Update - Microsoft Responds to the Evolution of Community

What is Happening?
This message is to inform you that Microsoft will soon begin discontinuing
newsgroups and transitioning users to Microsoft forums.

Why?
As you may know, newsgroups have existed for many years now; however, the
traffic in the Microsoft newsgroups has been steadily decreasing for the
past several years while customers and participants are increasingly finding
solutions in the forums on Microsoft properties and third party sites. This
move will unify the customer experience, centralize content, make it easier
for active contributors to retain their influence, mitigate redundancies and
make the content easier to find by customers and search engines through
improved indexing. Additionally, forums offer a better user and spam
management platform that will improve customer satisfaction by encouraging a
healthy discussion in a clean community space. To this end, Microsoft will
begin to progressively shift available resources to the forums technology
and discontinue support for newsgroups.

In addition to offering a compelling online browser experience, for those
users who prefer to use an NNTP (newsgroup) reader to participate in the
newsgroups community, we have developed a solution called the NNTP Bridge
which allows a user to connect a variety of supported NNTP readers to the
forums they would like to participate in and continue having the NTTP reader
functionality. You can find instructions on how to download and set up the
NNTP Bridge he http://connect.microsoft.com/MicrosoftForums/

Which Newsgroups Are Affected by this Shutdown?
All public newsgroups will eventually be closed between June 1, 2010 and
October 1, 2010. Microsoft will be closing newsgroups in a phased approach,
starting with the least active newsgroups and moving eventually to more
active ones throughout the course of the next six months.

When will this Happen?
Effective June 1, 2010 this newsgroup will be closed.

Where Should I go with the Closure of this Newsgroup?
Microsoft has a large selection of forums, many of which cover either the
same or closely related technologies to the ones found in the newsgroups.
The forums have seen amazing growth and are an excellent place to continue
the discussion. We recommend that you start with
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/...ry/officeexcel

Should you want to visit the other Microsoft Forums, please go to
http://www.microsoft.com/communities...s/default.mspx

Who Should I Contact with any Questions?
Send any questions about the process, recommended forums and timing to

wrote on Sat, 8 May 2010 00:02:32 -0700:

Why?
As you may know, newsgroups have existed for many years now;
however, the traffic in the Microsoft newsgroups has been
steadily decreasing for the past several years while customers
and participants are increasingly finding solutions in the
forums on Microsoft properties and third party sites. This
move will unify the customer experience, centralize content,
make it easier for active contributors to retain their
influence, mitigate redundancies and make the content easier
to find by customers and search engines through improved
indexing. Additionally, forums offer a better user and spam
management platform that will improve customer satisfaction by
encouraging a healthy discussion in a clean community space. To this
end, Microsoft will begin to progressively shift
available resources to the forums technology and discontinue
support for newsgroups.

In addition to offering a compelling online browser

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on
other servers.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

This reminds me of Microsoft's decision about 10 years ago to cancel
the MVP program. Notice was unceremoniously given to us on a Wednesday
or Thursday and the trade press and general users blasted MS's
decision on Friday and over the weekend. (I was quoted in the Boston
Globe about the MS decision.) Within a few days, the MVP program was
re-instated. Perhaps now MS will hear from the trades and the users
that dumping NNTP is an equally bad decision and perhaps they will
reconsider it.

As long as some server continues to host the ms.* newsgroups, they
will continue to exist. Your server may not continue to carry a
newsgroup, but other servers will. No one can remove a newsgroup from
the internet as a whole. Individual news servers can choose not to
host a newsgroup, but as long as there are at least two NNTP hosts out
there accepting messages, the newsgroup will live on.

unify the customer experience,
.....
a compelling online browser experience,

If I hear the word "experience" one more time from MS, I'm going to
vomit.

Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP 1998 - 2010
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
[email on web site]



On Sat, 8 May 2010 00:02:32 -0700, wrote:

What is Happening?
This message is to inform you that Microsoft will soon begin discontinuing
newsgroups and transitioning users to Microsoft forums.

Why?
As you may know, newsgroups have existed for many years now; however, the
traffic in the Microsoft newsgroups has been steadily decreasing for the
past several years while customers and participants are increasingly finding
solutions in the forums on Microsoft properties and third party sites. This
move will unify the customer experience, centralize content, make it easier
for active contributors to retain their influence, mitigate redundancies and
make the content easier to find by customers and search engines through
improved indexing. Additionally, forums offer a better user and spam
management platform that will improve customer satisfaction by encouraging a
healthy discussion in a clean community space. To this end, Microsoft will
begin to progressively shift available resources to the forums technology
and discontinue support for newsgroups.

In addition to offering a compelling online browser experience, for those
users who prefer to use an NNTP (newsgroup) reader to participate in the
newsgroups community, we have developed a solution called the NNTP Bridge
which allows a user to connect a variety of supported NNTP readers to the
forums they would like to participate in and continue having the NTTP reader
functionality. You can find instructions on how to download and set up the
NNTP Bridge he http://connect.microsoft.com/MicrosoftForums/

Which Newsgroups Are Affected by this Shutdown?
All public newsgroups will eventually be closed between June 1, 2010 and
October 1, 2010. Microsoft will be closing newsgroups in a phased approach,
starting with the least active newsgroups and moving eventually to more
active ones throughout the course of the next six months.

When will this Happen?
Effective June 1, 2010 this newsgroup will be closed.

Where Should I go with the Closure of this Newsgroup?
Microsoft has a large selection of forums, many of which cover either the
same or closely related technologies to the ones found in the newsgroups.
The forums have seen amazing growth and are an excellent place to continue
the discussion. We recommend that you start with
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/officeexcel

Should you want to visit the other Microsoft Forums, please go to
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/forums/default.mspx

Who Should I Contact with any Questions?
Send any questions about the process, recommended forums and timing to

James Silverton wrote,

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on other
servers.

Correct, nntp newsgroups are not 'owned' by anyone, they exist on a
distributed net of servers across the globe. So as long as people keep
posting here, the newsgroup will exist.

Just ignore the message, its probably spam.

Ed Ferrero
www.edferrero.com

If it was spam, I wouldn't be able to read it, my ISP news server does a
good job of blocking spam (unlike MS).

--

HTH

Bob

"Ed Ferrero" wrote in message
...
James Silverton wrote,

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on other
servers.

Correct, nntp newsgroups are not 'owned' by anyone, they exist on a
distributed net of servers across the globe. So as long as people keep
posting here, the newsgroup will exist.

Just ignore the message, its probably spam.

Ed Ferrero
www.edferrero.com

"Chip Pearson" wrote in message
...
This reminds me of Microsoft's decision about 10 years ago to cancel
the MVP program. Notice was unceremoniously given to us on a Wednesday
or Thursday and the trade press and general users blasted MS's
decision on Friday and over the weekend. (I was quoted in the Boston
Globe about the MS decision.) Within a few days, the MVP program was
re-instated. Perhaps now MS will hear from the trades and the users
that dumping NNTP is an equally bad decision and perhaps they will
reconsider it.

Yoiu know that isn't going to happen Chip, they have dug their heels in,
they don't even respond to any of these concerns, and they are starting to
close them on the MS servers next month.

As suggested, we should just all ignore it, sign up to free NNTP servers,
there are some out there (Eternal-September (sounds like a terrorist group
g), absilan), and just ignore MS' decision. You even get effective spam
cntrol with these.

This is true. On my news server connection I already see two that the MS
server dropped a long time ago, microsoft.public.excel.worksheetfunctinos,
and microsoft.public.excel.worksheetfunctions.

We can safely ignore Answers if we so wish.

--

HTH

Bob

"Ed Ferrero" wrote in message
...
James Silverton wrote,

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on other
servers.

Correct, nntp newsgroups are not 'owned' by anyone, they exist on a
distributed net of servers across the globe. So as long as people keep
posting here, the newsgroup will exist.

Just ignore the message, its probably spam.

Ed Ferrero
www.edferrero.com

"James Silverton" wrote in message
...
wrote on Sat, 8 May 2010 00:02:32 -0700:

Why?
As you may know, newsgroups have existed for many years now;
however, the traffic in the Microsoft newsgroups has been
steadily decreasing for the past several years while customers
and participants are increasingly finding solutions in the
forums on Microsoft properties and third party sites. This
move will unify the customer experience, centralize content,
make it easier for active contributors to retain their
influence, mitigate redundancies and make the content easier
to find by customers and search engines through improved
indexing. Additionally, forums offer a better user and spam
management platform that will improve customer satisfaction by
encouraging a healthy discussion in a clean community space. To this
end, Microsoft will begin to progressively shift
available resources to the forums technology and discontinue
support for newsgroups.

In addition to offering a compelling online browser

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on other
servers.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

This raises questions as to who owns and controls what in Newsgroups - and I
write from a knowledge base of zero about the mechanics of Newsgroups.

If I wanted to start a Newsgrpoup on a subject who (what) actually controls
what it should be named and where the 'master' set of posts should be held?
Regarding Microsoft Newsgroups surely this would be Microsoft and it is up
to Microsoft to pull out if it so decides. In that case there will be no
information which may be provided by any of the NNTP service proividers. Is
there an idiots guide to the mechanics of NNTP?

Bill R (confused)

Even if Microsoft turn off their NNTP servers, that is just one node in the
Usenet network.

Users now using msnews.microsoft.com for their NNTP server may have to find
another (free?) NNTP server to get at those same newsgroups (there are a few
around), but the groups should still be there.

Turning off their NNTP servers will only result in the loss of those
newsgroups if Microsoft can convince the Big-8 to remove them, as well as
convincing all of the NNTP peer nodes to discontinue those newsgroups,
which seems unlikely.


Bob

"Bill R" wrote in message
...
"James Silverton" wrote in message
...
wrote on Sat, 8 May 2010 00:02:32 -0700:

Why?
As you may know, newsgroups have existed for many years now;
however, the traffic in the Microsoft newsgroups has been
steadily decreasing for the past several years while customers
and participants are increasingly finding solutions in the
forums on Microsoft properties and third party sites. This
move will unify the customer experience, centralize content,
make it easier for active contributors to retain their
influence, mitigate redundancies and make the content easier
to find by customers and search engines through improved
indexing. Additionally, forums offer a better user and spam
management platform that will improve customer satisfaction by
encouraging a healthy discussion in a clean community space. To this
end, Microsoft will begin to progressively shift
available resources to the forums technology and discontinue
support for newsgroups.

In addition to offering a compelling online browser

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on other
servers.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

This raises questions as to who owns and controls what in Newsgroups - and
I write from a knowledge base of zero about the mechanics of Newsgroups.

If I wanted to start a Newsgrpoup on a subject who (what) actually
controls what it should be named and where the 'master' set of posts
should be held? Regarding Microsoft Newsgroups surely this would be
Microsoft and it is up to Microsoft to pull out if it so decides. In that
case there will be no information which may be provided by any of the NNTP
service proividers. Is there an idiots guide to the mechanics of NNTP?

Bill R (confused)

microsoft is NOT one of the Big 8.

The Big 8 a
comp.*, news.*, sci.*, humanities.*, rec.*, soc.*, talk.*, misc.*
--
David Biddulph

"Bob Phillips" wrote in message
...
Even if Microsoft turn off their NNTP servers, that is just one node in
the Usenet network.

Users now using msnews.microsoft.com for their NNTP server may have to
find another (free?) NNTP server to get at those same newsgroups (there
are a few around), but the groups should still be there.

Turning off their NNTP servers will only result in the loss of those
newsgroups if Microsoft can convince the Big-8 to remove them, as well as
convincing all of the NNTP peer nodes to discontinue those newsgroups,
which seems unlikely.


Bob

"Bill R" wrote in message
...
"James Silverton" wrote in message
...
wrote on Sat, 8 May 2010 00:02:32 -0700:

Why?
As you may know, newsgroups have existed for many years now;
however, the traffic in the Microsoft newsgroups has been
steadily decreasing for the past several years while customers
and participants are increasingly finding solutions in the
forums on Microsoft properties and third party sites. This
move will unify the customer experience, centralize content,
make it easier for active contributors to retain their
influence, mitigate redundancies and make the content easier
to find by customers and search engines through improved
indexing. Additionally, forums offer a better user and spam
management platform that will improve customer satisfaction by
encouraging a healthy discussion in a clean community space. To this
end, Microsoft will begin to progressively shift
available resources to the forums technology and discontinue
support for newsgroups.

In addition to offering a compelling online browser

Blah! Can the Microslobs *remove* the news group even if they don't
acknowledge it? People could still post to the group and read it on
other servers.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

This raises questions as to who owns and controls what in Newsgroups -
and I write from a knowledge base of zero about the mechanics of
Newsgroups.

If I wanted to start a Newsgrpoup on a subject who (what) actually
controls what it should be named and where the 'master' set of posts
should be held? Regarding Microsoft Newsgroups surely this would be
Microsoft and it is up to Microsoft to pull out if it so decides. In
that case there will be no information which may be provided by any of
the NNTP service proividers. Is there an idiots guide to the mechanics
of NNTP?

Bill R (confused)