Popularity of Usenet - Affects on ROFB

Well, its obviously declining in some groups. The, "euthanize the human
species to prevent child exploitation," group has also managed to do their
fair share of damage with many more ISPs now dropping Usenet. Still, I have
noticed some groups continue to have a good core of members who participate,
share information, and ask good solid questions.

The welding and metalworking groups I read are good examples once I found a
Usenet server that filtered out the spam. There are tons of professional
and amateur welders, machinists, and foundry guys on those groups with about
a billion years combined experience. Those groups are probably some of the
best example of why Usenet was created to begin with.

As far as ROFB. I have not seen a lot of new users posting lately, and it
seemed that some of the best information shared here when I started reading
the group was when a newbie would come on asking a bunch of questions. So
how do we get a bunch of newbies interested again?

As some of you know I started managing the ROFB.net FAQ site last week,
(actually I had the name transferred to my registrar account over a year
ago) and I extended the registration period. I finally got the site
transferred over to my hosting account and uploaded last week. I'ld like to
thank Joe and Charles and Andrew for managing it for all this time, and Joe
for extra ordinary effort dealing with the transfer. Anyway. I was
wondering if there was anything I could do with the ROFB site to help boost
quality participation in the group.

Bob La Londe

Yeah, get Al back !!! Couldn't help myself. ;-)


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Well, its obviously declining in some groups. The, "euthanize the human
species to prevent child exploitation," group has also managed to do their
fair share of damage with many more ISPs now dropping Usenet. Still, I
have noticed some groups continue to have a good core of members who
participate, share information, and ask good solid questions.

The welding and metalworking groups I read are good examples once I found
a Usenet server that filtered out the spam. There are tons of
professional and amateur welders, machinists, and foundry guys on those
groups with about a billion years combined experience. Those groups are
probably some of the best example of why Usenet was created to begin with.

As far as ROFB. I have not seen a lot of new users posting lately, and it
seemed that some of the best information shared here when I started
reading the group was when a newbie would come on asking a bunch of
questions. So how do we get a bunch of newbies interested again?

As some of you know I started managing the ROFB.net FAQ site last week,
(actually I had the name transferred to my registrar account over a year
ago) and I extended the registration period. I finally got the site
transferred over to my hosting account and uploaded last week. I'ld like
to thank Joe and Charles and Andrew for managing it for all this time, and
Joe for extra ordinary effort dealing with the transfer. Anyway. I was
wondering if there was anything I could do with the ROFB site to help
boost quality participation in the group.

Bob La Londe

Told ya before... al was the glue!


"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Yeah, get Al back !!! Couldn't help myself. ;-)


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Well, its obviously declining in some groups. The, "euthanize the human
species to prevent child exploitation," group has also managed to do
their fair share of damage with many more ISPs now dropping Usenet.
Still, I have noticed some groups continue to have a good core of members
who participate, share information, and ask good solid questions.

The welding and metalworking groups I read are good examples once I found
a Usenet server that filtered out the spam. There are tons of
professional and amateur welders, machinists, and foundry guys on those
groups with about a billion years combined experience. Those groups are
probably some of the best example of why Usenet was created to begin
with.

As far as ROFB. I have not seen a lot of new users posting lately, and
it seemed that some of the best information shared here when I started
reading the group was when a newbie would come on asking a bunch of
questions. So how do we get a bunch of newbies interested again?

As some of you know I started managing the ROFB.net FAQ site last week,
(actually I had the name transferred to my registrar account over a year
ago) and I extended the registration period. I finally got the site
transferred over to my hosting account and uploaded last week. I'ld like
to thank Joe and Charles and Andrew for managing it for all this time,
and Joe for extra ordinary effort dealing with the transfer. Anyway. I
was wondering if there was anything I could do with the ROFB site to help
boost quality participation in the group.

Bob La Londe

Bob La Londe wrote:

As far as ROFB. I have not seen a lot of new users posting lately, and
it seemed that some of the best information shared here when I started
reading the group was when a newbie would come on asking a bunch of
questions. So how do we get a bunch of newbies interested again?
-snip-

I was wondering if there was anything I could do with the ROFB
site to help boost quality participation in the group.


I know I'll probably get flamed from the Usenet purists, but most today
don't even know what Usenet is. I read every post to ROFB, but I don't
post much because I have little to offer. Newbies google bass fishing,
or fishing forum, and even if they found info on ROFB, they either would
find their ISP doesn't offer Usenet, or would think it to big a hassle
to find info here when there are so many other forums out there that
they can just click a link to. I think that if the group seriously wants
more users, they need to go web-based. Google groups isn't the most
user-friendly way to post and read. If the ROFB site could offer a web
browser friendly interface to post and read here, participation would go
up. I don't know what that would involve technically, I am just assuming
that it can be done since Google does it.

No Charles, Al was sniffing the glue !
"Charles Summers" wrote in message
. ..
Told ya before... al was the glue!


"Jerry Barton" wrote in message
...
Yeah, get Al back !!! Couldn't help myself. ;-)


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Well, its obviously declining in some groups. The, "euthanize the human
species to prevent child exploitation," group has also managed to do
their fair share of damage with many more ISPs now dropping Usenet.
Still, I have noticed some groups continue to have a good core of
members who participate, share information, and ask good solid
questions.

The welding and metalworking groups I read are good examples once I
found a Usenet server that filtered out the spam. There are tons of
professional and amateur welders, machinists, and foundry guys on those
groups with about a billion years combined experience. Those groups are
probably some of the best example of why Usenet was created to begin
with.

As far as ROFB. I have not seen a lot of new users posting lately, and
it seemed that some of the best information shared here when I started
reading the group was when a newbie would come on asking a bunch of
questions. So how do we get a bunch of newbies interested again?

As some of you know I started managing the ROFB.net FAQ site last week,
(actually I had the name transferred to my registrar account over a year
ago) and I extended the registration period. I finally got the site
transferred over to my hosting account and uploaded last week. I'ld
like to thank Joe and Charles and Andrew for managing it for all this
time, and Joe for extra ordinary effort dealing with the transfer.
Anyway. I was wondering if there was anything I could do with the ROFB
site to help boost quality participation in the group.

Bob La Londe

What you are talking about is a piece of cake to set up and run... however,
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?

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

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?

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

"Henry Hefner" wrote in message
...
Bob La Londe wrote:

As far as ROFB. I have not seen a lot of new users posting lately, and
it seemed that some of the best information shared here when I started
reading the group was when a newbie would come on asking a bunch of
questions. So how do we get a bunch of newbies interested again?
-snip-

I was wondering if there was anything I could do with the ROFB
site to help boost quality participation in the group.


I know I'll probably get flamed from the Usenet purists, but most today
don't even know what Usenet is. I read every post to ROFB, but I don't
post much because I have little to offer. Newbies google bass fishing, or
fishing forum, and even if they found info on ROFB, they either would find
their ISP doesn't offer Usenet, or would think it to big a hassle to find
info here when there are so many other forums out there that they can just
click a link to. I think that if the group seriously wants more users,
they need to go web-based. Google groups isn't the most user-friendly way
to post and read. If the ROFB site could offer a web browser friendly
interface to post and read here, participation would go up. I don't know
what that would involve technically, I am just assuming that it can be
done since Google does it.

"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

What made/makes r.o.f.b. so great is it's lack of commercialism.

OUCH!!! I think I just heard Ken Fortenburys stack blow... but hear me out.

Sure, there are a few questionable posts here from people who could be
classified as spammers... but the group itself has no real affiliation with
any one entity. Example is if you hosted the forums on YumaBassMan.com...
you have the option to do any number of things with the boards beyond anyone
elses control, and anyone coming into the forums would automatically
associate them with YumaBassMan. Same thing if Secret Weapon Lures or anyone
else re-created r.o.f.b. in a web-based environment. r.o.f.b. isn't yours,
it isn't mine, it's everybodies. Other than to report spammers to their
ISP's... we really have no say so in what get's posted here, or what
happens.

I'm not saying that we're not heading in that direction, cause I know
there'll be a time when it comes to doing that very thing or watching our
group fall by the wayside, and no one wants to see that happen. We've made
too many friends here to allow that.



"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
"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

Charles Summers wrote:
What made/makes r.o.f.b. so great is it's lack of commercialism.

OUCH!!! I think I just heard Ken Fortenburys stack blow... but hear me out.
...

No blowouts here, in fact I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Most folks know that posting commercials here is unwelcome
and counterproductive. The advice you get here, whether you
agree with it or not, is the real deal and not a bunch of
sales hype. And yes, that makes this place a great resource.

Unfortunately, Usenet is going the way of the dodo and will
soon suffer the same fate as the buggy whip. Enjoy it while
it lasts.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Charles Summers" wrote in message
. ..
What made/makes r.o.f.b. so great is it's lack of commercialism.

OUCH!!! I think I just heard Ken Fortenburys stack blow... but hear me
out.

Sure, there are a few questionable posts here from people who could be
classified as spammers... but the group itself has no real affiliation
with any one entity. Example is if you hosted the forums on
YumaBassMan.com... you have the option to do any number of things with the
boards beyond anyone elses control, and anyone coming into the forums
would automatically associate them with YumaBassMan. Same thing if Secret
Weapon Lures or anyone else re-created r.o.f.b. in a web-based
environment. r.o.f.b. isn't yours, it isn't mine, it's everybodies. Other
than to report spammers to their ISP's... we really have no say so in what
get's posted here, or what happens.

No, no, no, no. A web portal for R.O.F.B. (if I did it anyway) would just
be installed on the ROFB website as a stand alone site and application.
Basically you could interact with ROFB via the web portal anytime a Usenet
server was not available, or if you are just an Internet newbie who doesn't
have a clue what Usenet is. (I still don't know how to do it exactly, but I
am sure I could figure it out if it was wanted.)

No commercialism involved. Just another easier way for the uninitiated to
find their way here. The people who could really use your advice.

ROFB has been hosted as a parked domain pointing to a subdirectory on SWL's
hosting server for the last several years, until it was moved to mine.
That's just a technicality. Other than a tiny notice at the bottom of the
home page ROFB's website is ROFBs for the benefit of ROFB, and I don't think
anybody thought otherwise. I was not implying in anyway that ROFB should
become a part of Yuma Bass Man or Outdoor Frontiers or SWL. Just that a
Usenet web portal on the ROFB web site that accessed Usenet for the sole
purpose of reading and participating in ROFB might result in an occasional
new participant.

I'm not talking about setting up a group of forums. I could do that if I
wanted to. I could even do like the fish easy guy did and copy usenet
activity onto a forum. I'm talking about ROFB's own access to this Usenet
group without the need of every single person having to learn about how
Usenet works like most of us did back when every ISP offered Usenet access.