If you’ve ever watched a live stream, downloaded through P2P file-sharing, connected to Tor, posted or responded to a discussion on a bulletin board, or got in a heated Reddit thread, then Usenet is for you. 

To those under 25, chances are you’ve never even heard of Usenet, but to the classic computer nerds of yore, Usenet’s the original social network. In the most basic sense, Usenet is a cross between a discussion forum and the ultimate file-sharing platform, but it’s still something else entirely.

Because Usenet is shrouded in secrecy, there’s an unwritten community rule very similar to Fight Club. The first rule of Usenet is: you do not talk about Usenet. That’s because Usenet is not as defunct as users want you to believe. In this article, we are taking an at-a-glance look at Usenet to see just what goods the community is keeping tightly under wraps.

1. Usenet newsgroups predate the web

Before you accessed websites on the internet through a web browser, there was Usenet. It was an era when computing required the command line, and a computer weighed as much as a human being.

The alt.hypertext Usenet newsgroup is where Sir Tim Berners-Lee – then a humble contractor for one of the largest nuclear research labs in the world – first detailed his idea for what we know today as the “www” in a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) string; for example <https://www.techradar.com/>.

His initial internet project, appropriately called WorldWideWeb, aimed to help employees at the European Organization for Nuclear Research share data with one another instantly.

On August 6, 1991, at 14:56 GMT, he wrote:

“The WorldWideWeb (WWW) project aims to allow links to be made to any information anywhere. The address format includes an access method (=namespace), and for most name spaces a hostname and some sort of path…”

2. Usenet was originally made for academia

The Usenet landscape is like your old hometown: it’s familiar, but it looks nothing like it used to. While audio and video content has given new lifeblood to Usenet, it might be a surprise to learn that it was first built for university students, in text-only form.

In 1979, two graduate students at Duke University built the Usenet platform as a means to exchange messages and files through a network with colleagues at UNC-Chapel Hill. Then, similarly to The Social Network, Usenet spread through college campuses.

In 1993, AOL (remember AOL!?) began to offer Usenet access to its customers. The influx of AOL users became a majority, while academic users shrunk to a minority, and thus the culture was changed forever.

3. Usenet is home to many web culture references

Many of the terms we use online and occasionally ‘IRL’ were first popularized in Usenet newsgroups. How many of these are you guilty of using?

Spam: Before the 90s, Spam was just a canned meat and a Monty Python reference. But today, it’s the colloquial word for junk email advertising (and potentially still, physical junk mail advertising). The idea of Spam was first introduced en masse on Usenet in 1994 by the law firm Canter & Siegel. The firm posted in all of the Usenet newsgroups (a much more realistic feat in 1994) for its legal services relating to the green card lottery. The message: “Green Card Lottery – Final one?” A new kind of advertising had been born.

FAQ: A website and message board staple, the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ acronym was introduced by NASA and adopted by Usenet newsgroups early on. The premise back then was similar to what it is now, only FAQs had to be reposted frequently to avoid getting buried in discussions. Not like Reddit or 4chan where FAQs can have static, ‘stickied’ posts. Over time, ‘.answers’ newsgroups like tv.answers, misc.answers, and sci.answers were added to collect the FAQs for cross-posting and easy access.

Emoticon: Your ability to substitute a bum for a peach can be traced back to Usenet. No, really. Before we had emojis, we called them ‘smileys’ and ‘emoticons’. The basic combinations for happy and sad –  🙂 and 🙁 – were invented in 1982 by Scott Fahlman from Carnegie Mellon University. He and fellow computer scientists chatted a lot through Usenet newsgroups, and they needed a way to differentiate jokes and sarcasm. We’d say it worked, so the smiley can be considered a ‘discovery’ by computer scientists :-).

ROFL: A cousin of LOL, ROFL (‘Rolling On the Floor Laughing’) and its many forms have early roots in Usenet. The expression ROFL (without the T for “the”) was first used in a 1989 Usenet post to rec.ham-radio, and ROFLOL was used in a post to the group alt.rock-n-roll in 1992. Today, it often precedes LMAO.

WTF: An incredibly popular acronym among teens and adults alike, WTF can be traced back to Usenet as well. Its first recorded instance was in the net.micro.mac titled ‘Ramblings’ on May 18, 1985. While the use of WTF rapidly grew, it’s always maintained a sense of ambiguity. Additional takes on WTF, in which the ‘w’ can stand for ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘where’, and ‘who’ have been in use since the mid-to-late 80s.

4. Usenet was text-only until the late 90s

Technically Usenet is still plaintext-only (we’ll discuss that shortly) but it wasn’t until after 1997 that binary content was transferred through the platform. As any file attachment limit can attest to, image, video, and audio files take up space. Binary data files, often called ‘binaries’ in the Usenet community, comprise that same space-taking content. That is, binary data is anything that is non-text. So, how does one put non-text files on a text-only platform? With some translating.

Encoders translate binary files to text-only code for easy sharing in, let’s say, the alt.binaries.boneless newsgroup. Then the person who wants to view the binary must convert the encoded text back to its natural form. The technology behind the encoding has improved over the years to make it more user-friendly, but the overall process is much the same.

5. Despite ‘vintage’ packaging, Usenet is here to stay

While much of the framework is hidden beneath a metaphorical layer of dust, Usenet is still thriving. The platform is reliable, safe, and easily integrates with third-parties; that allows it to withstand the tests of time. That’s because of the way files are shared and stored. Unlike other P2P file-sharing methods, binary files on Usenet are broken into multiple components before they’re sent to a decentralized network.

Most importantly, Usenet is actually a safer way to access video content than sketchy live stream sites, torrents, and the like. Unlike these other services, premium Usenet services will provide you with free SSL encryption which is essentially the same thing as OpenVPN, except you don’t have to download any software or connect to a client like you would with a traditional VPN service.

Just because Usenet was originally made for command line folks doesn’t mean the easy click-and-drag search style is unwelcome. If the look and feel of Usenet is over your head, that’s okay, too. Nowadays, Usenet providers offer all-in-one software that allows you to search, preview, filter, and download content the way you naturally would on the web.

If you’ve ever been the type to scroll through WinMX, Limewire, torrents, and the dark web, it may be time to give Usenet a shot. Sure, it’s a little clunky at first, and it’s not very beautiful to look at, but to some people, that’s just part of its charm.

http://www.techradar.com/news/what-is-usenet-5-things-you-didnt-know-about-it

Announced at Ubisoft’s E3 2017 conference, Skull and Bones is a game that will take players into the Golden Age of Piracy and let them take the helm of their very own pirate ship.

When it launches in late 2018, Skull and Bones will be the second of two big pirate titles to release this year – the first being Rare’s Sea of Thieves. The two, however, are really quite different. While Sea of Thieves is a more cartoonish and whimsical adventure, Skull and Bones leans more towards gritty realism. 

Created by Ubisoft’s Singapore studio and based on the naval battles of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, this is going to be a title for those miss sailing the seas as Edward Kenway.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? Ubisoft’s 2018 pirate adventure which expands on the much-loved naval gameplay of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag 
• What can I play it on? PC, PS4 and Xbox One 
• When can I play it? Mid to late 2018 

Skull and Bones release date

Though there’s no exact release date just yet, Skull and Bones is scheduled to release in mid-to-late 2018. 

Skull and Bones trailers

Skull and Bones received two trailers during its E3 debut, one which was cinematic and another which showcased the game’s multiplayer and PvP gameplay. 

Skull and Bones news and rumors

There will be both single player and multiplayer

It’s been confirmed that Skull and Bones will have both single and multiplayer elements. However, information on what form the single player mode will take is pretty thin on the ground at the moment since Ubisoft concentrated mostly on the multiplayer during its E3 presentation. 

From the game’s main website we know that it’ll involve starting from the bottom as a wannabe pirate captain with a single ship. From here, you’ll sail the Indian ocean, preying on trade ships, taking down rival pirate captains and avoiding pirate hunters. 

Successful heists will mean more wealth and reputation. However, power comes at a price and as your reputation and wealth grow you’ll naturally become a target for other pirates. It’s at this point in the game that it might become somewhat dangerous to sail alone and you’ll need to start growing a fleet of ships as well as making and breaking alliances with other pirate captains. 

Multiplayer will be made up of a few different modes. The one that’s seen the most attention thus far (and the one that we’ve had the chance to play for ourselves) is Loot Hunt. This will pit two teams of five players against one another, with each player in control of their own ship.

The aim of the game is to be the team that picks up the most loot, taking down ships on the opposing team if you have to. Winning this section is a poisoned chalice, however, as at the end of the mode, pirate hunters will appear to take down the team that’s managed to get the most loot. The aim of the game will then change and it’ll be up to the team to scarper in a given amount of time. Only those that manage to escape the area in the given time will have their treasure collection counted so it’s important to get your most heavily laden ships out of there for a win, even if it means sacrificing yourself. 

Voice chat is pretty key in this multiplayer mode, as getting the most treasure will involve splitting up and moving around the map while coordinating your movements. Failure to communicate will make things difficult as we discovered with our own demo team. 

There will be different kinds of ships

Inspired by traditional RPGs, Skull and Bones will have different classes of ships and you can choose the one that best suits your playstyle. Players will have access to lots of different kinds of ships across the game and according to an official video from Ubisoft, they will be able to switch between them during the game to take advantage of their varied abilities and strengths. 

Different ships will offer different tactical advantages, from large but cumbersome frigates, to faster and more maneuverable brigantines, to long-range sloops of war. We imagine the option to switch between ships will only appear once you’ve started putting together a rag-tag fleet, rather than being an option  from the off. This has, however, still to be confirmed. 

It’ll also be possible to customize your ships; Ubisoft has confirmed players will be able to choose their flags, colors and faction emblems. 

There will be realistic tactics and gameplay

Just as it was for real pirates sailing the seas and for those who played Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, wind will be a key element in Skull and Bones. Players will have to use the wind and positioning to their advantage. The wind can be used either offensively or defensively but it will be a key part of gameplay whether you choose to fight or run away.

There are actually a lot of different things that players will have to juggle. As well as controlling weapons, looking at their surroundings and being aware of the direction and speed of the wind, players will be able to climb to their crows nest for a wider field of view. This will of course, draw them out of the action for a while but it will be key to spotting pirate hunters.

There will be PvE and PvP elements

While players will be able to play with and against one another, everyone will be up against the pirate hunters in some more PvE gameplay. These AI ships will be out to take you down in the name of the powers that be and it’s very tough to take them down on your own. Your best bet with these fleets is to use the wind and escape, or make sure you’ve got the back up needed. 

In an interview with GameSpot, Creative director Justin Farren said that these elements would be woven together and all would inform the game’s narrative: 

“We wanted to create a system that let us tell our narrative month after month, year after year, and then throw in the story elements to it. So, if you’re a PVP player, you should still feel like you beat the campaign. If you’re a PVE player, or like me, I plan on sailing with my daughter a lot, I want us to be able to go through the story and become kingpins together, and be able to tell the same world narrative through the game ones that we build.” 

An online ongoing game

It was revealed during an ‘everything you need to know’ video posted by Ubisoft at E3 that Skull and Bones, like Sea of Thieves, will be an online, ongoing service game set in a shared open world. Players will be the star of their own game and it’s expected that they’ll be able to create their own story in this open world. Over time there will be new seasons, new ships, new weapons, new items, new locations and new game modes introduced.

We imagine there will also be active and random in-game events, given the end of the cinematic trailer for Skull and Bones teased what appeared to be a Kraken. 

Loot boxes are unconfirmed 

In an interview with GameSpot not long after the game’s reveal in 2017, creative developer Justin Farren wasn’t able to offer a confirmation on whether or not loot boxes would appear in the game. Though he said that he had no wish to create a pay-to-win model, Farren did say that in-game purchases for cosmetic and vanity items might appear. This is the most likely route that many games have recently gone down.

Is there a Skull and Bones beta?

There is a Skull and Bones beta and you can sign up for updates on it on the official website. Simply choose your preferred platform, give them your email address and you’ll receive updates as soon as they’re announced. 

http://www.techradar.com/news/skull-and-bones-release-date-news-and-trailers

HMD Global has finally taken the wraps off the long-rumored Nokia X6 in Beijing earlier today. The release is limited to the Chinese market for now, but we expect the smartphone to launch in global markets in the future. 

As the leaks suggested, it is the first Nokia device to have a notch design with 19:9 display. The display measures 5.8-inches and provides more screen-to-body ratio to give users an immersive viewing experience. 

Not just the notch, but it is also the first Nokia phone to feature the Snapdragon 636, which is coupled with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. 

The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo and has a 3060mAh battery with USB Type-C connectivity. The fingerprint sensor retains its usual position under the camera.

The dual camera setup has a 16MP and a 5MP sensor (RGB + monochrome). Optics are further powered by software using AI image enhancements, HDR photo mode, and of course Nokia’s infamous “Bothie” also remains.

The Nokia X6 is priced at CNY 1,299 (Rs 13,800 approx) for the 4GB RAM + 3GB internal storage variant, at CNY 1,499 (Rs 16,000 approx) for the 4GB RAM + 6GB internal storage variant and at CNY 1,699 (Rs 18,100 approx.) for the 6GB RAM + 64GB internal storage variant. 

Another iPhone X lookalike?

Going by the press images, the smartphone seems to have a smaller notch compared to the iPhone X. But it has curved edges and sides with a glossy finish at the back, which is quite similar to the Apple’s design.

The glossy back sports two vertically stacked cameras in the middle. Thankfully, the placement of fingerprint sensor and camera module differentiates it from the Apple iPhone X. There’s also a thick chin with Nokia branding on the front.

The phone will arrive in White, Black and Blue color variants. Availability outside China is still unknown, but we can expect it to reach other markets where there’s Nokia’s market presence. 

http://www.techradar.com/news/nokia-x6-is-the-companys-first-phone-with-a-notch