HELP!!! My ISP is dropping usenet

[Roger Ford]

Yep,had an e-mail yesterday advising that Virginmedia over here is
ending its usenet operation and closing its news server as of June
30th which means I will no longer bre able to access the newsgroup via
its portal.

I might know a bit about 50's music but I know shit-all about the
backroom intricacies of usenet posting and reading so I urgently need
advice from you experts in this field out there as to the easiest way
of counteracting this and continuing to have full access to this
group.

What's a reliable subsitute news server I can use? (I am only
interested in fully accessing THIS newsgroup---both reading it and
posting to it. I don't care if there is no binaries access)

I would like to go on using my prehistoric (but reliable!) Free Agent
reader in tandem with a new news server as I'm so used to it and its
workings. I also need to know that a new server switch will not affect
in any way the "outbox" contents of my Agent which is currently
carrying ALL my posts to this group going back to 1998.

Any and all advice is very,very welcomed indeed

Thanks for reading!



ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[DianeE]

Post by Roger Ford
Yep,had an e-mail yesterday advising that Virginmedia over here is
ending its usenet operation and closing its news server as of June
30th which means I will no longer bre able to access the newsgroup via
its portal.
I might know a bit about 50's music but I know shit-all about the
backroom intricacies of usenet posting and reading so I urgently need
advice from you experts in this field out there as to the easiest way
of counteracting this and continuing to have full access to this
group.
What's a reliable subsitute news server I can use? (I am only
interested in fully accessing THIS newsgroup---both reading it and
posting to it. I don't care if there is no binaries access)
I would like to go on using my prehistoric (but reliable!) Free Agent
reader in tandem with a new news server as I'm so used to it and its
workings. I also need to know that a new server switch will not affect
in any way the "outbox" contents of my Agent which is currently
carrying ALL my posts to this group going back to 1998.
Any and all advice is very,very welcomed indeed
Thanks for reading!

-------------
Well, I use Newsleecher and I'm very happy with it, but it costs me
$10.49 a month. That's because I still do use the binary groups, for
audiobooks and TV shows as well as music.

[Roger Ford]

Post by Roger Ford

Post by Roger Ford
Yep,had an e-mail yesterday advising that Virginmedia over here is
ending its usenet operation and closing its news server as of June
30th which means I will no longer bre able to access the newsgroup via
its portal.
I might know a bit about 50's music but I know shit-all about the
backroom intricacies of usenet posting and reading so I urgently need
advice from you experts in this field out there as to the easiest way
of counteracting this and continuing to have full access to this
group.
What's a reliable subsitute news server I can use? (I am only
interested in fully accessing THIS newsgroup---both reading it and
posting to it. I don't care if there is no binaries access)
I would like to go on using my prehistoric (but reliable!) Free Agent
reader in tandem with a new news server as I'm so used to it and its
workings. I also need to know that a new server switch will not affect
in any way the "outbox" contents of my Agent which is currently
carrying ALL my posts to this group going back to 1998.
Any and all advice is very,very welcomed indeed
Thanks for reading!

-------------
Well, I use Newsleecher and I'm very happy with it, but it costs me
$10.49 a month. That's because I still do use the binary groups, for
audiobooks and TV shows as well as music.

Thanks Di but I just found out today Virginmedia won't allow binary
downloads (you guessed it---copyright natch!) which I didn't know
before since I haven't used binaries in years

Has to be a news ONLY server




ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[md]

Post by Roger Ford
Yep,had an e-mail yesterday advising that Virginmedia over here is
ending its usenet operation and closing its news server as of June
30th which means I will no longer bre able to access the newsgroup via
its portal.
I might know a bit about 50's music but I know shit-all about the
backroom intricacies of usenet posting and reading so I urgently need
advice from you experts in this field out there as to the easiest way
of counteracting this and continuing to have full access to this
group.
What's a reliable subsitute news server I can use? (I am only
interested in fully accessing THIS newsgroup---both reading it and
posting to it. I don't care if there is no binaries access)
I would like to go on using my prehistoric (but reliable!) Free Agent
reader in tandem with a new news server as I'm so used to it and its
workings. I also need to know that a new server switch will not affect
in any way the "outbox" contents of my Agent which is currently
carrying ALL my posts to this group going back to 1998.
Any and all advice is very,very welcomed indeed
Thanks for reading!
ROGER FORD
-----------------------
"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
delete same before responding.Thank you!

There are many Usenet feeds still available. I use Supernews, which was taken
over by Giganews, but still works fine for me. Here's a link for starting a
search for a new feed:

https://www.techradar.com/best/best-usenet-providers

As a Mac user, I know nothing about Agent, but I'd be surprised if changing
the feed eliminates old posts you've saved on your own computer. I do know
that many Usenet feeds retain years of posts on their servers and, if worse
comes to worse, they can be re- downloaded, though Supernews seems only to go
back about ten years.

And I believe Google saves everything back to the beginning of time, so all
our thoughts and mayhem will remain somehow enshrined.

--md

remove "xx" from address

[Roger Ford]

Post by md

Post by Roger Ford
Yep,had an e-mail yesterday advising that Virginmedia over here is
ending its usenet operation and closing its news server as of June
30th which means I will no longer bre able to access the newsgroup via
its portal.
I might know a bit about 50's music but I know shit-all about the
backroom intricacies of usenet posting and reading so I urgently need
advice from you experts in this field out there as to the easiest way
of counteracting this and continuing to have full access to this
group.
What's a reliable subsitute news server I can use? (I am only
interested in fully accessing THIS newsgroup---both reading it and
posting to it. I don't care if there is no binaries access)
I would like to go on using my prehistoric (but reliable!) Free Agent
reader in tandem with a new news server as I'm so used to it and its
workings. I also need to know that a new server switch will not affect
in any way the "outbox" contents of my Agent which is currently
carrying ALL my posts to this group going back to 1998.
Any and all advice is very,very welcomed indeed
Thanks for reading!

There are many Usenet feeds still available. I use Supernews, which was taken
over by Giganews, but still works fine for me. Here's a link for starting a
https://www.techradar.com/best/best-usenet-providers
As a Mac user, I know nothing about Agent, but I'd be surprised if changing
the feed eliminates old posts you've saved on your own computer. I do know
that many Usenet feeds retain years of posts on their servers and, if worse
comes to worse, they can be re- downloaded, though Supernews seems only to go
back about ten years.
And I believe Google saves everything back to the beginning of time, so all
our thoughts and mayhem will remain somehow enshrined.

Thanks for this Mark (see my response to Diane)

I'd be surprised if change of server would upset my Agent posts store
since I've had at least three changes of ISP since 1998



ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[Steve Mc]

Post by Roger Ford
Yep,had an e-mail yesterday advising that Virginmedia over here is
ending its usenet operation and closing its news server as of June
30th which means I will no longer bre able to access the newsgroup via
its portal.
I might know a bit about 50's music but I know shit-all about the
backroom intricacies of usenet posting and reading so I urgently need
advice from you experts in this field out there as to the easiest way
of counteracting this and continuing to have full access to this
group.
What's a reliable subsitute news server I can use? (I am only
interested in fully accessing THIS newsgroup---both reading it and
posting to it. I don't care if there is no binaries access)
I would like to go on using my prehistoric (but reliable!) Free Agent
reader in tandem with a new news server as I'm so used to it and its
workings. I also need to know that a new server switch will not affect
in any way the "outbox" contents of my Agent which is currently
carrying ALL my posts to this group going back to 1998.
Any and all advice is very,very welcomed indeed
Thanks for reading!
ROGER FORD
-----------------------

I'm also a bit weak in this stuff, but I've used Newshosting for I
believe as long as I've been here. I'm only paying $50/year, but that's
probably grandfathered in. It also has binary access, which I do still
use via Agent once in a while if can't find things on YouTube. And not
sure what is retaining what, but posts here via Thunderbird go back to
June 2003, and the binaries 50's MP3 group in Agent go back to 2008.

[Roger Ford]

On Wed, 26 May 2021 07:12:23 -0700, Steve Mc

Post by Steve Mc

Post by Roger Ford
Yep,had an e-mail yesterday advising that Virginmedia over here is
ending its usenet operation and closing its news server as of June
30th which means I will no longer bre able to access the newsgroup via
its portal.
I might know a bit about 50's music but I know shit-all about the
backroom intricacies of usenet posting and reading so I urgently need
advice from you experts in this field out there as to the easiest way
of counteracting this and continuing to have full access to this
group.
What's a reliable subsitute news server I can use? (I am only
interested in fully accessing THIS newsgroup---both reading it and
posting to it. I don't care if there is no binaries access)
I would like to go on using my prehistoric (but reliable!) Free Agent
reader in tandem with a new news server as I'm so used to it and its
workings. I also need to know that a new server switch will not affect
in any way the "outbox" contents of my Agent which is currently
carrying ALL my posts to this group going back to 1998.
Any and all advice is very,very welcomed indeed
Thanks for reading!

I'm also a bit weak in this stuff, but I've used Newshosting for I
believe as long as I've been here. I'm only paying $50/year, but that's
probably grandfathered in. It also has binary access, which I do still
use via Agent once in a while if can't find things on YouTube. And not
sure what is retaining what, but posts here via Thunderbird go back to
June 2003, and the binaries 50's MP3 group in Agent go back to 2008.
--

Thanks Steve but I learn today that it has to be a NEWS ONLY server
(no binaries!) since I don't ant the problem of changing all my phone
set up etc.

ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[[e-mail]]

You can always post through Google although you won't be able to start a thread.

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1950s

[DianeE]

Post by ***@aol.com
You can always post through Google although you won't be able to start a thread.
https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1950s

-------------
Whatever happened to that "Eternal September" outfit? Wasn't that a
free Usenet server?

[Roger Ford]

Post by Roger Ford

Post by ***@aol.com
You can always post through Google although you won't be able to start a thread.
https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1950s

-------------
Whatever happened to that "Eternal September" outfit? Wasn't that a
free Usenet server?

Yes thanks! And that is a pure news server (no binaries)---I am
currently investigating further

ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[RWC]

Post by Roger Ford

Post by DianeE
Whatever happened to that "Eternal September" outfit? Wasn't that a
free Usenet server?

Yes thanks! And that is a pure news server (no binaries)---I am
currently investigating further

a free 'pure news server'
http://news.aioe.org/

In agent, go to Tools > Servers and Accounts
click on 'New >>' at bottom left, select News Server
type or paste: nntp.aioe.org
make sure that the 'No login is required' option is checked
[Next]
[Next] you agree that this news server takes priority in
sending/receiving messages (the default)
[Finish]
[Yes] to update Newsgroup Directory

If this doesn't work (it should), you can go back to
Tools > Servers and Accounts, select 'aieo', [Delete]
and you should be back to square one

[Roger Ford]

Post by RWC

Post by Roger Ford

Post by DianeE
Whatever happened to that "Eternal September" outfit? Wasn't that a
free Usenet server?

Yes thanks! And that is a pure news server (no binaries)---I am
currently investigating further

a free 'pure news server'
http://news.aioe.org/
In agent, go to Tools > Servers and Accounts
click on 'New >>' at bottom left, select News Server
type or paste: nntp.aioe.org
make sure that the 'No login is required' option is checked
[Next]
[Next] you agree that this news server takes priority in
sending/receiving messages (the default)
[Finish]
[Yes] to update Newsgroup Directory
If this doesn't work (it should), you can go back to
Tools > Servers and Accounts, select 'aieo', [Delete]
and you should be back to square one

Thanks for this but I am using Free Agent which doesn't seem to have
the "Tools" facility you mentioned.

The only news server reference I can see anywhere in the system is
under "Options" then "General Preferences" then "System" where the two
entries are -

News Server news.virginmedia.com
Email Server smtp.blueyonder.co.uk




ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[RWC]

Post by Roger Ford

Post by RWC

Post by Roger Ford

Post by DianeE
Whatever happened to that "Eternal September" outfit? Wasn't that a
free Usenet server?

Yes thanks! And that is a pure news server (no binaries)---I am
currently investigating further

a free 'pure news server'
http://news.aioe.org/
In agent, go to Tools > Servers and Accounts
click on 'New >>' at bottom left, select News Server
type or paste: nntp.aioe.org
make sure that the 'No login is required' option is checked
[Next]
[Next] you agree that this news server takes priority in
sending/receiving messages (the default)
[Finish]
[Yes] to update Newsgroup Directory
If this doesn't work (it should), you can go back to
Tools > Servers and Accounts, select 'aieo', [Delete]
and you should be back to square one

Thanks for this but I am using Free Agent which doesn't seem to have
the "Tools" facility you mentioned.
The only news server reference I can see anywhere in the system is
under "Options" then "General Preferences" then "System" where the two
entries are -
News Server news.virginmedia.com
Email Server smtp.blueyonder.co.uk

I'm using v.7, and I don't have General Preferences under Options :)
Anyway, when you see the two entries, you might see a way
to add an additional News Server, the equivalent of the
"click on 'New >>'" stage above.

[RWC]

Post by Roger Ford
Thanks for this but I am using Free Agent which doesn't seem to have
the "Tools" facility you mentioned.

Of course, the Help > Index facility should offer a guide on setting
up/adding a News Server.

When I enter
news server
in the keyword to find box, I get (in my v.7)
News server
Creating
Deleting and restoring
Multiple news servers

[RWC]

On Thu, 27 May 2021 04:53:16 GMT, ***@bblueyonder.co.uk (Roger
Ford) wrote:

Roger, if you add a new News Server to Agent you might then need to
update the Newsgroup Directory - a list of newsgroups that your News
Server maintains.

in v.7 it's Tools > Newsgroup Directory or (and this might have worked
since v.1) Ctrl+Shift+N
then in v.7, but this might not have changed much since v.1:
click on [Update Directory...]
in the box that pops up, select the new News Server
and click [OK] to 'Download the complete list of all newsgroups'

[Roger Ford]

Post by RWC
Roger, if you add a new News Server to Agent you might then need to
update the Newsgroup Directory - a list of newsgroups that your News
Server maintains.
in v.7 it's Tools > Newsgroup Directory or (and this might have worked
since v.1) Ctrl+Shift+N
click on [Update Directory...]
in the box that pops up, select the new News Server
and click [OK] to 'Download the complete list of all newsgroups'

Thanks for all the info,Geoff

I will make the switch when my current server gives up the ghost


ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[Roger Ford]

Post by RWC

Post by Roger Ford

Post by DianeE
Whatever happened to that "Eternal September" outfit? Wasn't that a
free Usenet server?

Yes thanks! And that is a pure news server (no binaries)---I am
currently investigating further

a free 'pure news server'
http://news.aioe.org/
In agent, go to Tools > Servers and Accounts
click on 'New >>' at bottom left, select News Server
type or paste: nntp.aioe.org
make sure that the 'No login is required' option is checked
[Next]
[Next] you agree that this news server takes priority in
sending/receiving messages (the default)
[Finish]
[Yes] to update Newsgroup Directory
If this doesn't work (it should), you can go back to
Tools > Servers and Accounts, select 'aieo', [Delete]
and you should be back to square one

Ok I've set up proper Agent (as above) and entered the AIOE news
server addy and the Virginmedia email addy underTools > Servers And
Accounts

It downloads messages from the group fine but when I come to try to
post to the group I get this :-

"Agent cannot send this message because you have not yet specified
your email address for outbound messages. To set up an address use
menu Tools>Options"

I see "inbound mail" under Options but not "outbound"??

Not wishing to be a total pain but.....what do I do now?

ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!

[RWC]

Post by Roger Ford
Ok I've set up proper Agent (as above) and entered the AIOE news
server addy and the Virginmedia email addy underTools > Servers And
Accounts
It downloads messages from the group fine but when I come to try to
post to the group I get this :-
"Agent cannot send this message because you have not yet specified
your email address for outbound messages. To set up an address use
menu Tools>Options"
I see "inbound mail" under Options but not "outbound"??
Not wishing to be a total pain but.....what do I do now?

Sorry Roger, I've only just spotted this message from you.
I wasn't expecting anything more in the thread :)
(you're not a pain at all on this matter)

I don't use Agent for emails so I don't have any email addys
configured as such. BUT, the error message likely refer to the email
address associated with your persona. So, go to
Tools > Options > Posting messages > Personas > [Edit]
and enter an email addy in the Address: input box

Post by Roger Ford
[OK]

note, this email addy can be fake or your actual addy doctored - it
just has be formatted like a proper email addy

Hope this helps, and congrats on upgrading and getting to this point.

[Roger Ford]

Post by RWC

Post by Roger Ford
Ok I've set up proper Agent (as above) and entered the AIOE news
server addy and the Virginmedia email addy underTools > Servers And
Accounts
It downloads messages from the group fine but when I come to try to
post to the group I get this :-
"Agent cannot send this message because you have not yet specified
your email address for outbound messages. To set up an address use
menu Tools>Options"
I see "inbound mail" under Options but not "outbound"??
Not wishing to be a total pain but.....what do I do now?

Sorry Roger, I've only just spotted this message from you.
I wasn't expecting anything more in the thread :)
(you're not a pain at all on this matter)
I don't use Agent for emails so I don't have any email addys
configured as such. BUT, the error message likely refer to the email
address associated with your persona. So, go to
Tools > Options > Posting messages > Personas > [Edit]
and enter an email addy in the Address: input box

Post by Roger Ford
[OK]

note, this email addy can be fake or your actual addy doctored - it
just has be formatted like a proper email addy
Hope this helps, and congrats on upgrading and getting to this point.

Certainly does help! Agent now working OK and I have it ready for July
1st.

Many thanks Geoff for your assistance


ROGER FORD
-----------------------

"Spam Free Zone" - to combat unwanted automatic spamming I have added
an extra "b" in my e-mail address (***@bblueyonder.co.uk) Please
delete same before responding.Thank you!