this area, her job, or the original poster of
the information.  It's strange.

Steve E.
72 Skylark Custom455
dwight - 15 Apr 2007 15:17 GMT
> I first started reading newsgroups as an AOL'er in, ahem, around 1995
> ('96 I think actually though).  I didn't really know what it was, but
> I knew how to get there via AOL's interface.

I was with you at about the same time. AOL was a fledgling startup when I
joined, with "only" 3,000,000 members at that point. There really wasn't
much going on, and newsgroups was still a major part of the internet. (See
my retrospective, "Old Farts and Dinosaurs") I do remember, at some point
after the web took hold, AOL "hid" newsgroup access - moved it off the front
page (if you will) and buried it in, like, Member Services or some such.
Just like the web-based forums (forae?) today, AOL didn't want its customers
wandering outside the gated community that was AOL. From a marketing
standpoint, it made perfect sense.

> Then I went to freewwweb and got my internet for free, but used
> the AOL for those with external access.

Your history is about the same as my own. I started up with NetZero (still
maintain a free grandfathered email account), but it took me a few more
years to wean my wife and (especially) daughter off of AOL. I admit, AOL had
a certain sense of security that was hard to give up.

> Then I dumped AOL.  Freewwweb eventually dried up and I went
> to peoplepc.com (which is where it "appears" I'm posting from now).
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> specifically for it.  So I just access it using Google Groups and my
> old peoplepc address (which I haven't had for over 5 years).

I remember installing peoplepc, then uninstalling it. I also tried out juno
(free access), and a couple of others that I can't remember. I really wanted
something reliable and consistent (and FREE) to replace AOL, but until that
happened, neither of my girls was willing to give up their home.

The day I saw the Comcast van coming through my neighborhood, I called and
set up cable internet immediately, and we all moved over to Comcast. It was
just a no-brainer.

My only complaint with Comcast is that they allow up to (7) accounts, but
each account is allowed only 26MB of online storage space. My little website
was sprawled across (4) different subaccounts (with 4 different URLs), and I
was still running out of room. I just signed on for a web server that gives
me 5GB of room (and 50 email addresses, but who really cares), so now I
don't have to worry about uploading a new photo.

So now I'm paying a little bit more each month, over and above the
overpriced Comcast access fees. Google has no problem giving me 2GB for
NOTHING, but for $50/month I get 26MB from Comcast... Eh.

> Of course when I google myself, I usually find stuff relative to
> Buicks, Fingerprints, or being a preacher in the Sydney, Australia
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Steve E.
> 72 Skylark Custom455

It must be done with robots. Bots don't have to think, they just gather and
re-spew.

dwight
www.tfrog93.com
A Guy Named Steve - 15 Apr 2007 20:15 GMT
> I remember installing peoplepc, then uninstalling it. I also tried out juno
> (free access), and a couple of others that I can't remember. I really wanted
> something reliable and consistent (and FREE) to replace AOL, but until that
> happened, neither of my girls was willing to give up their home.

I think I was paying something like $7.95/mo for peeoplepc.  When I
moved in with my fiance' at the time, we had her hooked up with
Earthlink.  Not long after that, we got DSL so that the phone wouldn't
be tied up.  And then there was wireless...

> The day I saw the Comcast van coming through my neighborhood, I called and
> set up cable internet immediately, and we all moved over to Comcast. It was
> just a no-brainer.

You're right, there's a safety factor that goes along with staying
put, but it isn't that big of a deal.  I've got several online email
addresses that various people associate me with.  With all the
different forums and online shopping, I had to start relying on them
to keep from getting spammed at home.

> So now I'm paying a little bit more each month, over and above the
> overpriced Comcast access fees. Google has no problem giving me 2GB for
> NOTHING, but for $50/month I get 26MB from Comcast... Eh.

I haven't done a website since I was on AOL, so I don't have to worry
about that.  I've found that I'm not nearly as interesting as I
thought I was I guess.

> > Of course when I google myself, I usually find stuff relative to
> > Buicks, Fingerprints, or being a preacher in the Sydney, Australia
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> dwightwww.tfrog93.com

Exactly.  I administer a small phpBB board and we've been fighting
bots like crazy.  Neither myself nor the owner of the board are
hardcore computer guys, so we take advantage of the built-in
protection, and he installed one mod to help us out.  It's amazing how
quickly the bots go through everything.

Steve E.
72 Skylark Custom455
WindsorFox - 15 Apr 2007 18:11 GMT
> I first started reading newsgroups as an AOL'er in, ahem, around 1995
> ('96 I think actually though).  I didn't really know what it was, but
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> Steve E.
> 72 Skylark Custom455

  What do you use for email? Any mail app should do news also unless
you're scraping by on web mail, which to me leaves you open to all sorts
of privacy violations by your ISP.
A Guy Named Steve - 15 Apr 2007 20:17 GMT
> > I first started reading newsgroups as an AOL'er in, ahem, around 1995
> > ('96 I think actually though).  I didn't really know what it was, but
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> you're scraping by on web mail, which to me leaves you open to all sorts
> of privacy violations by your ISP.

I use Outlook.  On my last computer, I had usenet set up.  But when
you clicked the newsgroups link from outlook, it would open express.
I didn't feel like bothering with it.  So I'm just doing it via Google
Groups right now.  I don't use it enough to get another program to do
it.

Steve E.
72 Skylark Custom455
dwight - 15 Apr 2007 14:59 GMT
>> I find it truly amazing how many websites mirror this newsgroup as
>> "content," or disguised as their own internal discussion group. All over
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> some grieving family member will start posting from some obscure web
> based forum. So far it is believed they are mostly fakes.

When I first ventured out here, I was amazed at how many loonies had access
to computers. As cynical as I am, I still gave too many people the benefit
of the doubt. I'm pretty much WYSIWYG (or, as some would have it, I'm too
old to remember the lies I tell, so I stick to the truth), but I was always
impressed with the personalities some folks invent and the depth of the
portrayal. Some really get into the Virtual Self aspect of the internet, and
it's both sad and entertaining at the same time. It's just not for me...

>> I know that some years ago Bill S. gave up, in large part because of this
>> issue, but it's not just one or two websites that mirror RAMFM. The
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> search out information/files on various anon ftp sites. It was pretty
> painful by current standards.

Old farts... pfeh. I was part of the initial explosion, I think, just before
the web started up. When I was an old hand at this (6 months in), I remember
joking every Christmas that we'd have another million newbies to break in
(still being a newbie, myself). But there was email, newsgroups, ftp, and
little else (as far as us publics were concerned). The emerging web, with
its shops, strip malls and megamalls (AOL) brought in fresh meat by the
millions, and always a few would stumble upon newsgroups and the freedom to
be complete a-holes that anonymity brings.

Of course, the technology of the day probably didn't help Gophering at all.
There's not much to be accomplished with a 2400-baud dialup (although we
were all mightily impressed back then). And uploading a megabyte file to ftp
was an all-day event. Ironically, I understand that the weak link in my
chain today is my cable connection! These off-the-rack computers are now so
fast, so powerful, that they can easily handle much more thoughput. So,
what's next? If cable isn't cutting it, what do I invest in for the next
"next big thing"?

>> If you want to cut out the middleman, Google up "usenet newsgroups" and
>> read
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> I am still reading and posting to usenet the old fashioned way, from a
> terminal based newsreader run from a unix shell.

Okay, that's just sick. That would be like foregoing all of the latest
advances and technological marvels in the evolution of automobiles and
sticking with an old, ailing 1993 Mustang or something...

dwight
www.tfrog93.com
WindsorFox - 15 Apr 2007 18:09 GMT
>>> If you want to cut out the middleman, Google up "usenet newsgroups" and
>>> read
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> advances and technological marvels in the evolution of automobiles and
> sticking with an old, ailing 1993 Mustang or something...

   Heh, everytime I drive the Mustang I end up pressing cruise control
buttons trying to adjust the radio.
Brent P - 15 Apr 2007 18:47 GMT
>> I am still reading and posting to usenet the old fashioned way, from a
>> terminal based newsreader run from a unix shell.
>
> Okay, that's just sick. That would be like foregoing all of the latest
> advances and technological marvels in the evolution of automobiles and
> sticking with an old, ailing 1993 Mustang or something...

Not at all. I find GUI newsreaders to be slow and/or annoying for the most
part. But the real advatange is the remote access where I don't have to
depend on what's installed on any machine I happen to be using. I also
have the advantage of not needing to weed through the same articles
multiple times since I only read/post from one machine no matter where I
roam.
Nicholas Anthony - 18 Apr 2007 03:17 GMT
>> I am still reading and posting to usenet the old fashioned way, from a
>> terminal based newsreader run from a unix shell.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> dwight
> www.tfrog93.com

Ugh poor analogy as I calm down my 1988 Mustang, he didnt mean it dear.
lol...  Both the 88 and 93 can still do speeds present day vehicles are
limited too. Perhaps a better comparison would be a horse and carriage to
present day transportation. I know I love these cars to much.

Nick :)
Ashton Crusher - 15 Apr 2007 08:33 GMT
>No, not Google Groups (or what used to be DejaVu), but Google web search.
>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>dwight
>www.tfrog93.com

I've found messages that were archived off Bulletin Board Systems
before there was much of anything going on publicly in the Internet.
dwight - 24 Apr 2007 03:37 GMT
On second thought, I say websites are more than welcome to mirror all of my
postings to rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang.

In checking my site stats, I see that quite a few visitors are coming from
these so-called "discussion boards"  on certain websites. Well, keep 'em
comin'! If this keeps up, I can start selling banner ads.

dwight
www.tfrog93.com
(now with audio)
((hopefully soon better audio))

> No, not Google Groups (or what used to be DejaVu), but Google web search.
>
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> dwight
> www.tfrog93.com
 
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