Just a quick heads up before we get a chance to write this up properly: Newzbin is back online.
Expect a detailed post from us later today; old login details still work.
Update
Now that we can actually write about it..
You heard it hear...third; sorry about that, we're taking on extra writers to plug the gaps when the existing team are otherwise unable to update the site due to other commitments (expect a post on that later actually).
Anyway, the full press release as it is on Newzbin.com:
We are pleased to announce that Newzbin2 is now live and featuring unfiltered NZB Reports.
There are catches and we don't want you having too high expectations for now. To be blunt, we've been struggling to understand the site code & systems. The backend is way more complicated than we realised. Some of it is busted and some services we don't know how to operate fully yet. We are working hard but we thought, based on comments on the http://deepsharer.wordpress.com/ blog, that it would be better to run a partial Newzbin clone now rather than leave it for a couple of months until we do grok it all. Understand that things are likely to be a bit wobbly for a while and stuff may well fall over, but we hope to kick things into shape soon.
We dont have a functional payment system in place yet so the site will be free for a week or two. When we get a credits system running we will be respecting the credits you have left over from Newzbin.
Obviously we hope that you editor administrators and editors will remain with us as you are truly valuable: all users have the same status they did when Newzbin shut down as we didn't alter anything. Obviously if you no longer wish to be an editor your status can be changed.
We'll try and answer your questions in the comments.
Mr White/Team R Dogs
Requests for SSL support noted. We'll try top get this working ASAP.
One old editor has had a problem but I'm hoping he's all.
Newzxxx.com not yet working but we are on it.
editors: there seems to be an issue with some new report being set to a 'Frozen' status. Not sure what that's about yet. Looking at the issue but please keep creating reports and we'll manually unfreeze in the interim.
Well first of all: thank the great FSM for that, only 3 weeks without Newzbin proper. Massive apologies to the rest of the NZB scene but you just don't cut the mustard in comparison to Newzbin so we're massively happy to see the site return to the wild despite the thousands of questions that brings along with it.
From initial looks at the site earlier, the newest reports were a mere 21 days old (edit: incorrect, see update 3); meaning that the database "theft"/backup occurred only 6 days before the actual shut down of Newzbin on the 18th May. This goes completely against what we were told by ex-Newzbin staff who consistently said the source code theft happened quite some time ago. The fact that there don't seem to be any glaring features missing also supports that the ; in fact, the only thing that has changed is the the CSS stylesheets and a few images here and there (including the logo).
However, having said all that, we still smell something seriously fishy behind the scenes. While we believe that Caesium, Kalante and Freaky are out; we fail to believe that this was a coincidence, there are simply too many loose ends and conflicting stories. If we honestly had to bet (and bearing in mind we're not conspiracy nuts) we think the theft might merely be a front to get the code-base out there under the new owners. No smoke without fire, and no point in doing this without profit - which Newzbin had plenty of.
Obviously we know the code to the site has been leaked or stolen. Usenetshack.com has speculated that because of the 'coincidental' timing this is a ruse of ours and that we will be the 'hidden hands' behind the Seychelles company. This is absolutely denied; as we said above we no longer have any interest in running Newzbin or any successor. Period. Yes we understand most people will be sceptical.
This has however been avidly denied in the past. And no doubt in the future too.
Overall, we're just happy to have it back. Here's to Newzbin2, we'll be keeping our beady eyes on you.
Update 2
For those having problems accessing
Your network/hardware setup or your ISP may have cached the DNS result for Newzbin.com and therefore you may still be seeing the old page about Newzbin's death.
To fix this, you can use this address: http://85.112.165.70 in the meantime until your cache expires.
For those interested, it seems the server it hosted just outside of Stockholm in Sweden, very interesting considering the recent Swedish law changes and the ongoing trials and tribulations with the notorious Pirate Bay.
Update 3
Newest posts are only 15 days old
You_Wish has posted below correcting us that the newest reports are in fact only 15 days old which puts their conceive date back...wait for it.......the 18th of May. Who remembers what happened on the 18th of May?
Seriously, we call shenanigans.
22 Comments
All I get is this when going to the site:
Newzbin - Usenet Search Newzbin Closed
Regrettably the Newzbin website has to close as a result of the legal action against us. More details here: http://deepsharer.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/newzbin-gossip/
You ISP probably has slow DNS updates. Try switching to something like OpenDNS.
Your router/network stack/OS might also be caching the DNS entry. Just updated the post with a temporary fix.
The code and database can't be that long like some have speculated it to be. They seem to have my roughly my right amount of credit days remaining from when the original Newzbin suspended credits.
Sorry, long should be old.
Apologies to USenetshack & media for not sending out a press release. PM us via site for comments
Will do, thanks.
Please use email attached to this comment. Our prev gmail got trashed by Google
Thanks very much, have done.
Not true. Newet reports are 15 days old. Go figure...
Thanks, updated. Only had time to do a quick scout earlier!
Whilst the orginal owners and admins deny a "leak" there are so many ways this could have happened without many individuals knowledge. For all we know even some sysadmin from the hosting company or a programming subcontractor (if there were any) could have sent ftp login details to a third party or anything. The people denying this could legitimately have no knowledge of any of this.
Fair enough but we're talking about technically competent people here; avid server admins which went the step further to co-lo host their own equipment down at the docklands (basically renting a rack and putting your own gear in it).
They also did not deny the theft; they merely stated it had happened a long time ago which is clearly not the case given the recent NZBs and up-to-date account information.
Being co-located doesn't make things cut and dry, there's still many reasons why someone at the datacenter or elsewhere could have passwords for the server.
Also note that the site currently has a bug where some new reports are being automatically frozen by Newzbin 1's copyright filter, a fairly recent addition to the site. Obviously the site that would not be an issue if the code had been stolen "some time ago."
At the very least, the code was stolen some time after Newzbin implemented the copyright filter.
All my saved searches were restored, including one which had been created on or after April 20. So the user database theft could not have occurred any earlier than that -- ie, less than a month before Newzbin shut down.
Yea this is MPA trying to grab editors. I don't trust it at all.
Still saying closed here, even via http://85.112.165.70 IP.
Tried last night, again today.. No joy :[
Ok, 20 mins after commenting (which was after 18hrs or so of trying) a friend set up a ssh proxy for me in Sweden.. 5mins after that newzbin.com started working just dandy.
Murphys law I guess ;)
I can't seem to receive the password reset email. It just never shows up.
Nice to see it back up! Just logged in!
Agreed, the statement that everything was stolen "some time ago" is bullshit. The changes in design are just funny attempt to support that claim. I also have recent changes in my profile, credit left is also more recent. In my opinion though, it's not MPA, they would need to mask this stunt well and would me more careful about such a simple mistake. I member of previous crew, on the other hand...they would only need to appear that they obeyed the court order. If MPA tried to get back at tham, it would be simple speculation, not enough for the court. So I do trust the new newzbin and I'm very happy to see it back!! Long live Newzbin2!!!! FUCK MPA!!!!