I should update this to say it is alive but unwell - text-based Usenet is apparently now mostly relegated to cranks who get banned everywhere else, as well as discussion of the Usenet system itself. However, there are several providers (not just E-S), and it's beginning to enjoy a little resurgence in 2023 due to what's been happening in the social media sphere. I encourage everyone to try it out. I made an account on E-S using my email address, and connected with Thunderbird.