🚀 go-pugleaf

On Thu, 14 Feb 2002 13:09:57 GMT, hgoldste@mpcs.com (Howard Goldstein)
wrote:

>On 13 Feb 2002 18:30:34 -0800, Elizabeth Crosby <croliz@yahoo.com> wrote:
> :  I know there is a way to intiate a new newsgroup; I believe it must be
> :  approved somehow.  I, at the moment, because I am not using my regular
> :  server and browser seem somewhat limited in even finding the
> :  instructions. If anyone not embroiled in the squabbling that has taken
> :  over fl.general would like to do whatever necessary or perhaps give me
> :  some instructions, maybe we could make it work. 
>
>Propose it in fl.config.  Historically new fl groups have been
>discussed there and created upon reaching a consensus amongst
>Floridians.  
>
>Besides a new group I think it would be helpful to get a nice charter
>for this group in place.  If anyone else is interested in discussing
>that please say so.
>

Creating a new group will simply give the jerks one _more_ place to
post to.  They have already shown that they will post their crap
anywhere, anytime.  They routinely crosspost widely and ignore
charters and no-crossposting rules.  In their zeal to "get" one
another they don't care who else is inconvenienced by their actions.
It would be wonderful to simply leave them behind, but historically
they don't stay left behind.  They follow.

The sad fact is that the "rules" are generally unenforceable; they
depend on people following them voluntarily.

Having said that, there is one way to prevent these kinds of posts
from clogging up a group; i.e. create a moderated newsgroup.

(For those who don't know what that is, a moderated newsgroup is one
where all posts are first automatically sent to a moderator, who needs
to add a special "approved" header to the post before it will appear
in the group.  By rejecting inappropriate posts, the moderator acts as
a filter for the group.)

There are problems with creating a moderated group.

1.  It has to be a new group, with a new name.  (You cannot change an
existing unmoderated group into a moderated one for a large number of
reasons.)  Will new posters even be able to find the new group?

2.  You have to find someone who is willing to act as moderator, and
that person has to demonstrate that they have the technical skill and
software to do the job.  They also have to have the _time_ available
to do it.  It's a big job, and usually a thankless one.

3.  You also have to consider questions like what happens if the
moderator quits, becomes disabled, or loses their access.  With no
replacement at hand, the group dies.

4.  It's also possible in certain circumstances to "break" a moderated
group.  Once that happens, the group essentially becomes unmoderated
and all your work is wasted.

Unfortunately, the best advice I can give for dealing with these jerks
is to ignore them.  If your newsreader has a filter, use it, otherwise
ignore their posts and _don't_ let yourself get drawn into replying to
them.  Things will eventually calm down and normal posters can resume.
It's frustrating, but it works.