I miss UKRM

[stephen...@gonemail.com]

15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
Saturday.

It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many others
via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.

And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
bothered to read.

I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.

Shame though.

I might have been drinking. Time to go watch television and switch my
mind off.

[c...@nospam.netunix.com]

Krusty <dontw...@nowhere.invalid> wrote:

> stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>
> > 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
> > Saturday.
> >
> > It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many
> > others via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
> >
> > And now... well it's about 300 posts a week.
>

> You need to go to Facebook UKRM & post something about BMWs.

>
> > Most of which I can't be bothered to read.

Such is the development of the internet. Back in the day, usenet was the
place to be, with a bit of IRC on the side. The popularity of the www
has led to framentation into many specialist forums, each with only
a small amount of traffic. The "new blood" has never even heard of
usenet so there are few replacements for the dropouts.
The facebook UKRM channel gets busy occasionally but it is a very small
fish in a big pond with a non-obvious name for non-usenet users.
I follow the usenet and facebook incarnations of UKRM and between
them there is a fair bit of chatter but nothing like the old days.

Such is life.

--
05 Yamaha YP400 Majesty - Shopping trolley and general workhorse.
75 Suzuki GT750 Kettle - Classic lardy 2smoke tourer.
81 Suzuki GT200 X5 - 2smoke fun - Wheeeeeee,
97 Ducati 750SS project.

[petrolcan]

In article <1l8unwr.14edd0jqxcwmpN%stephen...@gonemail.com>,
stephen...@gonemail.com says...

>
> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
> Saturday.
>
> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many others
> via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>
> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
> bothered to read.
>
> I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.
>
> Shame though.

Indeed. I've been away since Wednesday and tonight there were just over 200 messages
to catch up on.

> I might have been drinking.

That used to help with the volume.

[Gyp]

On 07/09/2013 23:03, stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
> Saturday.
>
> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many others
> via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>
> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
> bothered to read.
>
>

I was thinking the very same thing this week.

It has got to the stage that I'll glance at the headers every couple of
days, or when I find myself on a long bus journey, but there's not the
real-time aspect to UKRM any more that used to have me checking in
multiple times a day, and joining in multi-party chats into the early hours.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I've been hanging around here for
about 20 years I guess; not that long after I'd been using 9.6k dial up
and needing to hard-code routing in emails to ensure that they would get
to their destination in under a week.

Both life and the Internet have come a long way since that time, and
Usenet sits at the left hand end of that time line. I'm kind of knowing
how my father felt when I told him that Teletext was dying and going to
be turned off.

--
Gyp

[Gavin]

On 08/09/2013 00:27, c...@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote:
> I follow the usenet and facebook incarnations of UKRM and between
> them there is a fair bit of chatter but nothing like the old days.

Facebook content is richer however, and thats just the way of the world.

What would be good is an app that takes NNTP posts and then fires them
into a Facebook feed and vice versa.

--
Gavin.
GSXR 1000 L0.

[ogden]

stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>
> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
> Saturday.
>
> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many others
> via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>
> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
> bothered to read.

It used to be that I had trouble keeping up with UKRM. Now even with
Twitter, Facebook and UKRM being checked regularly, plus a couple of
other bike-based web forums, there's not enough to keep me entertained.

I feel like Johnny-5, needing more input. I might even have to go
outside and do something rather than just reading and writing about it.

--
ogden

[Jeremy Robinson]

c...@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote in news:l0gcpj$g6j$1...@news.albasani.net:

> Krusty <dontw...@nowhere.invalid> wrote:
>> stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>>
>> > 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
>> > Saturday.
>> >
>> > It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many
>> > others via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>> >
>> > And now... well it's about 300 posts a week.
>>
>> You need to go to Facebook UKRM & post something about BMWs.
>>
>> > Most of which I can't be bothered to read.
>
> Such is the development of the internet. Back in the day, usenet was
the
> place to be, with a bit of IRC on the side. The popularity of the www
> has led to framentation into many specialist forums, each with only
> a small amount of traffic. The "new blood" has never even heard of
> usenet so there are few replacements for the dropouts.
> The facebook UKRM channel gets busy occasionally but it is a very small
> fish in a big pond with a non-obvious name for non-usenet users.
> I follow the usenet and facebook incarnations of UKRM and between
> them there is a fair bit of chatter but nothing like the old days.
>
> Such is life.
>

That and the fact you are a bunch of unfriendly cunts.

No offence like.


--
Jeremy
Ireland
FJR1300ABS
GSX-R750K7
VF500F2F

[ghost of x]

wrote in message news:1l8unwr.14edd0jqxcwmpN%stephen...@gonemail.com...

Too many trolls are being fed on here. Once you feed a troll more trolls
will come.

[ogden]

That explains why newbies stopped joining, not why the regulars all
fucked off. I always found it a bit distasteful, the way the moment a
newbie appeared a few usual suspects would set out to be obnoxious as
possible. I'm sure they were trying to give off the impression that this
was a ruffty-tuffty corner of the internet where we're all happy to call
each other cunts, ain't we mate, etc, but the net impression was that we
are all a bunch of unfriendly cunts. In a bad way.

Not only was it hostile, it was monumentally fucking tedious.

The regulars fucked off because it got boring, other (easier to access)
fora were available, and they had better things to do. Oddly, looking
back at the last couple of months, there's a strong bias towards bike
related threads, rather than mobile phones and fixing computers. There's
just nobody around, relatively speaking, to respond and contribute to
them.

Sterling work from Paul Carmichael keeping up the phone and computer
threads though. Without them, we'd wither and die.

--
ogden

[Gyp]

Part of the reason that I don't use facebook is that I value my privacy
and don't like putting by whole life in one big bucket. I've popped up
on google+, but that was only because I was trying to use picasa.

I'd argue that migrating UKRM onto an internet forum would have perhaps
made sense, but that would have required someone to run it, and unless
Usenet was turned off there would be fragmentation like there is now.

--
Gyp

[Colin Irvine]

On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 11:46:31 +0200, ogden <og...@pre.org> wrote:

>stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>>
>> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
>> Saturday.
>>
>> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many others
>> via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>>
>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
>> bothered to read.
>
>It used to be that I had trouble keeping up with UKRM. Now even with
>Twitter, Facebook and UKRM being checked regularly, plus a couple of
>other bike-based web forums, there's not enough to keep me entertained.

Ditto, most of the time. It's the fragmentation that I regret. I need
one location, unmoderated, where I can enjoyed muti-threaded
conversations and banter with intelligent people. UKRM is still,
AFAICT, the only such place, even sparsely populated as it has become.

--
Colin Irvine
ZZR1400 BOF#33 BONY#34 COFF#06 BHaLC#5
http://www.colinandpat.co.uk

[YTC#1]

+1

I tried the FB UKRM page and uttley hated it. Threads are to hard to
follow when they fragment, it is a poor place for such styles.

[c...@nospam.netunix.com]

ogden <og...@pre.org> wrote:
>
> Not only was it hostile, it was monumentally fucking tedious.

Right then, would all the monks please stop chanting the Te Deum and
fuck off back to asr.

Sorted.

[TMack]

+1 on that. It was fair enough when somebody new came along and posted
pompous or obnoxious bollocks. However, there were quite a few who seemed
like reasonable people just "dipping their toes into the water". When
they found the water was infested with piranhas they buggered off
elsewhere. I found it interesting that there seemed to be (and probably
still are) many lurkers who rarely posted. They obviously found the
content interesting but probably didn't want to risk the almost inevitable
spite and aggression from some quarters.

--
Tony
'09 FJR1300, '87 TW200,
'94 PC800, OMF#24

[R C Nesbit]

Gavin spoke:

> Facebook content is richer however, and thats just the way of the world.

That depends on how you define 'richer' - by bling, or by actual content.

It is also short-term, which is also just the way of the world.


--
Rob_P
UKRM(at)indqualtec.co.uk
uppercase(d) BBIWYMC#1 BOG#11? MRO#31 IBCDBBB#1(kotl)
FJ1200, CCM130 Benelli Cabriolet (gone)
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that,
you've got it made

[R C Nesbit]

Ogden spoke:

> Sterling work from Paul Carmichael keeping up the phone and computer
> threads though. Without them, we'd wither and die.

Did I miss that one? bugger! I've been saving this up specially for
the next UKRM phone thread:

http://tinyurl.com/a8tf4hq

[Gavin]

On 08/09/2013 11:23, TMack wrote:
> They obviously found the
> content interesting but probably didn't want to risk the almost inevitable
> spite and aggression from some quarters.

I always took it as an adult forum and if you caught the bile of any
regular poster just walk it off.

I only recall biting back on a couple of occasions.

[Gavin]

On 08/09/2013 11:49, R C Nesbit wrote:
> Gavin spoke:
>> Facebook content is richer however, and thats just the way of the world.
>
> That depends on how you define 'richer' - by bling, or by actual content.
>
> It is also short-term, which is also just the way of the world.

Bit of both, although I personally hate the term bling.

[Rick]

On 08/09/2013 10:55, ogden wrote:
>>
>> That and the fact you are a bunch of unfriendly cunts.
>
> That explains why newbies stopped joining, not why the regulars all
> fucked off. I always found it a bit distasteful, the way the moment a
> newbie appeared a few usual suspects would set out to be obnoxious as
> possible. I'm sure they were trying to give off the impression that this
> was a ruffty-tuffty corner of the internet where we're all happy to call
> each other cunts, ain't we mate, etc, but the net impression was that we
> are all a bunch of unfriendly cunts. In a bad way.
>

I took it as a lesson in 'not giving a fuck what people wrote'...

When I first joined this group I expected useful advice, news of ride
outs, people with a mutual interest who might become friends etc.

I was so naive!

I immediately realised that everything I wrote could be willfully
misinterpreted, my shite old bike was slagged down and people aligned
with each other in something approaching a Des clique. I felt humbled
and stupid. I felt that I had to be Wittgensteinesque in my choice of
words. I felt that I had nothing of worth to write.

None of that has changed but now I don't give a fuck and I know that
most of you lot are just as stupid as me.

And a few are even more stupid.



--
Rick Brown
SprintRS R100RT

[Pete Fisher]

On 08/09/2013 11:11, Colin Irvine wrote:

Perhaps the volume of traffic will pick up as winter draws on. People
have been away on holiday and out doing things, even including riding
motorcycles[1].

UKRM still excels as the FOAK in terms of breadth, but it's fair to say
that the response time isn't as useful as it used to be in times of
need, particularly when faced with an urgent tricky repair query
(motorcycle, computer or even washing machine).

I find the ephemeral nature of FB makes it a poor medium for discussing
anything in depth, but must admit to doing a fair amount of
<type-delete=type-delete : abandon completely) in respect of some recent
political threads on here. The inevitable Pavlov's dog[2] response from
some quarters makes it not worth engaging the brain to compose a
considered reply.

[1] Though these days I'm finding it increasingly hard to get motivated
to ride on the road. Anyone want to buy a low mileage Shiver?

[2] Possibly not the correct metaphor - discuss.

--
Aprilia Shiver, Gilera GFR * 2, Moto Morini 2C/375
WR250Z (with YZ best bits) Supermoto (soon for sale)
KTM 350SXF "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber in waiting"
YZ450F Supermoto "The lad's now"
"Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault in the reality"

[Cab]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 11:11:02 +0100, Colin Irvine wibbled:

>>It used to be that I had trouble keeping up with UKRM. Now even with
>>Twitter, Facebook and UKRM being checked regularly, plus a couple of
>>other bike-based web forums, there's not enough to keep me entertained.
>
> Ditto, most of the time. It's the fragmentation that I regret. I need
> one location, unmoderated, where I can enjoyed muti-threaded
> conversations and banter with intelligent people. UKRM is still,
> AFAICT, the only such place, even sparsely populated as it has become.

+1. When I want entertainment on the web, I find it tough to find enough
material.

--
Cab :^) - Cogito sumere potum alterum
The ALL NEW ukrm website : http://www.ukrm.info
email addy : ukrm_dot_cab_at_rosbif_dot_org
SBS#33

[genuine_froggie]

In article <l0hllv$5le$1...@dont-email.me>,

Rick <richardhenley...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

> On 08/09/2013 10:55, ogden wrote:
> >>
> >> That and the fact you are a bunch of unfriendly cunts.
> >
> > That explains why newbies stopped joining, not why the regulars all
> > fucked off. I always found it a bit distasteful, the way the moment a
> > newbie appeared a few usual suspects would set out to be obnoxious as
> > possible. I'm sure they were trying to give off the impression that this
> > was a ruffty-tuffty corner of the internet where we're all happy to call
> > each other cunts, ain't we mate, etc, but the net impression was that we
> > are all a bunch of unfriendly cunts. In a bad way.
> >
>
> I took it as a lesson in 'not giving a fuck what people wrote'...

The Clique killed UKRM. That, and the sycophantic, fawning, borderline
self-debasing way in which the Clique spent so long with its collective
nose buried septum-deep in Bullshit Bear's bumcrack.

D.

--
des
Surly Long Haul Trucker (2008) | 'Free Palestine!' is code
Surly Long Haul Trucker (2013) | for 'Kill the Jews!'

[ogden]

On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 12:24:12 +0100, Cab <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> +1. When I want entertainment on the web, I find it tough to find
enough
> material.

www.pussytorrents.com

--
ogden on tour

[Pete]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 12:05:28 +0100, Rick
<richardhenley...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:


>
>I immediately realised that everything I wrote could be willfully
>misinterpreted, my shite old bike was slagged down and people aligned
>with each other in something approaching a Des clique. I felt humbled
>and stupid. I felt that I had to be Wittgensteinesque in my choice of
>words. I felt that I had nothing of worth to write.
>

Can't find much to disagree with in that.

My posts are few and far between, partly because many of the topics
are about issues that I know nothing about, so can't contribute
meaningfully, and the interesting bike-related ones mainly deal with
southern rides or continental trips that are outside my reach for the
time being.

The occasional controversial topic seems to bring out the worst in
extremist diatribes and that makes any involvement less rewarding.

However you won't get rid of me that easily. Usenet is still probably
more involving than Facebook, despite being text-only. Too many 'look
at my new bike' posts, and the inevitable awareness of someone looking
over your shoulder to censor that system make the web forum less fun.

--

Pete
ST675

[genuine_froggie]

In article <l0hllv$5le$1...@dont-email.me>,
Rick <richardhenley...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

> I immediately realised that everything I wrote could be willfully
> misinterpreted, my shite old bike was slagged down and people aligned
> with each other in something approaching a Des clique.

You've hit the nail on the head. I once challenged the group's resident
racist to write a post, send it to me via e-mail and let me post it
under my name, and I would do the same in reverse. He refused, because
he knew very well that the 'There is no Clique' rejoinder (about as
funny as the 'Shafties can't wheelie' garbage) would crumple.

[genuine_froggie]

In article <l0hkru$le$1...@dont-email.me>,

Gavin <ga...@eekafreek.nospam.com> wrote:

> On 08/09/2013 11:23, TMack wrote:
> > They obviously found the
> > content interesting but probably didn't want to risk the almost inevitable
> > spite and aggression from some quarters.
>
> I always took it as an adult forum and if you caught the bile of any
> regular poster just walk it off.

An adult forum with endemic juvenility.

D.

[PipL]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 12:18:18 +0100, Pete Fisher <pe...@ps-fisher.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

>Perhaps the volume of traffic will pick up as winter draws on. People
>have been away on holiday and out doing things, even including riding
>motorcycles[1].

Mind you, it's only the near-Luddites like me who can't both do exotic stuff
on motorbikes /and/ post about it while they're away.

--

Pip

[PipL]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 10:43:58 +0100, Gavin <ga...@eekafreek.nospam.com> wrote:

>On 08/09/2013 00:27, c...@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote:
>> I follow the usenet and facebook incarnations of UKRM and between
>> them there is a fair bit of chatter but nothing like the old days.
>
>Facebook content is richer however, and thats just the way of the world.

In some ways. The UKRM , ah, 'style', doesn't translate well to FB though.

>What would be good is an app that takes NNTP posts and then fires them
>into a Facebook feed and vice versa.

I think that might be a good idea, but it might need a few, ahem, filters, as
I recently discovered, unless there's a way of blocking updates to friends?
Perhaps a dedicated web page instead, with proper threading, thus saving the
need for installing a Usenet client? I guess funding becomes an issue though.

Maybe Usenet simply needs a bit of marketing. "Don't trust facebook but want
to socialise online? Thrill at the idea of regular courier company updates?
Love talking mobile phones? Get to call people a cunt without upsetting
Granny? The get you sorry arse to Usenet!

Terms and conditions apply. No cunts. Posters may be older and larger in real
life.
--

Pip

[Andy B]

genuine_froggie <genuine...@des.com> wrote:

snip>

> The Clique killed UKRM. That, and the sycophantic, fawning, borderline
> self-debasing way in which the Clique spent so long with its collective
> nose buried septum-deep in Bullshit Bear's bumcrack.
>

Others would argue that certain people insisting on changing their ID to
get past killfiles did more damage because once the trolls start to win
the number of people posting goes down.

[genuine_froggie]

In article <1l8vuti.z78xduj8zod5N%sp...@bonwick.me.uk>,

That could be argued, but then, there would have been no need for anyone
to do so, if there hadn't been the usual retarded fuckwits, himbos and
assorted losers who harbour the quaint notion that Usenet is some sort
of area of 'non-droit', and that hiding behind a killfile is somehow
'big' or 'clever'.

[tim]

On 08/09/2013 10:55, ogden wrote:

> jeremy.rob...@ul.ie wrote:
>>
>> c...@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote in news:l0gcpj$g6j$1...@news.albasani.net:
>>
>>> Krusty <dontw...@nowhere.invalid> wrote:
>>>> stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
>>>>> Saturday.
>>>>>
>>>>> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many
>>>>> others via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>>>>>
>>>>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week.
>>>>
>>>> You need to go to Facebook UKRM & post something about BMWs.
>>>>
>>>>> Most of which I can't be bothered to read.
>>>
>>> Such is the development of the internet. Back in the day, usenet was
>> the
>>> place to be, with a bit of IRC on the side. The popularity of the www
>>> has led to framentation into many specialist forums, each with only
>>> a small amount of traffic. The "new blood" has never even heard of
>>> usenet so there are few replacements for the dropouts.
>>> The facebook UKRM channel gets busy occasionally but it is a very small
>>> fish in a big pond with a non-obvious name for non-usenet users.
>>> I follow the usenet and facebook incarnations of UKRM and between
>>> them there is a fair bit of chatter but nothing like the old days.
>>>
>>> Such is life.
>>>
>>
>> That and the fact you are a bunch of unfriendly cunts.
>

[snip]

>
> Sterling work from Paul Carmichael keeping up the phone and computer
> threads though. Without them, we'd wither and die.
>

I'm more concerned about the withering etc due to alcohol abuse, iyswim ;-)

Belgium was fun.

[tim]

I am sure we'll have some more gems now you're back from travelling and
writing. When are you down south again so we can have a beer or three?

[ogden]

Quite a light one though. Made a pleasant change from the usual heavy
drinking.

--
ogden

[Andy B]

genuine_froggie <genuine...@des.com> wrote:

> In article <1l8vuti.z78xduj8zod5N%sp...@bonwick.me.uk>,
> sp...@bonwick.me.uk (Andy B) wrote:
>
> > genuine_froggie <genuine...@des.com> wrote:
> >
> > snip>
> >
> > > The Clique killed UKRM. That, and the sycophantic, fawning, borderline
> > > self-debasing way in which the Clique spent so long with its collective
> > > nose buried septum-deep in Bullshit Bear's bumcrack.
> > >
> > Others would argue that certain people insisting on changing their ID to
> > get past killfiles did more damage because once the trolls start to win
> > the number of people posting goes down.
>
> That could be argued, but then, there would have been no need for anyone
> to do so, if there hadn't been the usual retarded fuckwits, himbos and
> assorted losers who harbour the quaint notion that Usenet is some sort
> of area of 'non-droit', and that hiding behind a killfile is somehow
> 'big' or 'clever'.

Using a killfile to block someone isn't hiding but changing a posting
name to disguise your identity is.

Trolls used to be more of a pain when connections were a lot slower and
a lot of providers charged for the amount you used and the time you were
connected but why should they care if they were costing people money
with their selfishness?

[Salad Dodger]

On Sat, 7 Sep 2013 23:03:56 +0100, stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:

>15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
>Saturday.
>
>It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many others
>via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>

>And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
>bothered to read.

Troo. Apart from boring the arse off the world with tales of history's
slowest healing leg, I haven't had much to contribute these past two
years.

I'm slightly worried that I'll have loads of stuff to post next year,
and no "audience". ;-)
Having nothing to post, is a more worrying option.
>
>I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.

Or boring. Perhaps we always were.
>
>Shame though.

Indeed.
--
GL1500SEV; CB1300SA8; CBX1000Z
Previously ...
GL1800A6; CBR1100XX-X; CBR1000FL; GPz750R;
Z650C2; Z750E1; KH500A8; KH250B3; TS250c;
TS185c.

[tim]

I felt sorry for the ones who failed to appear. After all, what's better
than getting pickled while watching bike racing?

[ogden]

ga...@eekafreek.nospam.com wrote:
>
> On 08/09/2013 11:23, TMack wrote:
> > They obviously found the
> > content interesting but probably didn't want to risk the almost inevitable
> > spite and aggression from some quarters.
>
> I always took it as an adult forum and if you caught the bile of any
> regular poster just walk it off.

Sure, and reading for a bit beforehand might give that away. But not
everyone lurks before posting, and how many interesting contributors did
we lose because somebody couldn't resist playing the hard man from
behind a keyboard?

We get the company we deserve.

--
ogden

[ogden]

richardhenley...@tiscali.co.uk wrote:
>
> On 08/09/2013 10:55, ogden wrote:
> >>
> >> That and the fact you are a bunch of unfriendly cunts.
> >
> > That explains why newbies stopped joining, not why the regulars all
> > fucked off. I always found it a bit distasteful, the way the moment a
> > newbie appeared a few usual suspects would set out to be obnoxious as
> > possible. I'm sure they were trying to give off the impression that this
> > was a ruffty-tuffty corner of the internet where we're all happy to call
> > each other cunts, ain't we mate, etc, but the net impression was that we
> > are all a bunch of unfriendly cunts. In a bad way.
> >
>
> I took it as a lesson in 'not giving a fuck what people wrote'...
>
> When I first joined this group I expected useful advice, news of ride
> outs, people with a mutual interest who might become friends etc.
>
> I was so naive!

Weird, because that's exactly what I found UKRM good for, on all three
counts.

People stopped turning up for regular ride-outs, but the other two still
hold.

--
ogden

[Rick]

On 08/09/2013 15:18, ogden wrote:

>> When I first joined this group I expected useful advice, news of ride
>> outs, people with a mutual interest who might become friends etc.
>>
>> I was so naive!
>
> Weird, because that's exactly what I found UKRM good for, on all three
> counts.

I'm not saying this wasn't the case - in fact I agree with you. The few
ukrmers I've met were very welcoming. It's the fact that this aspect of
the group was always buried in a mire of sniping and abuse.

>
> People stopped turning up for regular ride-outs, but the other two still
> hold.
>

Tbh, I would love to go on a French run or a trans-europe jolly but I
*never* have the money these days. Maybe next year will be different and
I can gaze upon a few more of your cuntish faces.

[The Older Gentleman]

Andy B <sp...@bonwick.me.uk> wrote:

> once the trolls start to win
> the number of people posting goes down.

The trolls have tried many times to dominate ukrm, and failed.

Remember what happened to alt.local.yorkshire?

--
Honda CB400 Four CB125S Triumph Street Triple Ducati 800SS
BMW K1200RS Yamaha 660 Tenere Suzuki GN250 TS250ER x3
So many bikes, so little garage space....
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com

[The Older Gentleman]

<stephen...@gonemail.com> wrote:

> I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.

Not really. Just that, if you accept that ukrm was a very early form of
social media, then you must accept there's rather more forms available
now.

Plus the fact that Usenet is *definitely* a bit geeky. It's not
necessarily that newbies have never heard of ukrm - they've almost
certainly never heard of Usenet, period.

[Rick]

On 08/09/2013 15:52, The Older Gentleman wrote:
> <stephen...@gonemail.com> wrote:
>
>> I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.
>
> Not really. Just that, if you accept that ukrm was a very early form of
> social media, then you must accept there's rather more forms available
> now.
>
> Plus the fact that Usenet is *definitely* a bit geeky. It's not
> necessarily that newbies have never heard of ukrm - they've almost
> certainly never heard of Usenet, period.
>

Troo dat. I've lost count of the number of times I've mentioned usenet
to fellow bikers. The response is usually a vacant stare and afaik not
one of them has joined the group.

More than one mouse click definitely equals 'geeky' these days :)

[genuine_froggie]

In article <1l8vw0m.fbwn884d9pl3N%sp...@bonwick.me.uk>,

sp...@bonwick.me.uk (Andy B) wrote:

> genuine_froggie <genuine...@des.com> wrote:
>
> > In article <1l8vuti.z78xduj8zod5N%sp...@bonwick.me.uk>,
> > sp...@bonwick.me.uk (Andy B) wrote:
> >
> > > genuine_froggie <genuine...@des.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > snip>
> > >
> > > > The Clique killed UKRM. That, and the sycophantic, fawning, borderline
> > > > self-debasing way in which the Clique spent so long with its collective
> > > > nose buried septum-deep in Bullshit Bear's bumcrack.
> > > >
> > > Others would argue that certain people insisting on changing their ID to
> > > get past killfiles did more damage because once the trolls start to win
> > > the number of people posting goes down.
> >
> > That could be argued, but then, there would have been no need for anyone
> > to do so, if there hadn't been the usual retarded fuckwits, himbos and
> > assorted losers who harbour the quaint notion that Usenet is some sort
> > of area of 'non-droit', and that hiding behind a killfile is somehow
> > 'big' or 'clever'.
>
> Using a killfile to block someone isn't hiding

I didn't really care if someone killfiled me. In fact, I actively
encouraged it for those dour-faced, whining bastards who went on and on
about hating me and every word that sprang from my 'accurs�d' pen, and
yet who hung on every one of those words, desperate to see if I
mentioned their name.

Libelling whilst hiding behind a killfile is another matter, however.
One has the right to reply to and refute libellous accusations of (to
give but one example) sexual activity with a child. To make those
accusations and then claim 'I can't hear you, nyar-nyar, nyar-nyar,
nyar!!' to any responses, is not on.

It's yet more proof of the existence of the Clique, that members were
able to make those accusations and then hide behind their killfile. Or
how about getting pissed on a TOG run and telling everyone who'd listen,
the personal and financial details of someone whom you'd called a
friend?

I'm sure you see what I mean.

> but changing a posting name to disguise your identity is.

Not so, as long as everyone is aware of who the person using that second
'nym' is.

[The Older Gentleman]

tim <t...@nospam.osvif.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> After all, what's better
> than getting pickled while watching bike racing?

Getting pickled while watching bike racing in the sun.

[genuine_froggie]

In article <1l8vyp1.ru2map19fbpwqN%totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk>,

totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk (The Older Gentleman) wrote:

> <stephen...@gonemail.com> wrote:
>
> > I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.
>
> Not really. Just that, if you accept that ukrm was a very early form of
> social media, then you must accept there's rather more forms available
> now.
>
> Plus the fact that Usenet is *definitely* a bit geeky. It's not
> necessarily that newbies have never heard of ukrm - they've almost
> certainly never heard of Usenet, period.

Fucking hell, standards have slipped (and words have lost much of their
meaning) if you're 'a bit geeky' because you know what Usenet is. It
strikes me as a bit like the girls who call themselves 'geeks' because
they play computer games.

[The Older Gentleman]

Andy B <sp...@bonwick.me.uk> wrote:

> Using a killfile to block someone isn't hiding but changing a posting
> name to disguise your identity is.

*Snort*.

Sometimes The Bleedin' Obvious still has to be stated, doesn't it? :-)

[Andy B]

The Older Gentleman <totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> Andy B <sp...@bonwick.me.uk> wrote:
>
> > Using a killfile to block someone isn't hiding but changing a posting
> > name to disguise your identity is.
>
> *Snort*.
>
> Sometimes The Bleedin' Obvious still has to be stated, doesn't it? :-)

It appears that some still don't get it.

[Andy B]

The Older Gentleman <totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> tim <t...@nospam.osvif.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > After all, what's better
> > than getting pickled while watching bike racing?
>
> Getting pickled while watching bike racing in the sun.

Well that's what we were doing for most of the time at Gedinne.

[genuine_froggie]

In article <1l8vzlk.160vdmu1gylp0qN%totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk>,

totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk (The Older Gentleman) wrote:

> Andy B <sp...@bonwick.me.uk> wrote:
>
> > Using a killfile to block someone isn't hiding but changing a posting
> > name to disguise your identity is.
>
> *Snort*.
>
> Sometimes The Bleedin' Obvious still has to be stated, doesn't it? :-)

*snort* indeed. It's like listening to a performing seal flapping its
flippers.

[genuine_froggie]

In article <1l8vzoi.9fy99rtf11blN%sp...@bonwick.me.uk>,

<Bullshit Bear mode ON>
Oh, the irony...
< />

[ogden]

On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 16:08:31 +0100, totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:
> tim <t...@nospam.osvif.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> > After all, what's better
> > than getting pickled while watching bike racing?

> Getting pickled while watching bike racing in the sun.

That's what we did. I got sunburn and everything.

--
ogden on tour

[Cab]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 15:40:42 +0100, Rick wibbled:

> Tbh, I would love to go on a French run or a trans-europe jolly but I
> *never* have the money these days. Maybe next year will be different and
> I can gaze upon a few more of your cuntish faces.

That reminds me, I need to get back to Col...

--
Cab :^) - Cogito sumere potum alterum
The ALL NEW ukrm website : http://www.ukrm.info
email addy : ukrm_dot_cab_at_rosbif_dot_org
SBS#33

[Colin Irvine]

On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 18:31:35 +0100, Cab <m...@privacy.net> wrote:

>On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 15:40:42 +0100, Rick wibbled:
>> Tbh, I would love to go on a French run or a trans-europe jolly but I
>> *never* have the money these days. Maybe next year will be different and
>> I can gaze upon a few more of your cuntish faces.
>
>That reminds me, I need to get back to Col...

<Manuel>

Eventually.

</Manuel>

--
Colin Irvine
ZZR1400 BOF#33 BONY#34 COFF#06 BHaLC#5
http://www.colinandpat.co.uk

[The Older Gentleman]

ogden <og...@pre.org> wrote:

> I always found it a bit distasteful, the way the moment a
> newbie appeared a few usual suspects would set out to be obnoxious as
> possible. I'm sure they were trying to give off the impression that this
> was a ruffty-tuffty corner of the internet where we're all happy to call
> each other cunts, ain't we mate, etc, but the net impression was that we
> are all a bunch of unfriendly cunts. In a bad way.
>

> Not only was it hostile, it was monumentally fucking tedious.

Gently, I remind you about your chortling over how you used to wind up
Jackie, with posts that were, to put it mildly,. a bit awkward.

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 14:31, Andy B wrote:
> genuine_froggie <genuine...@des.com> wrote:
>
> snip>
>
>> The Clique killed UKRM. That, and the sycophantic, fawning, borderline
>> self-debasing way in which the Clique spent so long with its collective
>> nose buried septum-deep in Bullshit Bear's bumcrack.
>>
> Others would argue that certain people insisting on changing their ID to

Sssssshhhh, don't give tony and co ideas !

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 15:52, The Older Gentleman wrote:

> Andy B <sp...@bonwick.me.uk> wrote:
>
>> once the trolls start to win
>> the number of people posting goes down.
>
> The trolls have tried many times to dominate ukrm, and failed.
>
> Remember what happened to alt.local.yorkshire?
>

No, what happened ?

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 13:12, genuine_froggie wrote:
> In article <l0hllv$5le$1...@dont-email.me>,
> Rick <richardhenley...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> I immediately realised that everything I wrote could be willfully
>> misinterpreted, my shite old bike was slagged down and people aligned
>> with each other in something approaching a Des clique.
>
> You've hit the nail on the head. I once challenged the group's resident
> racist to write a post, send it to me via e-mail and let me post it

We had a resident racist ? Who did you deem that was ?

> under my name, and I would do the same in reverse. He refused, because
> he knew very well that the 'There is no Clique' rejoinder (about as
> funny as the 'Shafties can't wheelie' garbage) would crumple.

They can ? fuck ! I'll go and try it
>

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 15:18, ogden wrote:

Oh they still turn up, they just make sure you don't know when or where :-)

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 15:18, ogden wrote:

I think UKRM does the group and scatter approach best.

Choose a destination, get there, chat/eat/drink and then head for the
next. Like French runs or the French MOSM last year.

[The Older Gentleman]

Well, they killed it, basically. Just flooded it.

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 16:08, The Older Gentleman wrote:
> tim <t...@nospam.osvif.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> After all, what's better
>> than getting pickled while watching bike racing?
>
> Getting pickled while watching bike racing in the sun.
>
>

Getting pickled in the sun while doing something more interesting that
watching bikes go round and round.

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 14:52, tim wrote:
> On 08/09/2013 11:17, YTC#1 wrote:
>> On 08/09/2013 11:11, Colin Irvine wrote:
>>> On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 11:46:31 +0200, ogden <og...@pre.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
>>>>> Saturday.
>>>>>
>>>>> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many
>>>>> others
>>>>> via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>>>>>
>>>>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
>>>>> bothered to read.
>>>>
>>>> It used to be that I had trouble keeping up with UKRM. Now even with
>>>> Twitter, Facebook and UKRM being checked regularly, plus a couple of
>>>> other bike-based web forums, there's not enough to keep me entertained.
>>>
>>> Ditto, most of the time. It's the fragmentation that I regret. I need
>>> one location, unmoderated, where I can enjoyed muti-threaded
>>> conversations and banter with intelligent people. UKRM is still,
>>> AFAICT, the only such place, even sparsely populated as it has become.
>>>
>>
>> +1
>>
>> I tried the FB UKRM page and uttley hated it. Threads are to hard to
>> follow when they fragment, it is a poor place for such styles.
>>
> I am sure we'll have some more gems now you're back from travelling and
> writing. When are you down south again so we can have a beer or three?
>

I seem to never be in your part of the country, either central London,
West of Heathrow or South of the M25.

Currently Chelt/Gloucester

Or, you could come north :-)

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 15:06, Salad Dodger wrote:

> On Sat, 7 Sep 2013 23:03:56 +0100, stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>
>> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
>> Saturday.
>>
>> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many others
>> via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>>
>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
>> bothered to read.
>

> Troo. Apart from boring the arse off the world with tales of history's
> slowest healing leg, I haven't had much to contribute these past two
> years.
>
> I'm slightly worried that I'll have loads of stuff to post next year,
> and no "audience". ;-)

That's OK, every one ignores it anyway :-)

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 15:52, The Older Gentleman wrote:

> <stephen...@gonemail.com> wrote:
>
>> I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.
>
> Not really. Just that, if you accept that ukrm was a very early form of
> social media, then you must accept there's rather more forms available
> now.
>
> Plus the fact that Usenet is *definitely* a bit geeky. It's not
> necessarily that newbies have never heard of ukrm - they've almost
> certainly never heard of Usenet, period.
>
>
>

Tell them it is a forum

[ogden]

On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 20:00:54 +0100, totallyde...@yahoo.co.uk
(The Older Gentleman) wrote:
> Gently, I remind you about your chortling over how you used to wind
up
> Jackie, with posts that were, to put it mildly,. a bit awkward.

One post, while drunk, does not constitute a habit.

--
ogden on tour

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 21:02, The Older Gentleman wrote:
> YTC#1 <b...@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> On 08/09/2013 15:52, The Older Gentleman wrote:
>>> Andy B <sp...@bonwick.me.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> once the trolls start to win
>>>> the number of people posting goes down.
>>>
>>> The trolls have tried many times to dominate ukrm, and failed.
>>>
>>> Remember what happened to alt.local.yorkshire?
>>>
>>
>> No, what happened ?
>
> Well, they killed it, basically. Just flooded it.
>
>

But surely Yorkshire is used to being flooded ? :-)

[Leszek Karlik]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 00:03:56 +0200, <stephen...@gonemail.com> wrote:

[...]

> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
> bothered to read.

> I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.

It's still the most active usenet group on my reading list
(although only due to the fact that rec.arts.sf.written has
too much traffic :-)).

And that's because people around here are old geezers and
still know what usenet is. When during a panel on an SF convention
(supposedly a haven of nerds and geekery) I asked a classroom
full of people who has heard of Usenet, three arms were raised,
and I knew two of the three.

Usenet has been on a respirator for some time already.
But what am I gonna do, move to Facebook? Sigh.

--
Leszek 'Leslie' Karlik NTV 650 & ST995i
http://leslie.hell.pl/

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ne...@netfront.net ---

[Jeremy Robinson]

"Leszek Karlik" <leszek...@gmail.com> wrote in news:op.w2314ax5x6wrx9
@honest-mistake.wag160n:

> On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 00:03:56 +0200, <stephen...@gonemail.com>
wrote:
>
> [...]
>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
>> bothered to read.
>> I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.
>
> It's still the most active usenet group on my reading list
> (although only due to the fact that rec.arts.sf.written has
> too much traffic :-)).
>
> And that's because people around here are old geezers and
> still know what usenet is. When during a panel on an SF convention
> (supposedly a haven of nerds and geekery) I asked a classroom
> full of people who has heard of Usenet, three arms were raised,
> and I knew two of the three.
>
> Usenet has been on a respirator for some time already.
> But what am I gonna do, move to Facebook? Sigh.
>

The porn groups seem to attract plenty of traffic. As do the divx types
so there's still some users of there.


--
Jeremy
Ireland
FJR1300ABS
GSX-R750K7
VF500F2F

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 22:03, Leszek Karlik wrote:
> On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 00:03:56 +0200, <stephen...@gonemail.com> wrote:
>
> [...]
>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I can't be
>> bothered to read.
>> I guess we all grew up/ got old/ got bored.
>
> It's still the most active usenet group on my reading list
> (although only due to the fact that rec.arts.sf.written has
> too much traffic :-)).
>
> And that's because people around here are old geezers and

Oi ! Less of the old, I am only 50 !
>

[Thomas]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 07:15:29 -0700, ogden <og...@pre.org> wrote:

>
> We get the company we deserve.

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm a member of the clique, or just a
pet poodle.

[YTC#1]

Dare I ask how you know .....

[Rick]

Walkies!

--
Rick Brown
SprintRS R100RT

[SteveL]

On Sunday, September 8, 2013 10:20:33 PM UTC+1, Thomas wrote:
> I'm still trying to figure out if I'm a member of the clique, or just a
> pet poodle.

I'm still trying to figure out who the members of the clique are.
It's either my mum or my dad. Or my older brother Colin.
Or my younger brother Ho-Cha-Chu. But I think it's Colin.

Steve

[YTC#1]

On 08/09/2013 22:20, Thomas wrote:

I wonder when Des will realise there is no clique ?

[YTC#1]

Yep, you got it. Colin and CAB

[Jeremy Robinson]

YTC#1 <b...@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote in news:l0ipnb$be4$3...@dont-email.me:

Sex with someone I love innit.

[Gavin]

41

--
Gavin.
GSXR 1000 L0.

[ts]

Leszek Karlik <leszek...@gmail.com> wrote:

> But what am I gonna do, move to Facebook? Sigh.

I'll consider that when my NNTP provider starts placing adverts in my
posts.

--
ts // scrap vehicle to send e-mail
80/7 x 2, K-RS 6v

[YTC#1]

No, I'm 50 ...

[Cab]

On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 22:31:12 +0100, YTC#1 wibbled:

>>> We get the company we deserve.
>>
>> I'm still trying to figure out if I'm a member of the clique, or just a
>> pet poodle.
>
> I wonder when Des will realise there is no clique ?

There is no clique. Not any more, anyway.
--
Cab :^) - Cogito sumere potum alterum
The ALL NEW ukrm website : http://www.ukrm.info
email addy : ukrm_dot_cab_at_rosbif_dot_org
SBS#33

[genuine_froggie]

In article <pp8vfa-...@news.rosbif.org>, Cab <m...@privacy.net>
wrote:

> On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 22:31:12 +0100, YTC#1 wibbled:
> >>> We get the company we deserve.
> >>
> >> I'm still trying to figure out if I'm a member of the clique, or just a
> >> pet poodle.
> >
> > I wonder when Des will realise there is no clique ?
>
> There is no clique. Not any more, anyway.

Absolutely. And shafties can't wheelie.

--
des
Surly Long Haul Trucker (2008) | 'Free Palestine!' is code
Surly Long Haul Trucker (2013) | for 'Kill the Jews!'

[Charlie]

On 08/09/2013 11:51, Gavin wrote:
> I always took it as an adult forum and if you caught the bile of any
> regular poster just walk it off.
>
> I only recall biting back on a couple of occasions.

After an early post of mine, 1999-ish, an old hand fired both barrels at
me and I got a bit hoity-toity in what I thought was a bitingly
sarcastic reply. His immediate riposte was so quick, so 'right' and so
bloody funny that I got back into my box and have behaved myself (more
or less) ever since within UKRM's rules - or what passes for them.

Nothing is forever, but I would regret the end of UKRM in this guise.
IRC was a brief bit of late-night fun, but I can't ever see myself
Facebooking.

[Hog]

boots wrote:
> On Sun, 08 Sep 2013 10:56:48 +0100 in uk.rec.motorcycles, Gyp says:
>
>> I'd argue that migrating UKRM onto an internet forum would have
>> perhaps made sense, but that would have required someone to run it,
>> and unless Usenet was turned off there would be fragmentation like
>> there is now.
>
> Every forum I a member of is moderated as the owners are concerned
> about potential legal action form people whose feelings get hurt. At
> least on Usenet you can still call someone a cunt.

I believe that's the issue and moderated sites quickly grip the shit.
I suppose we could have an Onion site, everyone user Tor, right? ;o)

--
Hog

GSXR1000K4 Ducati ST4S GasGas 250 Raga

[Hog]

Krusty wrote:
> Gyp wrote:
>
>> On 08/09/2013 10:43, Gavin wrote:
>>> On 08/09/2013 00:27, c...@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote:
>>>> I follow the usenet and facebook incarnations of UKRM and between
>>>> them there is a fair bit of chatter but nothing like the old days.
>>>
>>> Facebook content is richer however, and thats just the way of the
>>> world.
>>>
>>> What would be good is an app that takes NNTP posts and then fires
>>> them into a Facebook feed and vice versa.
>>>
>>
>> Part of the reason that I don't use facebook is that I value my
>> privacy and don't like putting by whole life in one big bucket.
>
> Facebook only knows what you tell it, none of which has to be real,
> other than an email address (which can of course be a newly created
> one just for Facebook).

Err yes quite.
FB works well enough if you use it to access a group, UKRM in this case,
vaguely keep in touch with people and ignore the other layers of
shite.....and the "temptation" to detail every cup of coffee/dump to
everyone who knows you.

Worst of all was the other motorcycle group, name escapes me, which I picked
up from Steph's posts. Educational, eddyoucaashunal. Mastery of basic
spelling and grammar cannot be taken for granted.

[Hog]

YTC#1 wrote:
> On 08/09/2013 11:11, Colin Irvine wrote:
>> On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 11:46:31 +0200, ogden <og...@pre.org> wrote:
>>

>>> stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on a
>>>> Saturday.
>>>>
>>>> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many
>>>> others via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>>>>

>>>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week. Most of which I
>>>> can't be bothered to read.
>>>

>>> It used to be that I had trouble keeping up with UKRM. Now even with
>>> Twitter, Facebook and UKRM being checked regularly, plus a couple of
>>> other bike-based web forums, there's not enough to keep me
>>> entertained.
>>
>> Ditto, most of the time. It's the fragmentation that I regret. I need
>> one location, unmoderated, where I can enjoyed muti-threaded
>> conversations and banter with intelligent people. UKRM is still,
>> AFAICT, the only such place, even sparsely populated as it has
>> become.
>
> +1
>
> I tried the FB UKRM page and uttley hated it. Threads are to hard to
> follow when they fragment, it is a poor place for such styles.

Hated is a rather strong term in the circumstances, don't you think?

[Hog]

ogden wrote:
> jeremy.rob...@ul.ie wrote:
>>
>> c...@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote in news:l0gcpj$g6j$1...@news.albasani.net:

>>
>>> Krusty <dontw...@nowhere.invalid> wrote:
>>>> stephen...@gonemail.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> 15 years ago, or so, there would have been 1000 messages or so on
>>>>> a Saturday.
>>>>>
>>>>> It would be possible to have virtually real-time chats with many
>>>>> others via usenet, and/or via the IRC channel.
>>>>>
>>>>> And now... well it's about 300 posts a week.
>>>>

>>>> You need to go to Facebook UKRM & post something about BMWs.

>>>>
>>>>> Most of which I can't be bothered to read.
>>>

>>> Such is the development of the internet. Back in the day, usenet
>>> was the place to be, with a bit of IRC on the side. The popularity
>>> of the www has led to framentation into many specialist forums,
>>> each with only
>>> a small amount of traffic. The "new blood" has never even heard of
>>> usenet so there are few replacements for the dropouts.
>>> The facebook UKRM channel gets busy occasionally but it is a very
>>> small fish in a big pond with a non-obvious name for non-usenet
>>> users.

>>> I follow the usenet and facebook incarnations of UKRM and between
>>> them there is a fair bit of chatter but nothing like the old days.
>>>

>>> Such is life.
>>>
>>
>> That and the fact you are a bunch of unfriendly cunts.
>
> That explains why newbies stopped joining, not why the regulars all
> fucked off. I always found it a bit distasteful, the way the moment a
> newbie appeared a few usual suspects would set out to be obnoxious as
> possible. I'm sure they were trying to give off the impression that
> this was a ruffty-tuffty corner of the internet where we're all happy
> to call each other cunts, ain't we mate, etc, but the net impression
> was that we are all a bunch of unfriendly cunts. In a bad way.
>
> Not only was it hostile, it was monumentally fucking tedious.

Well it was that fine line between harsh but amusing banter with new posters
and truly acid vitriol from people suffering profound IRL complexes.

I'm also reminded the NG was often a place where people dropped in and/or
socialised when they had issues or stress IRL. Quite a few of those in fact.
It was also sympathetic to some alternative lifestyles, before they became
mainstream.

> The regulars fucked off because it got boring, other (easier to
> access) fora were available, and they had better things to do. Oddly,
> looking back at the last couple of months, there's a strong bias
> towards bike related threads, rather than mobile phones and fixing
> computers. There's just nobody around, relatively speaking, to
> respond and contribute to them.

In terms of new posters I suppose there is an App barrier. It was
straightforward to fire up OE, then Quotefix after a roasting for top
posting. Every MS computer had it installed. Now it would be Google Groups
which might enable basic reading but is a shit posting tool.

> Sterling work from Paul Carmichael keeping up the phone and computer
> threads though. Without them, we'd wither and die.

and thank your Ged. It's hard enough to get worthwhile opinion or assistance
with phone and computer related matters and don't forget the UR benefits.
And the excellent travel/navigation advice. It isn't dead yet.

[Hog]

Rick wrote:

> When I first joined this group I expected useful advice, news of ride
> outs, people with a mutual interest who might become friends etc.

Errr correct. HTH

[Hog]

Pete wrote:

> The occasional controversial topic seems to bring out the worst in
> extremist diatribes and that makes any involvement less rewarding.

FFS as long as people took nothing to heart, took the piss, didn't carry it
over IRL, it was amusing enough. Then IMHO the real world changed, people
started getting more vitriolic out there and suddenly we had SOH failures
here.

> However you won't get rid of me that easily. Usenet is still probably
> more involving than Facebook, despite being text-only. Too many 'look
> at my new bike' posts, and the inevitable awareness of someone looking
> over your shoulder to censor that system make the web forum less fun.

I rather like looking at annotated posts featuring new bikes, related ideas,
travel plans/stories, alcoholic excess....oh, and basic failures of
maintenance.
And in turn posting is only about bikes, travel, camping and alcoholic
excess.

[Hog]

The Older Gentleman wrote:

> ogden <og...@pre.org> wrote:
>
>> I always found it a bit distasteful, the way the moment a
>> newbie appeared a few usual suspects would set out to be obnoxious as
>> possible. I'm sure they were trying to give off the impression that
>> this was a ruffty-tuffty corner of the internet where we're all
>> happy to call each other cunts, ain't we mate, etc, but the net
>> impression was that we are all a bunch of unfriendly cunts. In a bad
>> way.
>>
>> Not only was it hostile, it was monumentally fucking tedious.
>

> Gently, I remind you about your chortling over how you used to wind up
> Jackie, with posts that were, to put it mildly,. a bit awkward.

Ah I never did suss Lushead ;o)

[Hog]

"Wrong side of the Atlantic"

[c...@nospam.netunix.com]

Hog <SPAM...@chipshotmail.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> > Every forum I a member of is moderated as the owners are concerned
> > about potential legal action form people whose feelings get hurt. At
> > least on Usenet you can still call someone a cunt.
>
> I believe that's the issue and moderated sites quickly grip the shit.
> I suppose we could have an Onion site, everyone user Tor, right? ;o)

Fine if you want a small hidden group where only the regulars visit
but that takes you right back to the same problem.

If you want a popular group with incoming newbies to replace the
dropouts then it must be easy to find and have an obvious name.

--
05 Yamaha YP400 Majesty - Shopping trolley and general workhorse.
75 Suzuki GT750 Kettle - Classic lardy 2smoke tourer.
81 Suzuki GT200 X5 - 2smoke fun - Wheeeeeee,
97 Ducati 750SS project.

[ogden]

On Mon, 9 Sep 2013 09:36:39 +0000 (UTC), c...@NOSPAM.netunix.com wrote:
> If you want a popular group with incoming newbies to replace the
> dropouts then it must be easy to find and have an obvious name.

And a time machine.

--
ogden on tour

[Cab]

ogden wibbled forthrightly:

> On Sun, 8 Sep 2013 12:24:12 +0100, Cab <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> > +1. When I want entertainment on the web, I find it tough to find
> enough
> > material.
>
> www.pussytorrents.com

Is it you?

"Welcome! This domain was recently registered at namecheap.com. The
domain owner may currently be creating a great site for this domain.
Please check back later!"

--
Cab :^) - Cogito sumere potum alterum

Z1000ABS : http://www.rosbif.org/ukrm
The FAQ : http://www.ukrm.info/faq
email addy : ukrm_dot_cab_at_rosbif_dot_org
SBS#33

[ogden]

On Mon, 9 Sep 2013 11:58:48 +0100, "Cab" <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> > www.pussytorrents.com

> "Welcome! This domain was recently registered at namecheap.com. The
> domain owner may currently be creating a great site for this domain.
> Please check back later!"

My bad, it's .org

--
ogden on tour

[ukrmbot]

On 09/09/13 04:33, genuine_froggie wrote:
> Absolutely. And shafties can't wheelie.

plus �a change, plus c'est la m�me chose