I don't read rec.models.scale as much as I used to because I've found sources that offer more info related to my specific interests--small scale armor and dioramas--on web site based discussion boards. The off topic stuff on this newsgroup does get a bit frustrating, even if you try to ignore it. Checking in and seeing the majority of new posts are on some political topic is frustrating. Then, when you do sample the threads they often turn quite nasty...that's definitely a reason to go elsewhere. Discussion boards seem a lot more on topic and more civil.
Actually, there is some thought that Usenet itself is dying. AOL is opting out, of course. My ISP handles it, but with a very bad connection and they are unwilling to fix it. I am currently using a third party news server, but that one is going "pay for" in a few weeks, so I'll have to go over to Google (old Deja News). Don't like it, but that is the breaks. Anyway, I hear that in general web-based discussion groups are the coming thing, and that Usenet will likely die away in future, as will almost all non-web services of the net.
I think it's due to the number of excellent forum websites dedicated to a modellers chosen topic like Aircraft Resource Center, What-If, Model Warships.com, all the Special Interest Groups etc. They look better, are more interactive (for want of a better word), they have moderators to stop the political crap swamping the place and the sense of community is also there.
It's also because newsgroups are not widely known about IMHO. I have several friends who use the internet a lot but don't know about newsgroups. NGs are not easy to find and very little is taught about them. Plus, trying to link to them is difficult.
I do frequent some specialty groups and mailing lists. What I really treasure on rms is the general stuff, like airbrush stuff, paints, glues, materials, etc. Not much of that stuff on the genre-specific groups I am in.
Traffic may pick up. I was also hanging out over on Hyperscale for the last few weeks but Brett seems to have become fascinated with security and control systems and has changed the rules and entry procedures to a point of complication that would get approval from the D.O.D. Sorry Hyperscale, I'm gone!
I suppose he was fed-up of having to delete "bad postings" and I cannot blame him for that, even if I don't like web based forums so much. It's more difficult to start using usenet groups because first of all you must know they are there, then you have to set-up a program, then there are some rules and so on, but after the first impact they are easier to handle.
Anyway, I agree with most of the possible explanations of this group "shrinking", however I don't think it's simply a matter of usenet starving, it's the net that's changing (and not in a good way).
Once most of the "surfers" were there only to talk, share experiences and so on, then, when it started to become "trendy", we got a lot of new good guys, but also someone that was interested only in showing himself and things began to worsen.
The fact that even hyperscale had to switch to a "registered users" service means that the "bad guys" aren't confined to usenet.
Add to this that it also became a business and so we had on one hand a lot more trolls, flamewars, spam and so on, on the other a lot of people that weren't interested in "talking" but in bringing you somewhere where they can sell you something (disclaimer, I'm not talking about our hobby: I like to see reviews and have updates for example from manufacturers and so on, the net greatly improved my knowledge of sources of kits, accessories and so on).
Sometimes I feel we are becoming less "users" and more spectators of something that's closer to a enhanced television where you can only watch what others have prepared for you and use the interactivity they allow you to. Of course there are many more "channels", but I think we are losing some of the original "spirit".
Anyway I still find rec.models.scale a good place, even if I liked it more when we had 400+ messages a day. In fact, even if we missed a lot of good fellows I think many good guys are still there, they simply post less messages, because there are less interesting things to say. I was in and out of the group many times in the last 10 years simply because I wasn't modelling or didn't have anything to say (maybe many others did the same), but I always knew that, when I was willing to, the group was still there.
So, is the problem the lack of contents? Just let's try to avoid endless political threads and make good postings instead. Who knows...
Btw if only Google finally adopted a decent web/group interface to make things a little easier it would help a lot: to web users it would be exactly the same as a web based forum, with the added value of more visibility than any website could afford. Of course it requires you to register to post a message, but which web forum doesn't?
"You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes You may just find You get what you need..."
For the same reason that manufacturers had run out of subjects to make models on. I have been in this hobby for some 40 years now and find it hard to ask or say anything new anymore. I don't like to hear myself repeat the same old stuff new as it might be to a newcomer.
Gee, I've been in the hobby over 55 years, starting in the pp era (pre-plastic). I don't mind repeating things for younger folks, but even find new questions myself to ask.
I see new products coming out all the time, and new challenges. Latest challenge- I bought one of those Pro-etch PE kits from MicroMark. I am still reading directions and getting other stuff needed but not in kit together.
The ability to make your own decals, PE, resin castings, etc. has added a lot to scale modeling today. The different types of glue available, different paints, etc. Is great. Of course, we started with enamels on plastic models (dope on wood and tissue, of course). Then there was the acrylic craze. Now, the latest seems to be lacquers. This is pretty new. I am just getting around to trying Tamiya lacquers, but several friends are into new Testors lacquer.
FWIW Hyperscale used to be a great site. Problem is they have re-worked it with a lot of registry and security and it has become a PITA to get into. I just don't think it is worth it under these conditions.
I've never been to Hyperscale so I guess I don't know what I'm missing. I do frequent Hobby Heaven's board so I know how restrictive moderation can get. There are things one can't say there as they'll negatively impact the host's business and I'm not out to do something like that. That's why I like it here and I'm here everyday the computer behaves itself.
I tried it a few times, though not recently. Like most web-based forums, it took forever to navigate, mainly because it displayed about six threads at a time. Those who like it are welcome to it. I have found (outside the hobby) one or two moderated web-based newsgroups that are relatively painless to use, but they replicate the most important feature of Usenet: a front end listing of all current threads by full title, along with total messages in the thread. Anyway, I think moderation is highly overrated, because effective moderation presumes either automated controls or relatively low volume, neither of which is particularly desirable.
It seems to me that on moderated sites the "good" users have even less self-control than here. I guess they've surrendered it all to the moderator. If people just quarantined the trolls, they'd die, but as usual, everybody has got to "give that guy a piece of my mind", so the threads grow. Those users that don't respond bombard the moderators with emails - "You need to do something!!" - when they should be emailing the follow-on posters - "Shut up and let it go!" The moderators get frustrated and haggard, and rather than telling their loyal fans that they should sit on their hands for once rather than complaining to the moderator, down comes the portcullis. After awhile those that are left titter nervously about how great their site is because nothing bad can ever happen there. There's also a scramble to post effusive, obsequious praise on any change made to the site because, apparently, you don't want to be the poor SOB who was last in line to cheer.
For example, Missing-Links when Andrew Dextras ran it was a good portrayal of what an Iraqi Baath party conference would have looked like if it was run as a newsgroup. It's better now, maybe like Egypt or Belarus.
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