Ever found yourself flipping a coin to make a tough decision?
This doesn’t happen as much anymore. Today, when we are faced with making a tough choice on a purchase, we have access to more information online than ever before. If you want to research something you can just “Google†it and can usually educate yourself in a matter of minutes.
One topic not discussed nearly enough online is the significant benefits offered by premium Usenet providers.
Origins
Usenet is the text based discussion system created over 30 years ago by two American university students. It was extremely popular among college students and tech fans, who used it to discuss a variety of topics.
In its day, Usenet was the place to be online. Â You could have a discussion on Eastern religion with a professor in Tokyo or discuss the latest episode of the Simpson with a guy from Chicago. Â For the first time it was possible to have group discussions with people from all over the world.
But as the saying goes, “All good things must come to an endâ€.  And as server storage became too expensive, ISPs and Universities eventually shutdown access to Usenet.
Modern Usenet
After the close of free Usenet access to the masses, a new age began.
Today, Usenet is recognized globally as the premier place to discuss and share. It’s hosted on a network of commercial grade servers all over the world.
Premium Usenet providers give their users an experience unlike any others.
Premium vs. Non-Premium Providers
Premium providers began offering access to Usenet once ISPs stopped.
Unlike the free access providers, premium services have benefits that could never have been matched by the Usenet of old.
When choosing a Usenet provider you should consider what options you are getting. Â Not all services are the same. Â Here are some key things to look for.
- All-In-One Access – Some premium providers offer a simple way to access the servers and download files. Free providers only offer access to Usenet. You still have to purchase newsreader software and a Usenet search engine to locate and download files.
- Large Amounts of Data Storage – Because of the expensive cost of storage, free providers could not offer long retention times of their files. This means content on their servers was only stored for a brief amount of time. Premium providers now offer 1000+ days of file retention on their servers. You can access files that are nearly 3 years old.
- Unlimited Downloads – With premium providers there are no limits to the amount you can download. You are not restricted to a certain amount per day, month, or ever. You can download with no boundaries. Free providers restrict your downloads cause they have to. Server fees are too costly for them to allow unlimited access.
- Uncapped Speeds – You can download anything as fast as your internet connection allows. Other providers can restrict your bandwidth, resulting in slow download times.  Premium providers allow you to download huge files quickly.
Tomorrow’s Usenet
Usenet continues to get bigger, stronger and faster every year. Server storage is increasing. File retention dates are extending. And the amount of content available is growing.
By investing in their networks, Premium providers are also growing to meet the demand.
About the Author: Â Jared Scott is a tech geek and Usenet junkie. Â You can almost always find him sitting in front of his computer.