Even if Microsoft turn off their NNTP servers, that is just one node in the
Usenet network.

Users now using msnews.microsoft.com for their NNTP server may have to find
another (free?) NNTP server to get at those same newsgroups (there are a few
around), but the groups should still be there.

Turning off their NNTP servers will only result in the loss of those
newsgroups if Microsoft can convince the Big-8 to remove them, as well as
convincing all of the NNTP peer nodes to discontinue those newsgroups,
which seems unlikely.


Bob

"Bill R" wrote in message
...
"James Silverton" wrote in message
...
wrote on Sat, 8 May 2010 00:02:32 -0700:

Why?
As you may know, newsgroups have existed for many years now;
however, the traffic in the Microsoft newsgroups has been
steadily decreasing for the past several years while customers
and participants are increasingly finding solutions in the
forums on Microsoft properties and third party sites. This
move will unify the customer experience, centralize content,
make it easier for active contributors to retain their
influence, mitigate redundancies and make the content easier
to find by customers and search engines through improved
indexing. Additionally, forums offer a better user and spam
management platform that will improve customer satisfaction by
encouraging a healthy discussion in a clean community space. To this
end, Microsoft will begin to progressively shift
available resources to the forums technology and discontinue
support for newsgroups.

In addition to offering a compelling online browser

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on other
servers.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

This raises questions as to who owns and controls what in Newsgroups - and
I write from a knowledge base of zero about the mechanics of Newsgroups.

If I wanted to start a Newsgrpoup on a subject who (what) actually
controls what it should be named and where the 'master' set of posts
should be held? Regarding Microsoft Newsgroups surely this would be
Microsoft and it is up to Microsoft to pull out if it so decides. In that
case there will be no information which may be provided by any of the NNTP
service proividers. Is there an idiots guide to the mechanics of NNTP?

Bill R (confused)