You've got more time on usenet than I do, for sure. Although I got my first computer back in 83/84, I didn't get online until I started BBS'ing in about 92/93. I did that for several years, even helped run a board. Ours had both chat rooms and bulletin boards, as well as online games, a file section, etc...

When I finally got on the Internet in about 97 or so, usenet was a natural move for me. I saw it as just the older big brother version of what I had already been doing. I also found IRC, but didn't care for it much since it WAS global. I liked being able to meet the people I chatted with like I could on a local board. BBS meets could turn out to be quite....interesting. :)

A few years ago I noticed that there were web based chat boards and I thought they were stupid. Too slow, clumsy, no standardization, too much overhead just to send a simple text message. I felt they were trying to pretty up something that worked, and in the process breaking it. I prefer function over form. I still feel that way about them now to a point. Usenet has certain advantages that a web based forum simply can't even touch. It's like expecting a car to fly you to the moon just because it's called the "Chevy Apollo Moonship" or something.

I didn't start participating on web based chat forums like this one until several months ago. In fact, this was the first one I signed on to.

Don't get me wrong, I think the community of folks here are great.

As for DejaNews, I don't recall it having a posting interface. As an archive/search engine it was very useful. I was upset when it disappeared, and relieved that Google took it over to keep it alive. The search capability is almost indispensible. Although, for the groups I participate in it's moot as I have my newsreader set to archive all messages I read.

As for Google News' interface as a way to access Usenet, it sucks big time. Major overhead. It's like buying a football stadium just to sit in and watch TV.

As for the NNTP server problems you described, I've not seen them the way you described. Yes, there's been the occasional down time but even this board can go down.

As for the plagues you listed, that's why filters were invented. Actually, I don't even find a need for them. As I go through the new messages it's easy for me to simply skip those threads that are of no interest to me for whatever reason. Cranks and kooks are either skipped, ignored, or read for the humor value. Sometimes it's fun to debate them and watch them get their knickers in a twist.

I can understand why you'd find Usenet so repulsive now. You 'grew up' with it from the beginning when it had none of those issues. For me, they were always there to begin with so it's no big deal to me, and as things change I've been able to adapt.

Brian