Zen to drop binary news service :-(

James R wrote:
> "Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> From: zen.support
>>
>> Please see
>> <http://status.zensupport.co.uk/index.php?serviceid=8&incidentid=1209&simple=1>
>>
>> Following a recent review of our services, we have decided that as of
>> Friday 1st May 2009 we will no longer provide a binary news service. We
>> will, however, continue to provide a text only service. This decision
>> will not affect Web and e-mail services or streaming media content
>> through services such as iTunes or BBC iPlayer.
>>
>> We have seen enormous growth in the amount of data made available on
>> Usenet each day which shows no sign of slowing. Our user levels,
>> however, have fallen significantly because companies specialising in
>> Usenet (News Services) offer a richer source of data with a retention
>> period of up to 240 days. In order to provide a comparable service we
>> would need to undertake a major storage upgrade which cannot be
>> justified. Our aim therefore is to provide our customers with the best
>> text based news service.
>>
>> We are currently able to store data for five days. In March we will
>> store four days, in April we will store three days. Rather than switch
>> the service off with immediate effect, we have decided to do so
>> gradually.
>>
>> If you would like to continue to receive binary news, we are currently
>> in negotiations with external news providers for all Zen Internet
>> customers in 2009. We will keep you apprised of any developments.
>>
>> If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please call our
>> Customer Services team on 0845 058 9000 or e-mail
>> (E-Mail Removed).
>>
>> Kind regards,
>>
>> Customer Services
>> Zen Internet
>
> Oh dear, the sign of a failing company. I would get out now before you
> lose any subscription money. They are having difficulty paying the bills
> by the look of it.
>
>
Don't be silly. On text alone, when I ran a small ISP, the new server
was the largest most powerful machine we had. It cost at leasts 5 times
more than the next one, the mail server. It was always under pressure,
and any glitch resulted in a 24 hour period of catching up, and whilst
very few customers actually used it they all wanted it supplied for free.

Remember, there is no relationship between the size of server and its
power to your customer base. You need a fully fledged feck off server
handling the TOTAL volume of world usenet news to service just ONE customer.

It was a wonderful system when the internet was small, and most peole
posted by modem. You coud keep up with world chatter.

now its gotten ridiculous: it really is better to leave it to the few
companies that are doing it commercially.

And for the ISP's to step out of it.

Landru wrote
> "Steve" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> > Have you actually used O2 broadband?
>
> Not personally, no

Enough said.

On Thu, 5 Feb 2009 09:40:55 -0000, "Landru" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:


>I couldn't agree more, I am aware of the very good www.saynoto0870.com
>website but found the above number on the Zen site in this instance.
>
>John.
>
It never used to be on the site John but I haven't been on there for
quite a few years .

On Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:47:06 -0000, Steve <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Landru wrote
>> "Steve" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> > Have you actually used O2 broadband?
>>
>> Not personally, no
>
>Enough said.
Well I had an O2 connection some time ago and the speed was rubbish
and I just did not like the look of the modem router they supplied. I
shall be moving house next week and I want a second connection and has
our new house is very close to the exchange and with the newer modems
they are now supplying I may just give them another go . The website
says I shall get 20 meg so we shall see .

(E-Mail Removed) wrote
> On Thu, 5 Feb 2009 12:47:06 -0000, Steve <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Landru wrote
> >> "Steve" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >>
> >> > Have you actually used O2 broadband?
> >>
> >> Not personally, no
> >
> >Enough said.
>
> Well I had an O2 connection some time ago and the speed was rubbish

My ISP is BeUnlimited which is owned by the same company that owns
O2 and they share the same network. I get a steady 12000 kbps down
and 1000 kbps up. That's not too shabby, but the real plus point
is that they don't traffic shape or speed limit you.

> and I just did not like the look of the modem router they supplied.

BeUnlimited supply a Speedtouch router which I don't use because of
it constantly resetting, I use a Sky Netgear that I picked up cheap
on ebay and I reflashed the firmware. I don't know if the O2 modem
is the same as the BeUnlimited one, but if it is I suggest you
leave it in the box.

I
> shall be moving house next week and I want a second connection and has
> our new house is very close to the exchange and with the newer modems
> they are now supplying I may just give them another go . The website
> says I shall get 20 meg so we shall see .

Look again, it says "up to". To achieve the full 20 meg you'd have
to live in the exchange.

On Thu, 5 Feb 2009 15:08:05 -0000, Steve <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:


>My ISP is BeUnlimited which is owned by the same company that owns
>O2 and they share the same network. I get a steady 12000 kbps down
>and 1000 kbps up. That's not too shabby, but the real plus point
>is that they don't traffic shape or speed limit you.
The only reason I am thinking about O2 again and having swapped from
BE to O2 is because BE everything is staffed by none UK people and O2
on the other hand are Scottish which I can understand . Incidentally
my O2 connection was far better than the BE .
>BeUnlimited supply a Speedtouch router which I don't use because of
>it constantly resetting, I use a Sky Netgear that I picked up cheap
>on ebay and I reflashed the firmware. I don't know if the O2 modem
>is the same as the BeUnlimited one, but if it is I suggest you
>leave it in the box.
The NEW ones that O2 are supplying now look ok and far more modern
than the Speedtouch .

>Look again, it says "up to". To achieve the full 20 meg you'd have
>to live in the exchange.
One could be at the exchange out of the back gate of the house we are
moving to in less than a couple of minutes as the crow flies, but I
haven't made my mind up yet it could be I do not bother at all there
is only BE and O2 available in the exchange at the moment plus the
standard ADSL isp's .

In article <gmctqh$g5h$(E-Mail Removed)>, Landru
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>"Mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>
>> If you have any questions regarding this announcement, please call our
>> Customer Services team on 0845 058 9000 or e-mail
>> (E-Mail Removed).
>>
>
>Seems fair enough to me, who want's binarys these days?
>
Anyone with an interest in photography, I suppose -
alt.binaries.pictures.rail for example is a group much used by
railway enthusiasts.
--
Bill Borland

On 2009-02-04, "Gregory Hall" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Theft of copyrighted intellectual property should be discouraged. Let's
>hope, like any other criminal enterprise, it is on the wane.

Bit of an over-simplification as you seem to assume all binaries are
being posted illegally.