List spam

[Ghodmode]

On Thu, Aug 18, 2011 at 10:58 PM, Alain Ketterlin
<alain at dpt-info.u-strasbg.fr> wrote:
> Ghodmode <ghodmode at ghodmode.com> writes:
>
> [...]
>> Make an effort to curb the spam even if it means killing the newsgroup
>> availability.  Choose mailman or Google Groups, or another single
>> solution.  Make it members only, but allow anyone to register with an
>> automated confirmation email and a CAPTCHA.  Appoint a list admin who
>> has a few minutes each day to scan subjects of emails for spammers and
>> remove them from the members list.
>
> Or save work and find a public nntp server (or setup one, or ask your
> provider), and use a news reader to follow the list (even thunderbird
> can do this). No spam, no need to store messages on your machine,
> auto-purge after a configurable delay, etc.
>
> Problem solved.

Is that easier than just checking your email?  I guess it's a matter
of perspective...

Newsgroups aren't inherently spam-free.  They're filtered.  At least
that's the case with Gmane (http://gmane.org/spam.php).

My own ISP doesn't provide a news server and, although there are many
links for free open news servers, most of them don't seem to work.

I did check, though.  I found a free, open news server with
comp.lang.python after 6 that didn't work.  Unfortunately, the one I
found is read-only.  I'll have to do some more looking if I want to
participate in the newsgroup.  I set it up in Thunderbird.  I waited
for a few minutes while it loaded the available newsgroups, then
filtered the list for comp.lang.python and subscribed.  I noticed
that, when clicking on a message, there is another delay while I wait
for the content of the message to load.

I was happy to see significantly less spam in the newsgroup than in
the mailing list, but there was still more than I see in other mailing
lists.

For me, this is much more difficult, although I'm sure that this is a
matter of perspective.  Also, I have something that's tied to this
computer.  I can't read it on my laptop, my mobile device, or at a
cyber-cafe.  I have to sit in front of this computer if I want to read
the newsgroup and, until I find another news server that isn't
read-only, I can't even post messages.

For me, I'll stick with email.


> -- Alain.

--
Ghodmode
http://www.ghodmode.com/blog