Re: [seul-edu] Newsgroups? Do we have a newsgroup server?

[Les Richardson <richl@mail.tfsd.sk.ca>]

> I personally like USENET as a communications system, but how many people
> use it these days (or even know about it)? 

Well, the browsers do have the clients already installed, so that should
help.


 Would we gain any benefit
> over using mailing lists with MHonArc as an archiving system?

The current system with listserv and mailing list archive separates the
functionality that is together in a newsgroup setup. And, of course, we
could add news functionality by putting in

news://news.seul.org  links which would normally bring up the news client
on the browser, etc...

and also building a (or simply using an existing) web interface to the
newsgroup(s).



  Of
> course, with newsgroups anyone who finds the server can post to any
> group, which may ease subscription problems.  On the other hand, that's
> why newsgroups generally get overwhelmed with spam, flames, and
> off-topic posts.

Simply add some moderation.

> Again, if we made our mailing list archives searchable wouldn't that
> give us the same effect?

I would tend to say no. It is _part_ of a groupware solution for some of
this, I think.

Les R.