Re: How To Improve This Group

On 2025-04-10, CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> wrote:

On 4/9/25 19:40, candycanearter07 wrote:

Farley Flud <ff@linux.rocks> wrote at 20:55 this Wednesday (GMT):

On Wed, 9 Apr 2025 19:00:03 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07 wrote:
>

>
Well, if you COULD get more people to migrate to USENET from traditional
social media, that would be great. I personally don't think many people
are going to want to learn a new software for such an old protocol.
>

>
Well, then, maybe they should stop using email.  After all, that protocol
goes back to at least 1975.

 
Most people use a website for email, and Gmail/Outlook.

>
I see nothing but security issues in using web-based e-mail myself. If
my e-mail is not configured in a client like Betterbird, I also find it
incredibly inconvenient.
>
< snip >
>

Usenet is still very much viable as is IRC.  All that is required
is for more people to start using it -- again.
>
The case is closed.

 
I agree, the main problem from my pov is barrier to entry and
"precivable" benefits. Yes, obviously, USENET is great for being simple
and decrentralized, but the average person would not care/understand
what being "decentralized" means, and the simplicity is seen as a
drawback. And as for barrier to entry, the only real client people would
be likely/willing to use would be Thunderbird, since everything else is
either old (again, /I/ don't care, but ppl definitely would), highly
specialized FOSS programs that most of the time are targeted to Linux,
or a TUI program. And they have to configure the newsreader to connect
to a server, FIND a server, etc etc.. and no layman would go through
that just for a "retro forum experience that has barely any users". As
well as the general tech illiteracy. So, IF the barrier to entry was
lowered, and potentially a webapp made, people MIGHT be willing to try
it. I think that's a pretty long shot, though.

>
Good luck getting people to use IRC again. I spent my adolescence on
there, but it is clear that it is not attracting the same kind of people
three decades later. It's too bad because some networks, like Rizon, are
doing a fantastic job with their servers. Nonetheless, IRC apparently
isn't as appealing in its uncensored, decentralized nature as a
proprietary, centralized social medium like Instagram's comment section is.
>
To be honest, I'm glad that neither IRC nor Usenet attract those kinds
of people anyway. I'd rather know that I'm communicating with
sufficiently smart individuals on the old networks than the vapid,
superficial cretins on modern social media.
>

IRC doesn't have stickers, animated emojis, GIFs.  You cannot review
messages that came through when you were offline.  Almost now changing
of fonts.  No avatars.  It takes a bit to learn (depending on the
client).  No advertising, no extra "features" such as NFTs and skins or
what have you.  No reactions and no branding (ie, logos for chat groups).

I'm saying this not because I agree, but because this is what people
want.  I do prefer the simplicity of IRC myself, bit IRC is not coming
back.  There are no good mobile clients...