History Of Usenet – Enter Newsreaders

Now that we know the fundamentals of Usenet and Newsgroups, it’s time we start understanding on how to access these groups. This involves using a Newsreader. A Newsreader is a software program that acts as a client that is used to connect to Usenet newsgroups, download articles and information and respond to articles and information. It is the central hub for a user to use as a method of interacting with Usenet.

Once upon a time, Outlook Express, a Microsoft derivate of Internet Explorer was the program of choice in a limited market of Newsreaders. However, there are now a multitude of programs to choose from, each in its own way holding a certain value over another. Choosing a Newsreader takes some research and time to the specific users needs as each come with highlighted functions and features that cater to the ever demanding Usenet community. Some options are free, where others are only available as commercial use software requiring certain charges to the user. We’ll be covering in detail a summary of Newsreaders and its core features to assist users in choosing the right Newsreader for there particular needs.

For now, we’ll cover what Newsreaders core function is – to connect and download to Usenet. With this being said, there are certain criteria’s that you’ll need to have before you choose any newsreader. Primarily a Usenet account.

A Usenet account is obtained through a number of different means. Although there are free accounts to be obtained on the web, they are generally limited in the amount of newsgroups that they provide as well as the retention rate they hold articles for. Retention rates are the number of days, weeks, months that articles are held. For instance, a free Usenet account may have a retention rate of 10-15 days of particular groups. Meaning, that after 10-15 days after an article(s) is/are uploaded to the group, it will then be cleaned out to make room for the new articles. Depending on the size of these articles, the retention time period may be even less.

Most popular, and recommended by Newsdemon, is the purchase of a good, limitless, uncensored Usenet account. Newsdemon caters a huge variety of plans to work with users particular needs. Newsdemon Usenet accounts have one of the most aggressive retention rates available in the world, and everyday it grows. Newsdemon carries practically every category of Usenet newsgroups in existence, and also allows requests from its users for other groups that otherwise may initially be unavailable.

Regardless, a Usenet account is essential. The criteria of a Usenet account are a server address that corresponds to a user’s username and password that will allow connection to the groups that the Usenet account server subscribes to. This information would be used when configuring a Newsreader for it to connect, download and upload information to Usenet and its Newsgroup categories.

Some of the most popular Newsreaders available are:

Newsreaders For Windows:

News Rover
Free Agent
NewsBin
Newsleecher
Xnews

Newsreaders For Mac:

Unison

Newsreaders For Unix/Linux:

Sea Monkey

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