Usenet, updated in real time as it was thirty years ago
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Submission timeline
2007–2026One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.
First comments on top threads
HN comment orderThe nostalgia that this makes me feel is unbelievable. Some things about old Usenet are probably lost forever: 1. The feeling that "this matters". Usenet wasn't just one discussion forum among millions, it was The One. 2. The life of the mind - the all-text nature of the old Usenet was somehow incredibly conductive to treating people as pure intellects. "On Usenet, it doesn't matter if you're a dog." Somehow even forums like HN don't capture that feeling today. Also…
Came across this, Stallman announcing GNU. http://article.olduse.net/[email protected]
I'm saddened at the lack of modern Usenet clients. I still use slrn (which isn't bad, honestly) to browse Usenet from time to time, but I have yet to find a suitable replacement that utilizes modern GUIs.
The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.
- Breakout years
- 3
- Total points
- 415
- Total comments
- 103
100+ points or 50+ comments
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
Every submission
| Date | Title as submitted | By | Points | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-05 | Usenet, updated in real time as it was thirty years agoFirst breakout | adambyrtek | 131 | 54 |
| 2015-08-01 | Olduse.net: a real-time historical exhibit | JoshTriplett | 10 | 0 |
| 2016-08-31 | Olduse.net: a 30-year delayed Usenet feed (2013) | daveloyall | 125 | 33 |
| 2019-04-21 | Usenet, updated in real time as it was thirty years ago | elsewhen | 3 | 0 |
| 2019-06-27 | Old Usenet | agiacalone | 3 | 1 |
| 2019-08-27 | Olduse.net: a Real-Time historical exhibit | krelian | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-10-14 | olduse.net: a real-time historical Usenet exhibit | pabs3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024-05-16 | Olduse.net: Usenet replayed with a 40 year delay | antiquark | 3 | 0 |
| 2025-03-02 | olduse.netBest thread · Latest 20+ point return | tosh | 137 | 15 |