We often hear the mantra that we should use OE to read Excel NGs from the
msnews server instead of using web interfaces like Google Groups and MS
Discussion Groups.

While I agree that GG and MSDG have their failings, I just learned that the
msnews server retains articles only for a very restricted amount of time --
90 days apparently.

Both GG and MSDG have m.p.e.misc articles dating back to 2004 (at least
[1]). The msnews server is limited, today, to May 2009.

So, yes, use OE to read "current" articles. But I would not count GG and
MSDG out completely, unless, of course, you have direct access to another NG
server besides msnews.microsoft.com.

On the other hand, neither of the search features on those web sites work
well. Sigh.

PS: I was surprised to learn that the MSDG server has its own archive of
articles. I had always ass-u-me-d that it was just a front-end to the
msnews server.


Endnotes:

[1] The MSDG archive goes back, today, as far as 9 June 2004. The GG
archive goes back at least as far as 1 Jan 2004. I did not search GG
further.

Well, if you click on About this group in GG you will see posting
stats which go back to November 1992 (some years are missing) - if you
click on that one post, you will see that Modokon was replying to Dave
Peterson !!

Pete

On Jul 30, 10:20*pm, "JoeU2004" wrote:
We often hear the mantra that we should use OE to read Excel NGs from the
msnews server instead of using web interfaces like Google Groups and MS
Discussion Groups.

While I agree that GG and MSDG have their failings, I just learned that the
msnews server retains articles only for a very restricted amount of time -- *
90 days apparently.

Both GG and MSDG have m.p.e.misc articles dating back to 2004 (at least
[1]). *The msnews server is limited, today, to May 2009.

So, yes, use OE to read "current" articles. *But I would not count GG and
MSDG out completely, unless, of course, you have direct access to another NG
server besides msnews.microsoft.com.

On the other hand, neither of the search features on those web sites work
well. *Sigh.

PS: *I was surprised to learn that the MSDG server has its own archive of
articles. *I had always ass-u-me-d that it was just a front-end to the
msnews server.

Endnotes:

[1] The MSDG archive goes back, today, as far as 9 June 2004. *The GG
archive goes back at least as far as 1 Jan 2004. *I did not search GG
further.