Difference between revisions of "Rec.games.pinball Access Methods"
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(Created page with "I would like to move the news reader debate from preference/opinion to a fact-based comparison. If this develops into a useful comparison I suggest we post it into a PinWiki art...") |
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| − | + | Originally posted on RGP by Kerry Imming (this article modified slightly from the original post)... | |
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| − | + | I would like to move the news reader debate from preference/opinion to a fact-based comparison. If this develops into a useful comparison I suggest we post it into a PinWiki article. I've started a comparison list. Please feel free to correct and expand my list, but try to keep it fact-based. | |
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| − | Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball is a Usenet newsgroup. History of the group | + | Background: I use(d) mainly Google Groups for access. My ISP-provided NNTP server is only available from their network (and I have concerns that it will be removed). I recently signed up for the free text-only [http://eternal-september.org] server. I have only accessed the newsgroup directly via Outlook Express and Thunderbird. I also signed up for [http://www.rgparchive.com] so I could understand it better. |
| − | can be found in the FAQ at www.mrpinball.com. See wikipedia for information | + | |
| − | on Usenet and NNTP servers. Newsgroups predate modern web browsers. If I | + | Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball is a Usenet newsgroup. History of the group can be found in the FAQ at [http://www.mrpinball.com]. See wikipedia for information on Usenet and NNTP servers. Newsgroups predate modern web browsers. If I recall correctly, the dejanews web site that provided newsgroup access was purchased by Google. Other web options have evolved, but it should be understood that they only provide a portal to post and view the newsgroup posts, a shadow copy if you will. The NNTP server system itself is highly redundant and very robust, as is the core of the internet. |
| − | recall correctly, the dejanews web site that provided newsgroup access was | ||
| − | purchased by Google. Other web options have evolved, but it should be | ||
| − | understood that they only provide a portal to post and view the newsgroup | ||
| − | posts, a shadow copy if you will. The NNTP server system itself is highly | ||
| − | redundant and very robust, as is the core of the internet. | ||
Access Options: | Access Options: | ||
| − | 1. News server and client news reader - This is the traditional way to | + | 1. News server and client news reader - This is the traditional way to access newsgroups. |
| − | access newsgroups. | ||
| − | + | *Advantages: | |
| − | + | **Reliable - you can subscribe to multiple NNTP servers | |
| − | + | **Free servers ([http://www.eternal-september.org]) and client software available | |
| − | + | **Paid (i.e. supported) servers are available | |
| − | + | *Disadvantages: | |
| − | + | **Need client software (e.g. Thunderbird or SeaMonkey) | |
| − | + | **Sorting of unread threads is not as convenient as Google Groups | |
| − | + | **Flagging interesting threads is limited | |
| − | 2. Google Groups - News posts are ported into the Google Group interface | + | 2. Google Groups - News posts are ported into the Google Group interface structure |
| − | structure | ||
| − | + | *Advantages: | |
| − | + | **Web based, can be accessed from any computer | |
| − | + | **Read/Unread status is maintained on the server, so current from wherever you access | |
| − | wherever you access | + | **"Favorites" flagging allows easy tracking of threads you're interested in |
| − | + | **SPAM and Troll posts are flagged by community and hidden | |
| − | in | + | **Search capability within group |
| − | + | **Adding "in rec.games.pinball" to a standard Google search will take you directly to the thread | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | directly to the thread | ||
| − | + | *Disadvantages: | |
| − | + | **Google outages with their Usenet feed (a fairly regular occurrence) | |
| − | + | **More lag before posts show up than with #1 | |
| − | |||
| − | 3. www.rgparchive.com - A privately maintained portal courtesy of RGP | + | 3. [http://www.rgparchive.com] - A privately maintained portal courtesy of RGP contributor "Nacman" |
| − | Nacman | ||
| − | + | *Advantages: | |
| − | + | **Web based, can be accessed from any computer | |
| − | + | **Topics can be subscribed to | |
| − | + | **Search capability within group | |
| − | + | *Disadvantages: | |
| − | + | **Single server | |
| − | + | **Taken offline during thunderstorms at server site | |
| − | + | **Forum-based, display of threads is not as convenient as #1 and #2 | |
4. Others? | 4. Others? | ||
Revision as of 10:24, 3 July 2011
Originally posted on RGP by Kerry Imming (this article modified slightly from the original post)...
I would like to move the news reader debate from preference/opinion to a fact-based comparison. If this develops into a useful comparison I suggest we post it into a PinWiki article. I've started a comparison list. Please feel free to correct and expand my list, but try to keep it fact-based.
Background: I use(d) mainly Google Groups for access. My ISP-provided NNTP server is only available from their network (and I have concerns that it will be removed). I recently signed up for the free text-only [1] server. I have only accessed the newsgroup directly via Outlook Express and Thunderbird. I also signed up for [2] so I could understand it better.
Newsgroups: rec.games.pinball is a Usenet newsgroup. History of the group can be found in the FAQ at [3]. See wikipedia for information on Usenet and NNTP servers. Newsgroups predate modern web browsers. If I recall correctly, the dejanews web site that provided newsgroup access was purchased by Google. Other web options have evolved, but it should be understood that they only provide a portal to post and view the newsgroup posts, a shadow copy if you will. The NNTP server system itself is highly redundant and very robust, as is the core of the internet.
Access Options:
1. News server and client news reader - This is the traditional way to access newsgroups.
- Advantages:
- Reliable - you can subscribe to multiple NNTP servers
- Free servers ([4]) and client software available
- Paid (i.e. supported) servers are available
- Disadvantages:
- Need client software (e.g. Thunderbird or SeaMonkey)
- Sorting of unread threads is not as convenient as Google Groups
- Flagging interesting threads is limited
2. Google Groups - News posts are ported into the Google Group interface structure
- Advantages:
- Web based, can be accessed from any computer
- Read/Unread status is maintained on the server, so current from wherever you access
- "Favorites" flagging allows easy tracking of threads you're interested in
- SPAM and Troll posts are flagged by community and hidden
- Search capability within group
- Adding "in rec.games.pinball" to a standard Google search will take you directly to the thread
- Disadvantages:
- Google outages with their Usenet feed (a fairly regular occurrence)
- More lag before posts show up than with #1
3. [5] - A privately maintained portal courtesy of RGP contributor "Nacman"
- Advantages:
- Web based, can be accessed from any computer
- Topics can be subscribed to
- Search capability within group
- Disadvantages:
- Single server
- Taken offline during thunderstorms at server site
- Forum-based, display of threads is not as convenient as #1 and #2
4. Others?