September 5, 2023
USENET, the original pre-World Wide Web social network, is making a comeback.
USENET, also known as NetNews, consists of countless text-only discussion forums known as “newsgroups,” hosted on servers worldwide. While the original developers shuttered their instance in 2010, numerous servers continue to operate, offering free access and a variety of client apps for easy navigation.
The USENET management committee has reconvened and there are signs of growth in the network. Although USENET is a decentralized, peer-to-peer network, the Big-8 board is the closest thing it has to a central governing authority. The board has been busy in recent years, deleting old newsgroups, adding new ones, and revamping the website.
USENET is older than the web and works more like email. Servers carry a list of newsgroups and sync messages with each other. To get online users have to get an account on a USENET server, install a client, and subscribe to the groups they’re interested in.
There are many different USENET clients available, including Thunderbird, Eternal September, and Google Groups. The best client for users will depend on their needs and preferences.
The sources for this piece include an article in TheRegister.
