I pretty much agree with everything you said.

The best feature of NNTP ngs from my perspective is that it's very easy to
watch a thread for possible follow-ups.

I also like the speed and ease of access.

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"Bruce Sinclair" wrote
in message ...
In article , "T. Valko"
wrote:
I didn't go to this link to read about the replacement forum:

http://www.microsoft.com/communities...s/default.mspx

So I have no idea if that link mentions the location of the new forums.

The new Excel forums are located at:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

I've started posting there. The UI is completely different but it's still
a
web based forum!

This is a backward step IMO. To me, newsgroups have everything that is
good
with nothing (well, OK, very little :) ) that is bad about the on line
community. A short list of these would include:

Quick and easy.
Simple disply.
Can get headers only and download just what you want to read.
Properly threaded discussions.
Access to hundreds/thousands of helpful knowlegeable people not only
willing
but eager to help.
Text only (ie *not* web based).
Many news readers available ... there's is bound to be something out
there
to suit everyone.
Archived.

Negatives ? Well, a few spammers and idiots ... but most news software has
excellent filters, so that's taken care of. :)


For myself, I will never use a browser to read news or "forums". It's too
slow, too clunky and cumbersome, has bad to non existent threading, bad to
no filters and is ugly, to name a few reasons.

I guess there will be a few die hards <puts up hand that stick with MS
news
groups, for a while at least, and it is likely there will still be some
traffic for a while with a few people willing and able to help ... but it
sounds like MS is trying to kill off this helpful support line.

Given it's free to them, I can't imagine why they think this is a good
idea.

I agree with you and Bruce.
However...
the new Answers site could be a winner if it used the Ribbon. <g
--
Jim Cone
Portland, Oregon USA



"T. Valko"
wrote in message ...
I pretty much agree with everything you said.

The best feature of NNTP ngs from my perspective is that it's very easy to
watch a thread for possible follow-ups.

I also like the speed and ease of access.
--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP

"Jim Cone" wrote in message
...

I agree with you and Bruce.
However...
the new Answers site could be a winner if it used the Ribbon. <g

By gosh, I think he's got it!

In article , "Jim Cone" wrote:

I agree with you and Bruce.
However...
the new Answers site could be a winner if it used the Ribbon. <g

Aaarrrgghhh ! (I'm sure that was the response you were looking for :) ).

I worked out a few months ago why I hate the whole ribbon thing idea (it's
at the top and takes up valuable space where my stuff could be), so I asked
how to move it to the side of the window. Seemed like an easy thing ... but
no. Apparently, not only are there only 3 colour "schemes" (another pet hate
:)) ... but the ribon is fixed ! Inconceivable ! :)

In article , "T. Valko" wrote:
I pretty much agree with everything you said.

The best feature of NNTP ngs from my perspective is that it's very easy to
watch a thread for possible follow-ups.

I also like the speed and ease of access.

... is it possible that this is an attempt by MS to kill off a 'text only'
application that doesn't fit with their apparent 'everything looks better in
html' approach ? An interesting possibility if so - and still wrong. :)

On 5/9/2010 7:16 PM, Bruce Sinclair wrote:
In , "T. wrote:
I pretty much agree with everything you said.

The best feature of NNTP ngs from my perspective is that it's very easy to
watch a thread for possible follow-ups.

I also like the speed and ease of access.

.. is it possible that this is an attempt by MS to kill off a 'text only'
application that doesn't fit with their apparent 'everything looks better in
html' approach ? An interesting possibility if so - and still wrong. :)


Everything looks better with ads?

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://peltiertech.com/

In article , Jon Peltier wrote:

On 5/9/2010 7:16 PM, Bruce Sinclair wrote:
In , "T.
wrote:
I pretty much agree with everything you said.

The best feature of NNTP ngs from my perspective is that it's very easy to
watch a thread for possible follow-ups.

I also like the speed and ease of access.

.. is it possible that this is an attempt by MS to kill off a 'text only'
application that doesn't fit with their apparent 'everything looks better in
html' approach ? An interesting possibility if so - and still wrong. :)

Everything looks better with ads?

Ah. Perhaps my vision is faulty ? :)

Everything looks better when we control it!

--

HTH

Bob

"Jon Peltier" wrote in message
...

On 5/9/2010 7:16 PM, Bruce Sinclair wrote:
In , "T.
wrote:
I pretty much agree with everything you said.

The best feature of NNTP ngs from my perspective is that it's very easy
to
watch a thread for possible follow-ups.

I also like the speed and ease of access.

.. is it possible that this is an attempt by MS to kill off a 'text only'
application that doesn't fit with their apparent 'everything looks better
in
html' approach ? An interesting possibility if so - and still wrong. :)


Everything looks better with ads?

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://peltiertech.com/

All your post are belong to us.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://peltiertech.com/


On 5/10/2010 4:01 AM, Bob Phillips wrote:
Everything looks better when we control it!

In article , Jon Peltier wrote:
All your post are belong to us.

Ah, now, which organisation had exactly that policy (everything that goes
through our networks we own the rights to forever without paying anything)
for everything sent through its network in any way a year or so back ? It
might have been telecom (a major NZ communications company) or them and a
partner of some sort. Might even have been a MS partner. I can't recall
exactly, but when the terms and conditions of the new "service" were
translated into English (from IT and lawyer speak) I do recall the uproar.
:)



- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://peltiertech.com/


On 5/10/2010 4:01 AM, Bob Phillips wrote:
Everything looks better when we control it!