AOL dumps newsgroups

Yesterday AOL flashed a message to all users clicking on newsgroups to the
effect that it would no longer support newsgroups as of "early 2005" (see
below).

When I inquired about this, AOL said this new policy "was based on user
feedback" -- yeah, like we've all been banging down AOL's door asking them to
reduce their service.

If you're an AOL user and you think this really stinks, use keyword "Tell Us"
and let those *******s hear from you.

----------------- actual text of AOL message ------------------------

Please Note: The AOL Newsgroup service will be discontinued in early 2005.


For members using AOL over a dial-up connection, you will no longer be able to
access Newsgroups. If you have a separate high-speed connection, you can
contact your broadband provider to see if they offer Newsgroups. Newsgroup
services can often be accessed through a third party reader, such as Mozilla
Thunderbird (http://www.mozilla.org/projects/thunderbird/).

Alternatively, you can access Newsgroups via Google at
http://groups.google.com/.

We apologize for this inconvenience.


Mike Yankee

(Address is munged to thwart spammers.
To reply, delete everything after "com".)

MikeYankee wrote:
Yesterday AOL flashed a message to all users clicking on newsgroups to the
effect that it would no longer support newsgroups as of "early 2005" (see
below).


Notify us when the message starts: "Internet no longer supports AOL..."

MikeYankee wrote:
Yesterday AOL flashed a message to all users clicking on newsgroups
to the
effect that it would no longer support newsgroups as of "early 2005"
(see
below).

When I inquired about this, AOL said this new policy "was based on
user
feedback" -- yeah, like we've all been banging down AOL's door asking
them to
reduce their service.

If you're an AOL user and you think this really stinks, use keyword
"Tell Us"
and let those *******s hear from you.

----------------- actual text of AOL message ------------------------

Please Note: The AOL Newsgroup service will be discontinued in early
2005.


For members using AOL over a dial-up connection, you will no longer
be able to
access Newsgroups. If you have a separate high-speed connection, you
can
contact your broadband provider to see if they offer Newsgroups.
Newsgroup
services can often be accessed through a third party reader, such as
Mozilla
Thunderbird (http://www.mozilla.org/projects/thunderbird/).

Alternatively, you can access Newsgroups via Google at
http://groups.google.com/.

We apologize for this inconvenience.


Mike Yankee

(Address is munged to thwart spammers.
To reply, delete everything after "com".)
Just access them through another medium, like Google perhaps?

Thank you AOL!
BEST technical news of the year.
Thanks! Now if only AOL would just dump member access to the Internet.
-Ken

k.papai wrote:
Thank you AOL!
BEST technical news of the year.
Thanks! Now if only AOL would just dump member access to the Internet.

Tom is writing a letter about that. Wait and see.

Mikey:

"Alternatively, you can access Newsgroups via Google at
http://groups.google.com/"

Just open a browser after you've logged into AOL and go to the above
address. AOL is probably just sick of holding open bandwidth that
relatively few people are using. No big deal really.


MikeYankee wrote:
Yesterday AOL flashed a message to all users clicking on newsgroups
to the
effect that it would no longer support newsgroups as of "early 2005"
(see
below).

When I inquired about this, AOL said this new policy "was based on
user
feedback" -- yeah, like we've all been banging down AOL's door asking
them to
reduce their service.

If you're an AOL user and you think this really stinks, use keyword
"Tell Us"
and let those *******s hear from you.

----------------- actual text of AOL message ------------------------

Please Note: The AOL Newsgroup service will be discontinued in early
2005.


For members using AOL over a dial-up connection, you will no longer
be able to
access Newsgroups. If you have a separate high-speed connection, you
can
contact your broadband provider to see if they offer Newsgroups.
Newsgroup
services can often be accessed through a third party reader, such as
Mozilla
Thunderbird (http://www.mozilla.org/projects/thunderbird/).

Alternatively, you can access Newsgroups via Google at
http://groups.google.com/.

We apologize for this inconvenience.


Mike Yankee

(Address is munged to thwart spammers.
To reply, delete everything after "com".)