On Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 11:20:25 AM UTC-6, Moe DeLoughan wrote:
....
> Usenet is not a discrete site or network. It is non-centralized by
> design. So no one owns it, no one can own it, so there's nothing to
> sell. One can only provide access for/to it with their own servers.
> You can run a server and provide access for a fairly minimal cost -
> the guy running aioe does that with a computer out of his basement.
> But you're only providing access and storage.
>
> If everyone stopped providing access and storage, Usenet would cease
> to exist as we know it. Google is currently the largest provider. If,
> hypothetically, they became the only access provider, it would no
> longer be Usenet, because it would no longer be decentralized.
>
> That's also why the Internet-access providing companies moved away
> from it. Since no one owns it, there's no way to monetize it. Hence,
> the explosion of the world wide web, with owned sites that can control
> access and thus charge for the privilege, whether by subscription or
> selling ad space.

Precisely!! Nothing to own! Decentralized!! That's why I've always thought Usenet was the coolest!! Or WAS until the disgusting SPAMBOTS came in and trashed it all! Not humans, but evil money hungry CRAPOLA spamming irritants!!

John Kuthe...