N00biE N00b N00B questions :)

ok... here it goes. i hve comcast and they have newsgroups. so i downloaded newsleecher and setup my comcast server (only 2 GB) and messed around a lil bit before i started asking questions about what newsgroups is all about.

i see all the groups. now does everyone see the same groups when you connect or do they differ by server? it looks to me they r all the same but had to ask.

finding files. lets say i'm looking for the movie the departed on dvdr. how would i go about searching for this? in newsleacher or are there sites that do the searching for me? is that what these .nbz files are? kinda like .torrents?

when i subscribe to a group and i see something i want but it has 92 .rar files how do i know i selected them all?

i have no problem paying giganews or whomever to start downloading. just want to figure out the best way to find the things i want.

i applaud and thank anyone who tries to help to my newness to all of this. probably more questions to come!

- Access to newsgroups differs depending on your provider
- An nzb file instructs a usenet client (like newsleecher) where to get files (edit: and which files to get)
- nzb files are accessible on various sites some require $. Here is a list to get you started http://http://www.p2pfix.com/index.php?c=1
- you don't necessarily need nzb files to download from newsgroups, they just make things easier

28 free nzb sites

http://www.angelfire.com/gundam/news...e/freenzb.html

If you want to make sure you leeched all the rar's you should check with the .sfv or .par files. Try opening them with quickpar.

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Originally Posted by WADDiE

ok... here it goes. i hve comcast and they have newsgroups. so i downloaded newsleecher and setup my comcast server (only 2 GB) and messed around a lil bit before i started asking questions about what newsgroups is all about.

i see all the groups. now does everyone see the same groups when you connect or do they differ by server? it looks to me they r all the same but had to ask.
-They're all the same, as far as I know. But some servers have filters so you can't see groups that have "xxx" or "erotica" or whatnot.

finding files. lets say i'm looking for the movie the departed on dvdr. how would i go about searching for this? in newsleacher or are there sites that do the searching for me? is that what these .nbz files are? kinda like .torrents?
-the best way to search for posts on usenet right now is by using a NZB index site. There're a lot of them out there and most of them charge. The free ones are poorly managed and are pretty annoying to dig through. You can always download the headers, but that takes forever. I find these filesharing forums with users posting NZBs to be pretty convenient and free, but you're limited to only what people post. They all have their ups and downs, I guess. When you look for NZB sites, try also looking for specific genres, ie."TV nzbs" or "music nzb"...
-there's also a group "alt.binaries.nzb" which is supposed to only have NZB's posted, but you will have to download the headers first to see if they have what you're looking for.
-.nzb files are a kinda like .torrents. They just index all the rar's for a specific post, like a nice rubber band around a bundle of sticks, and helps minimize searching. If you open an NZB with a newsreader, it brings the files to you instead of you having to find all the files. Most, if not all, newsreaders are now NZB compatible.

when i subscribe to a group and i see something i want but it has 92 .rar files how do i know i selected them all?
-welcome to the world of .par; .PAR files are repair files. If you download at least one that is associated with a specific post, you can open it with a PAR software and it will tell you how many you have and how many files are missing or needs repairing. I usually have no problems with new posts, but older posts are a little bit more troublesome. Most have a file count at the end of each subject/filename which looks like "(18/99)", which means 18th file out of 99.

i have no problem paying giganews or whomever to start downloading. just want to figure out the best way to find the things i want.


i applaud and thank anyone who tries to help to my newness to all of this. probably more questions to come!

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-seems like downloading from usenet is a lot of work, and I would have to say that it is, but I always know that my downloads are constantly faster than any other method of filesharing. :)

i'm just trying to figure out the best and easiest way to find the things i want before i invest money. torrents seem easier because you just grab a .torrent file and all the files needed are there... is there something im not getting with newsgroups in regards to grabbing files?

Yes, usenet is a little bit harder than the average filesharing program but its a lot faster and safer. And once you get the hang of it, it becomes a lot easier.

Check out this guide if you need help: http://www.slyck.com/ng.php

torrents are easier. But they're slow. For people without patience, like myself, waiting for days is unbearable.

SO, basically, I pay for the speedy download. :(

but to answer your original question:
1. NZB index sites are the easiest way to find files on usenet
2. NZB forum sites (like this one) are quite handy but somewhat limited
3. Downloading headers take a long time.

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Originally Posted by junglechink

For people without patience, like myself, waiting for days is unbearable.

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I'll second that motion

any recommendations for cheap service?

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Originally Posted by bcpnikhil

any recommendations for cheap service?

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Check if your ISP has a Usenet Server. If they do you should be able to use it free, however the newsgroup access and retention time may be limited. If your ISP has a really awful service, with no access to binary newsgroups etc, then I would recommend 'Usenet Server' or 'Giganews'........I think their prices are reasonable but if you want cheaper try typing 'Usenet Provider' in google and have a browse around some of the others, making sure to pay attention to Retention time.

what is retention time?

giganews: 90 days
usenetserver: 75

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Originally Posted by bcpnikhil

any recommendations for cheap service?

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Originally Posted by WADDiE

what is retention time?

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Check it,

Giganews: 90 days retention with 10 connections. Unlimited DL package costs $24.99/month. Pay $5/month more to get SSL encryption and 10 more connections.
PowerUsenet: 55 days retention and 4 connections for $14.95. Or 75 days retention and 8 connections for 19.99. Both unlimited DL. No encryption
NewsDemon: 65 days retention and 8 connections for $17.99. Or 85 days retention and 20 connections for $20.99. Both unlimited DL. No encryption.
NewsHosting: 45 days retention for $14.95/month or 70 day retention for $19.95/month. Both unlimited DL and 8 connections. No encryption.
UsenetServer: 75 days retention with 10 connections for $14.95/month for ulimited DL. Plus, in a few months, they are upgrading to 101 day retention. Encryption is included free.

Well, honestly, I think UsenetServer is the best deal. Plus, if you get the 3 month package, its really like ~$13/month. :)

im still not clear on what retention is... is it just the amount of time the files stay online that you upload before getting deleted?

hey erRor67,

one question-- how can you be everywhere??? are you claiming to be Jesus?

thanks for the info

Waddie, retention time is the length a post stays on the servers after it is initially posted by whomever. Sometimes it varies by the newsgroup depending on how heavily trafficked it is.

so if im just leeching it doesnt really apply to me then right?

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Originally Posted by WADDiE

so if im just leeching it doesnt really apply to me then right?

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Well, you cannot get files that are more than XX days old, so you cannot ignore it ;)

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Originally Posted by WADDiE

so if im just leeching it doesnt really apply to me then right?

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When you join a Usenet provider (UsenetServer, Giganews etc) they give you access to their particular usenet server (If you dont know what a server is, look it up on wikipedia), that is what you are paying for. When a person uploads they will upload to their usenet providers server (not necessarily the one you have access to), then that server quickly sends the files to all other usenet servers including (hopefully) the one your provider owns. You will then have access to the file, however the amount of time that these files will remain on your providers server (and the others) will vary. After a particular time the files will be deleted. This amount of time is referred to as 'retention time'. When you leech you leech from your usenet providers server only. Therefore the amount of time your provider keeps files on its server does apply to you because you will not be able to leech it after that time.

As retention times get longer the issue of file availability becomes less important because, given enough time, the files will be reposted and the timer goes back to zero.

great explanation curlz... thank you.

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Originally Posted by asfdlq3i45poi

hey erRor67,

one question-- how can you be everywhere??? are you claiming to be Jesus?

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Lol. No, I dont claim to be Jesus. Its just a joke. :lol: