> Somebody pointed out that a web-based forum forces you to use one specific 
> UI - the web forum. On the other hand, NNTP can be used from *any* 
> suitable client. It can also be easily archived and so forth. Which seems 
> like a valid point to me.

I find the web-based forums I use way better than NNTP.

One of the main advantages is that threads are nicely organised, and if some 
noob starts a new thread asking the same question for the 234234th time it 
gets merged with the existing thread on that subject.  If a thread goes too 
far OT then it gets split into a new thread, similar threads get joined, 
there just seems to be a lot more "housekeeping" than is possible with an 
NNTP server.  This then means that if you want info about how to fix 
splotchy patches in radiosity the info is all there in one thread titled 
"Sticky: How to fix splotchy patches in radiosity" under the "Radiosity" 
sub-group, rather than spread across 867 different threads in 5 different 
groups.

Searching for subjects/posts also seems much more sophisticated on web 
forums, you can easily 1-click to see all threads from a certain user, or 
search within their posts, search for posts made between certain dates, etc. 
Maybe this is possible on NNTP if you have the correct client, I don't know.

Sending private messages to other users is much easier, rather than the 
whole "oh you have to remove the xyzJF# and the notHere77 from my email 
address" palaver.

And of course, you can access a web-based forum from any machine without 
having to install a client (although POV has a web interface for its NNTP 
server).

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