Popularity of Usenet - Affects on ROFB

"Charles Summers" wrote in message
. ..
What you are talking about is a piece of cake to set up and run...
however,

Usenet web portal? I haven't a clue. I looked at it a couple times, but
could not figure it out. A forum is easy enough though. I run a couple of
them. I think that a Usenet Web portal just for ROFB would be fun and
useful though, and it would still be Usenet.

being so, there are literally thousands of the same thing out there on the
Internet. What would make ours so much more special than any of the
others?

Not a darn thing, and we could more easily meet on Outdoor Frontiers web
forums or Yuma Bass Man and do all the same chit chat. Especially if
travelling and borrowing other people's computers.

That's what needs to come to mind when deciding the fate of r.o.f.b.
Personally, I think our specialty is Usenet.

I agree, except that as some have pointed out Usenet is pretty hard to setup
and find sources for many people. I still think a Web Portal would be a
good idea. In fact I suggested it when Andrew took over the FAQ site
several years ago. It was poo pooed at the time, and as long as the
majority here do not want it I won't follow up on learning how to implement
one.

We have nothing to offer but advice, so unless we want to start giving
away gifts and prizes... and who can afford to continue doing that as well
as paying for the server?

Heck, I give away prizes on Yuma Bass Man. Its doesn't really do anything
for participation. The loyal members appreciate it, and a few whiny butts
have thrown a hissy fit, and left their butt print on my door on the way out
because they didn't like the way I was giving away free stuff. LOL. On the
other hand, these days server hosting cost is minimal. I pay less today for
2.5 terabytes of web hosting storage and infinite domains hosted than I did
just for registration when I registered my first URL. Actually if Joe
renegotiated his deal at his host he could have the same deal I have.
That's where I am currently hosted for all but one of my more complex sites,
and as soon as I get my databases sorted out it will go there too.

BTW: Not flaming you... just answering your question.

Very good answers to Charles.

Google is not he answer by the way. It serves up all 20-30K +/- of the text
based groups, but in no way will somebody doing a search on the internet for
bass fishing info ever find ROFB through Google.

By the way, the new thing for many web based regular forums is to provide
content via RSS. Serves it up in their reader program similarly to Usenet
groups. LOL.

Bob La Londe