# Recommend a news server (usenet) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 25, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209 "2008-06-25T18:24:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/1 "2008-06-25T18:24:51Z")
My ISP has, I have just learned, discontinued usenet access due to “low usage.” :rolleyes: The ISP’s website recommended a few replacements like [easynews.com](http://easynews.com), but none of them looked familiar to me. I’ve heard of Giganews (which I see is offering a special for folks like me), but haven’t used it ever. Can anyone recommend a usenet provider? I suppose it’s too much to ask that there are free servers for people who, like me, just read but don’t post? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/2 "2008-06-25T18:48:23Z")
My ISP dropped newsgroups a couple of years ago. I have on occasion used Thundernews, a subscription service, and had no problems. _Are_ there any reliable free news services? There’s Google Groups, but I haven’t used it for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/3 "2008-06-25T19:06:01Z")
Google Groups is an interface into usenet, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/4 "2008-06-25T19:13:00Z")
I have Comcast, and they provide usenet through Giganews. Long retention, good download speed. Works fine. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/5 "2008-06-25T19:25:08Z")
[QUOTE=Revtim] Google Groups is an interface into usenet, I thought. [/QUOTE] Yes, it is. I believe they tried to archive all the posts, back to when God was a kid, but I’m not sure about that. And I’m not sure whether it’s the best thing if you’re looking for binaries. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/6 "2008-06-25T19:36:49Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Yes, it is. I believe they tried to archive all the posts, back to when God was a kid, but I’m not sure about that. And I’m not sure whether it’s the best thing if you’re looking for binaries. [/QUOTE] IIRC, they purchased the usenet archive from DejaNews. I believe you are correct that binaries were not archived. ---
**Author:** ![hekk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hekk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hekk)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/7 "2008-06-25T23:43:00Z")
I use GigaNews. The mega retention and fast speeds are well worth the price (which is tiered to fit your usage). ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-news-server-usenet/454209/8 "2008-06-26T06:21:25Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] My ISP dropped newsgroups a couple of years ago. I have on occasion used Thundernews, a subscription service, and had no problems. _Are_ there any reliable free news services? There’s Google Groups, but I haven’t used it for a while. [/QUOTE] Giggle Gropes is a joke. It’s a good archival service, but don’t use it to post. It’s a spam-spewer and [plenty of people automatically block anything coming from there](http://improve-usenet.org/), in addition to the fact the interface is sorely lacking all of the essential Usenet features. [Motzarella is the free text-only server I use to read and post to newsgroups. Retention is good, propagation is great, and selection is far beyond even my capacity to suck down.](http://news.motzarella.org/) A free registration is required, but that isn’t a hassle at all.