Thread: Usenet

Hey i have recently been hearing alot about Usenet... I dont get it.... So you have to pay?!?
Who hosts the files? Can anyone simply fill me in and give a general summary!

Hi,

• what you usually pay for is the usenet provider, that guarantees you a certain connection speed to the groups and retention for the files. They download them from the net and keep them for a specified time for you to grab whenever you want. (Just like a trackers dedicated seedbox)

There are different providers on the market and you have to find the one that suits you best. There are free companies aswell, but they often lack in the mentioned services.

• The second component is a client which lets you browse the files. Nowadays it's as easy as torrenting to find and download your files via those clients.

• Looking for the files is done by browsing a usenet index, which is comfortably listing all the necessary nbz files (similar to torrent files directing you to the rars) for the releases.

Those three components basically are the usenet you've probably heard so much of :D

Does usenet have as big of a selection as bittorrent?
So each provider has their own files, on their server and you download it from them for a price? (no uploading?)
is it better then bittorrent?

Yes you can find anything on usenet just as easily. So I'd say it's quite comparable

As you said correctly the files are transferred to the provider as soon as they get released on any group waiting for you to transfer them further to your machine. If you don't dl them they just stay there for the retention time and disappera afterwards.

It's neither better nor worse, but a different kind to download. If you have the worst upload bandwidth ever it is definitely easier cause there is no uploading involved...but paying as a huge downside!

In addition to what zealot said, this guide will tell you almost everything you need to know:

How to Usenet!

But I found in my experience that usenet is prone to people uploading viruses. A lot of them. Unlike private trackers there's not really any repercussions to uploading viruses on to newsgroup binaries so it happens quite a bit. IMO not worth the cost, but to each his own.

I wish there was a usenet for dummies book, cause i dont grasp the concept.
If the files are stored on a centralized server how are these not shut down by the government?
Does your provider give the files to other providers?
How much would it cost on average?
Do they have the same content, like bit torrent release groups such as -HDchina?
Do these clients have pages for the files, with info and screens?


thanks alot for your help!

(just saw docdoom's post, looks like he found usenet for dummies!)

I'd say honestly you're better off saving the money you spend on a subscription and other fees associated with newsgroups. If you really want you could put that money toward a seedbox instead, and beef up your ratios on some private trackers.

Originally Posted by DocDoom

I'd say honestly you're better off saving the money you spend on a subscription and other fees associated with newsgroups. If you really want you could put that money toward a seedbox instead, and beef up your ratios on some private trackers.

Yeh, i have a seedbox! I just didn't have a clue what Usenet actually is and was curious! From what i understand its like a program where everyone has seedbox's (or providers) and these share with other providers and you download it.

As far as I know you'd need to pay as much as for an average seedbox, so about 30$ per month.
The providers download the files and store them on their servers. At this point they are available to their clients (you). Other providers do the same thing so it's not exactly sharing among the providers.

I would say the reason why usenet is still so strong beside bittorrent is the fact that it was there first, way before filesharing in general came into existance :)
Usenet was the main supply for files since the scene exists and therefore it wont die out, although other (imho better) sources have emerged over time.

The reason why usenet never has been shutdown is an issue I don't understand aswell :)
Those providers make huge amounts of money monthly with this business while advertising their services very openly.