WebView vs NNTP Posts [UPDATE]

[Tim Clark]

My tests in Signatures
see: WebView vs NNTP Posts [test]

WebView:

http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...fba-9c79-74ee4fc56b19&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=&p=1

NNTP view:

news://privatenews.microsoft.com:119/[email protected]

seem to indicate that posts made via NNTP are now showing up in the Webview,
but with a delay of about a half hour (35 minutes) . This is of course an
improvement in the situation, as they seem to be a least showing up. Many
thanks to anyone and everyone who may have gotten in touch with somebody with
the power to correct the situation. I will continue to monitor the situation
to see if it remains stable.

?
Tim

This post made via WebView 4:05pm CST USA

 

[gene]

seem to indicate that posts made via NNTP are now showing up in the
Webview, but with a delay of about a half hour (35 minutes) . This
is of course an improvement in the situation, as they seem to be a
least showing up. Many thanks to anyone and everyone who may have
gotten in touch with somebody with the power to correct the
situation. I will continue to monitor the situation to see if it
remains stable.

Did you say the problem has been microsoft.private only? The ~30
minute delay you report has been the minimum standard for years with
regular Usenet groups.

Gene

 

[Tim Clark]

Gene,

I am just saying that NNTP posts are Now showing up in the WebView [they
were Not for quite a while] and it's taking about 35 minutes.

Posts directly to the WebView are showing up in both the WebView and the
NNTP view within a couple of minutes.

I have no recollections of what the delay may or may not have been prior to
the recent problems, but 35 minutes does seem longer than feels right.

?
Tim

via WV 7:40pm CST USA

 

[Pat Willener]

Why would anyone even try to use webview...?

 

[gene]

Why would anyone even try to use webview...?

As a longtime dedicated NNTP user, I've been surprised over the years at
how relatively few internet users even know what it is. For most
people, webview, i.e., using the browser and a forum-like route, now via
google groups, seems the easiest and normal way to participate. I saw
an article about this very recently, perhaps linked here, about how
many ISPs in the U.S. have discontinued Usenet support, and that it's
just a matter of time before it goes the way of .... (fill in your
choice). I rue that day.

Gene

 

[Tim Clark]

Pat, you did not use a smiley, but your kidding right?

The most obvious reason that folks would use the WebView is Convenience.
Most folks that I know browse the Web, check their email, visit forums, use
the irc, and check news groups all thru their web browser. It's like one stop
shopping, no need to have a separate program for each function.

Most folks that I know don't even know what NNTP or Usnet are :O

Another reason is Authentication. Posting in this forum via WebView
requires you to log in. When I post the link to the delta updates you know
it's from me. If you click on my name in this post [made using WebView] in
WebView, you get a pop up window that tells you some stuff about me, how long
I've been a member, how many posts I've made, etc. When you click on my
name, using WebView, in the posts I made using NNTP [Thunderbird] you just
see "No information available".

If I recall correctly the Webview also gives you the option to rate the
usefulness of posts to help others in judging the value of answers given,

The only reasons I use NNTP for Reading this group is that Thunderbird gives
me the option to filter out the known Trolls, and shows new follow up posts a
little more clearly.

But I always post in WebView

?
Tim

 

[Tim Clark]

Pat you did not include a smiley but you're kidding right?

The main reason folks would use the Webview is convenience.
Most folks I know browse the web, check their email, visit forums, check
newsgroups and even use the IRC all from the convenience of One program,
their web browser, no need for different programs. Most folks I know don't
even know what what NNTP or Usnet are :O

Another reason is Authentication. In order to post to this group using the
WebView I have to login. When I post the delta links, you know they are from
me. If you click on my name in this post [made in WebView] using WebView you
get a little pop up that tells you about me, how long I've been a member, how
many posts I've made, etc. If you do the same thing [using webview] on the
test posts I made using NNTP all you see is "No information available"

If I recall correctly the WebView also gives you the ability to rate posts
as useful so that others can judge the value of the answer in the future.
That is one of the reasons you can see the little token or mvp symbol next to
some members names, they have been authenticated.

The only reason I use NNTP in Thunderbird to READ these groups is that it
gives me the ability to filter out the known Trolls so I never have to see
their posts, oh, and it does show new follow up posts better. If the WebView
could do those 2 things I would use it exclusively.

[I tried to post this earlier but it seems to have not gone through, If the
original shows up, forgive this dup]

?
Tim
via WV 3:37pm CST USA

 

[Bill Sanderson]

And, tonight, NNTP has gone away completely. I've no idea if this is
intentional or not--perhaps not, but then again.....

 

[Tim Clark]

Bill,

Just so you know it was not just NNTP.
As you see in this thread my post to Pat Willener from yesterday , and it's
repost, did not appear till very late last night. I time stamped the second
attempt and it took over four hours, the original one was a couple of hours
earlier at least. So the problem was not just NNTP.

?:-/
Tim
via wv 12:38pm cst usa

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I did notice that my post didn't appear immediately. I posted that message
at around 11 PM or so, and the timestamp now is 1:22 AM.

Something broke, and I'm pretty impressed that the messages did, in fact,
get preserved and eventually posted.

 

[gene]

If I recall correctly the Webview also gives you the option to rate
the usefulness of posts to help others in judging the value of
answers given,

IMHO, that's a good reason in itself to abolish Webview. ;-) What I
like about the Usenet is that participants can create their own tenor
and style of discussion, and self-police to some major extent. What I
don't like is that they're more susceptible to trolling, crazies and
spam.

Gene

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I do like that it is possible to banish trolls to some extent. I also like
that it is possible to mark a question/thread answered--that saves reading
down some false leads in search of the answer to a specific question,
assuming the marking is accurate.

However, the speed always seems abysmal, and I've never found a satisfactory
way to easily just look at my unanswered threads.

 

[Pat Willener]

In fact, I was not. Actually, until a few days ago I didn't even know
that there was a web version of this group.

I knew that there are web versions of the microsoft.public newsgroups,
but I have never had any inclination to try it. My experience on those
groups are that many people post questions from the web interface, but
seem to be totally unable to find their original post or replies to it.
So they repost the same question, again and again.

Anyway, thanks for the explanation of possible advantages, but I'll
pass. I have used NNTP from the days before most people even had a
browser installed; I find it convenient, and I'll keep using it. Well,
as long as it lasts...

Pat you did not include a smiley but you're kidding right?

The main reason folks would use the Webview is convenience.
Most folks I know browse the web, check their email, visit forums, check
newsgroups and even use the IRC all from the convenience of One program,
their web browser, no need for different programs. Most folks I know don't
even know what what NNTP or Usnet are :O

Another reason is Authentication. In order to post to this group using the
WebView I have to login. When I post the delta links, you know they are from
me. If you click on my name in this post [made in WebView] using WebView you
get a little pop up that tells you about me, how long I've been a member, how
many posts I've made, etc. If you do the same thing [using webview] on the
test posts I made using NNTP all you see is "No information available"

If I recall correctly the WebView also gives you the ability to rate posts
as useful so that others can judge the value of the answer in the future.
That is one of the reasons you can see the little token or mvp symbol next to
some members names, they have been authenticated.

The only reason I use NNTP in Thunderbird to READ these groups is that it
gives me the ability to filter out the known Trolls so I never have to see
their posts, oh, and it does show new follow up posts better. If the WebView
could do those 2 things I would use it exclusively.

[I tried to post this earlier but it seems to have not gone through, If the
original shows up, forgive this dup]

?
Tim
via WV 3:37pm CST USA