Re: small Usenet-style web forum: RootBadger

On 2026-06-21, Mara Vale <[email protected]> wrote:
> I help test a small discussion site that
> might be interesting to people who still like
> topic-first conversations:
> 
> https://www.rootbadger.com
> 
> RootBadger is a web forum, but it borrows the
> parts of Usenet that still make sense: readable
> threads, named groups, topical hierarchies,
> and titles that actually say what a thread is
> about. It is not trying to replace Usenet. It
> is more like "what if a modern web board kept
> the useful namespace idea instead of turning
> everything into one feed?"
> 
> The groups are under rb.* so they do not pretend
> to be the global Usenet tree.  There are areas
> like rb.comp, rb.rec, rb.sci, rb.soc, rb.talk,
> rb.alt, plus language and regional spaces. There
> are also specific groups for Linux, programming,
> computer security, privacy, radio, books,
> music, news, cryptids, science, politics,
> and a few odd corners.
> 
> One part I like is called BurrowCraft. It is
> just a posting guide: use a clear subject,
> put the post in the right group, quote only
> the useful bit, write in short paragraphs, and
> leave people something worth replying to. Pretty
> basic, but useful when a forum is trying not
> to become another noisy comment stream.
> 
> If anyone here misses structured groups but
> does not want another giant social network, it
> may be worth a look. I would be interested in
> what old Usenet users think should be copied,
> avoided, or done differently.

Good luck advertising such in USENET,
as USENET isn't just a place to
exchange words, but a religion
emotionally invested in by a
multitude of adherents. At
best will you stir up the
religious fundamentalism
of the worst of them.

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