Interesting, another article stated that "AOL's Usenet implementation
was non-standard from the start. The service doesn't allow members to
connect directly to its network news transfer protocol (NNTP) servers."

From
http://www.betanews.com/article/AOL_...ice/1106664611

Out of 4 articles I read, only the CNet article made it sound like
someone could still use another reader. All the others stated that the
newsgroup service itself would be shut off.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01...ff_newsgroups/
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1754373,00.asp

I would guess that CNet did not clearly represent that continued service
would require a third-party service.


Patriarch wrote:
Shawn wrote in
news:1106690652.763b30117bf733fbd25b7bebc69c2f52@t eranews:


Would an actual news article be more convincing?

http://news.com.com/AOL+shutting+dow...2_3-5550036.ht
ml?tag=st_lh



Assuming the CNet author knew what they were reporting, it is the AOL
proprietary interface to newsgroups for which they are discontinuing
support. Newsgroups are purported to continue to be available to those who
use a 'real newsgroup reader' (emphasis added.)

Never having used the AOL interface, I cannot offer an opinion as to
whether this represents a loss or not. The "Internet with training
wheels" has never appealed to me. I am not every company's dream market
focus segment, however.

Patriarch