«

Could someone tell me how you add a contributor to a newsgroup to a
'blacklist' so that you don't have to see their postings? I've heard
that this is possible. I use Firefox.

This used to be a very useful and informative newsgroup before it was
hijacked by a couple of massive egos afflicted with verbal diarrhoea.
I've a feeling that if I could screen out the Linux/Dimdows wars, and
dispense with the 20-30 links daily to news items that are usually of no
interest to me, it would again start to resemble a sensible and rational
forum for discussion of current computer issues.

On the other hand, it's possible that most of the sane and intelligent
contributors have migrated off to some other newsgroup where the
inanities of people like L D'O and Mary H aren't tolerated - in which
case I'd be obliged if someone would let me know the name of it.

In article <4b58a951$>,
aardvarksubtractanimalkingsburyt@vod...dvark. net.nz says...
>
> Could someone tell me how you add a contributor to a newsgroup to a
> 'blacklist' so that you don't have to see their postings? I've heard
> that this is possible. I use Firefox.
>
> This used to be a very useful and informative newsgroup before it was
> hijacked by a couple of massive egos afflicted with verbal diarrhoea.
> I've a feeling that if I could screen out the Linux/Dimdows wars, and
> dispense with the 20-30 links daily to news items that are usually of no
> interest to me, it would again start to resemble a sensible and rational
> forum for discussion of current computer issues.
>
> On the other hand, it's possible that most of the sane and intelligent
> contributors have migrated off to some other newsgroup where the
> inanities of people like L D'O and Mary H aren't tolerated - in which
> case I'd be obliged if someone would let me know the name of it.

it's very easy to do if you use a newsreader program that connects to an
nntp server rather than going the browser way. There are many available
for free, I use Gravity (available from sourceforge - it's being
actively developed again b.t.w.) for instance, but there's also
FreeAgent and a bunch that are much harder to configure i.m.o. (slrn,
40tude Dialog, xnews) As well, you could use an email client that can do
newsgroups as an afterthrought: Outlook (express) and Thunderbird to
name the two most prevalant. Not recommended, either of them (for decent
usenet reading functionality, that is).

Someone else will be able to point you to a good free newsserver, I'm a
bit out of the loop since I have paid ~15bucks a year to use
news.individual.net for a few years now, they have great up-front spam
filtering on their newsgroups. No faux nike and rolex ads there.
aioe and eternalseptember (formerly motzarella.org) come to mind.

h.t.h., -Peter

In article <4b58a951$>,
aaaaaaaaardvaaaaaark
<aardvarksubtractanimalkingsburyt@vodafoneaardvark .net.nz> wrote:

> Could someone tell me how you add a contributor to a newsgroup to a
> 'blacklist' so that you don't have to see their postings? I've heard
> that this is possible. I use Firefox.

You appear to be using Thunderbird 2 for posting, not Firefox (which
doesn't do NNTP).

I believe Thunderbird 3 has improved usenet filtering, but previous
versions like the one you are posting with, have next to zip.

I prefer to use any of the dedicated freeware newsreaders that have
excellent strong filtering capabilities, such as Xnews or 40tude Dialog.

Filtering out the Linux/MS flame wars in this group is a doddle with a
good dedicated newsreader.

If you really prefer to use Thunderbird and you don't want to upgrade
you could look into using your existing T'bird in conjunction with
NewsProxy (aka nfilter), a program that sits between your newsreader and
your news server. It has excellent filtering and once set up it runs
transparently, you don't notice its there.

Should you want to try NewsProxy, version 1.2.4 is pretty solid. DL:
<ftp://ftp.zedz.net/incoming/NewsProxy_1.2.4.zip> The file
"NewsProxy_1.2.4.zip" MD5sum = 69473937dfbc3b33520da75e06606918

For earlier versions and info on NewsProxy/nfilter and how to use it:
<http://www.nfilter.org/>

For (brief) info on programs similar to NewsProxy and why you may need
them: <http://improve-usenet.org/filters_ex2.html>

--
dee

In article <emteedee->,
Mike Dee <> wrote:

> I believe Thunderbird 3 has improved usenet filtering, but previous
> versions like the one you are posting with, have next to zip.

It looks like Thunderbird 2 does have *some* filtering capabilities, you
should be able to do some simple filtering on certain posters and
subjects in NGs...

A page with some good instructional pix, here:
<http://meets.radp.org/usenet2.htm> Scroll down page to the line:
"Finally, you might want to use filters to make your Usenet experience
safer and more enjoyable." and take it from there.

HTH

--
dee

On 2010-01-21, aaaaaaaaardvaaaaaark <aardvarksubtractanimalkingsburyt@vodafoneaardvark .net.nz> wrote:
> Could someone tell me how you add a contributor to a newsgroup to a
> 'blacklist' so that you don't have to see their postings? I've heard
> that this is possible. I use Firefox.

Ms Penguin here. May I suggest that you use the correct tool. Firefox is a
web browser, not a newsreader.

>
> This used to be a very useful and informative newsgroup before it was
> hijacked by a couple of massive egos afflicted with verbal diarrhoea.

I use my brain. Scanning of headers is a skill one needs to aquire. I mean
do read all of a magazine, or newspaper? One scans the headlines.

> I've a feeling that if I could screen out the Linux/Dimdows wars, and
> dispense with the 20-30 links daily to news items that are usually of no
> interest to me, it would again start to resemble a sensible and rational
> forum for discussion of current computer issues.

That is you viewpoint. Thanks for sharing it with us. Look I have been
around along enough to know that Lawerence will probably be gone while I am
still reading this group.

>
> On the other hand, it's possible that most of the sane and intelligent
> contributors have migrated off to some other newsgroup where the
> inanities of people like L D'O and Mary H aren't tolerated - in which
> case I'd be obliged if someone would let me know the name of it.

We live in a democracy, there is a price to pay for that. Tolerate, or
ignore idiots, as you see them and lets move on.

BTW have you heard of BABYMASH? Capitals are required. Go on Google

On 2010-01-22, Mike Dee <> wrote:
> In article <4b58a951$>,
> aaaaaaaaardvaaaaaark
> <aardvarksubtractanimalkingsburyt@vodafoneaardvark .net.nz> wrote:
>
>
> Filtering out the Linux/MS flame wars in this group is a doddle with a
> good dedicated newsreader.

Challange accepted. You miss out. Go on plonk me.

In article <>,
Gordon <> wrote:

> On 2010-01-22, Mike Dee <> wrote:
[...]

> > Filtering out the Linux/MS flame wars in this group is a doddle with a
> > good dedicated newsreader.
>
> Challange accepted. You miss out. Go on plonk me.

LoL There's no challenge there. If I wanted to, I could... Just
wouldn't bleat about it, so likely you'd never know.

--
dee

In message <>, Gordon wrote:

> Go on plonk me.

The ones who really deserve plonking are the ones who moan about other
people’s postings without contributing anything worthwhile themselves. Those
are the real abusive wankers who should be shunned.

Thanks Guys, lot of good info there. I should be comfortable behind my
wall of exclusion.

2 points in reply.
I've no wish to restrict anyone's freedom of speech. I just want to
assert my right not to have to listen. I need this newsgroup because it
often provides me with useful computer information that I couldn't get
anywhere else. I'm old. Time is short. Computers are fun. But I find it
unnecessarily tiring to have to wade through a whole lot of twaddle that
is there only because some people have an axe to grind and/or a
relentless determination to show off in front of others.

I'm what you might call a computer end-user. If I don't contribute to
this group, it's because I have absolutely nothing to say. There's
nothing I know about computers that you guys don't already know (seems I
don't even know the difference between a Thunderbird and a Firefox )
But I enjoy listening in to your conversations, and I gain a lot of
understanding from them. When one or two teenagers start monopolising
the discussion & shouting at each other non-stop, well, one feels a need
to do something about it. But maybe you're right - just wait for them to
grow up. This used to be a good newsgroup - it may be so again.
Thanks for your suggestions.
Have a pleasant week!

Mike Dee wrote:
> In article <4b58a951$>,
> aaaaaaaaardvaaaaaark
> <aardvarksubtractanimalkingsburyt@vodafoneaardvark .net.nz> wrote:
>
>> Could someone tell me how you add a contributor to a newsgroup to a
>> 'blacklist' so that you don't have to see their postings? I've heard
>> that this is possible. I use Firefox.
>
> You appear to be using Thunderbird 2 for posting, not Firefox (which
> doesn't do NNTP).
>
> I believe Thunderbird 3 has improved usenet filtering, but previous
> versions like the one you are posting with, have next to zip.
>
> I prefer to use any of the dedicated freeware newsreaders that have
> excellent strong filtering capabilities, such as Xnews or 40tude Dialog.
>
> Filtering out the Linux/MS flame wars in this group is a doddle with a
> good dedicated newsreader.
>
> If you really prefer to use Thunderbird and you don't want to upgrade
> you could look into using your existing T'bird in conjunction with
> NewsProxy (aka nfilter), a program that sits between your newsreader and
> your news server. It has excellent filtering and once set up it runs
> transparently, you don't notice its there.
>
> Should you want to try NewsProxy, version 1.2.4 is pretty solid. DL:
> <ftp://ftp.zedz.net/incoming/NewsProxy_1.2.4.zip> The file
> "NewsProxy_1.2.4.zip" MD5sum = 69473937dfbc3b33520da75e06606918
>
> For earlier versions and info on NewsProxy/nfilter and how to use it:
> <http://www.nfilter.org/>
>
> For (brief) info on programs similar to NewsProxy and why you may need
> them: <http://improve-usenet.org/filters_ex2.html>
>