On Fri, 16 Nov 2007 04:12:33 GMT, aemeijers wrote:

jim wrote:
On Nov 15, 2:47 pm, wrote:
On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:07:48 -0600, Jim Redelfs

wrote:
There are already plenty of forums that do that. Sadly, they are all
web-based - an interface that I CANNOT stand.
That's exactly how I feel about those web based things, and being on
dialup, it would take me the whole day just to READ all the posts that
are on here, much less reply to anything

There are distinct advantages - and DISadvantages - to a moderated forum,
regardless of the user interface:
The advantages include virtually NO spam, trolls or OT postings.
I have always enjoyed the light-hearted attitude on this group. It
stays fairly close to the topic, but still leaves room for some funny
stuff, even if it is a bit off topic. I have to admit I enjoy posting
some of that stuff myself, in between the serious stuff. Some people
seem to think everyone that is not 100% on topic and serious is a
troll. Yet they go to business meetings (in real life) and none of
them are all serious either. We need a little goofiness. The spam on
the other hand is a problem, but thats what filters are for.

The biggest DISadvantage, besides the user interface, is the
occasional/inevitable iron-fisted, out-of-control, whacko moderator. These
frustrating Nazis can, without notice or negotiation, shut out ANYONE they
choose. Such forums are true, on-line dictatorships. Whether or not they are
a BENEVOLENT dictatorship depends on the whims of the moderator.
I joined a moderated group some years back. The group was on the
fringe of politics, and in many ways, politics influenced what the
group was discussing, more than anything else. I made a comment
against our president, and was abruptly kicked off the group by the
"Nazi-like" moderator. I received a private email from the mod.
telling me that I would be allowed back on the group after I "cleaned
up my act", and I would then be required to post an apology to the
group. I told that mod. to shove the group up her butt.

I'll keep using usenet - and my filters - until I can stand it no longer. I
have quite a ways to go before that happens, thankfully.
--
This newsgroup has far less spam than other groups. My thoughts are
that those who run the usenet servers should be doing a better job of
blocking the obvious spam. Especially those who charge a fee to use
their service. Almost every day there seems to be a specific spam
that goes to every newsgroup in existence. Why are they not blocking
these? I cant expect them to block every instance of spam, but these
"newsgroup flooders" should be blocked before they even appear. It
can not be all that difficult to automatically detect when a messsage
subject it being posted to ALL groups, and block them, or block
something that is being repeated daily such as the "natural penis...."
stuff. Many people pay to use these groups. Why are those who make
the money not doing their job?

Should not the huge thing called Google look after it as they put
there name on it it is becoming less fun to sort thru the crap
Not a damn thing Google could do about it, even if they wanted to. They
don't own or run Usenet, they merely mirror it.

I still dont understand why they bought it. Yes, they have their own
web based groups too, but why did they even touch usenet? All I can
figure is that their web version of usenet is where they make their
money from ads. Usenet used to be completely a separate entity from
the web, and being text based, it not only came before the web, but
was always much faster. It still is faster, but I imagine that they
will create some sort of method to place ads on the newsgroups soon.
Sometimes I wonder if it's Google that allows all the spam and they
make mpney from them. Google is not as sweet and inocent as some
people seem to think. Their goal is to make a buck regardless how.
Their search engine seems to bring up all the commercial money making
sites before they get to home pages and smaller stuff. I've noticed
that the first entries are often ebay links lately, and you'd expect
the opposite since ebay items change daily, while old established
sites would be expected to appear first. I supose ebay pays them to
do this.

aem sends...