On Apr 4, 4:17*pm, Jim Logajan wrote:

Disagree. I have yet to see a post that isn't obviously off-topic by simple
inspection of the contents of either the "subject" header or the "from"
header.

Actually Jim for those that use Google Groups, changing the subject
line does help filter out the wheat from the chaff. Unfortunately,
when one replies to a sub message within the thread, it changes the
subject line back.

In another medical group I am participating in, I have been changing
the subject line to spam and with the concerted effort of other
regulars in the group, the troll in that group is now spitting in his
own spam threads. Turning out to be a win win situation as now his
stuff is munged with spammers, we have less initiated threads by him
and he can't get the readership from new visitors that he wants and
needs.via the subject line displayed in Google groups. Without a kill
filter in Google Groups, this effort from other group participants
really has made a huge difference and we really can do a self
moderated filtering system ourselves. We don't even read what the
troll posts, it could be the cried wolf syndrome and be on topic, we
just nail him with changing the subject line and move on with
participation of on topic issues.

Also, I don't see the point of quoting the entire posts.

Agree, in a couple of threads I just did myself, I change the subject
line to non aviation and only left the first line of the poster
posting off topic material. I removed all other cross posted groups
and replied only to this group.

Google groups has it's inherited problems specifically with the
subject line because it's not so obvious with the edit subject link
and also the reply to feature. So existing threads are pretty
difficult to manage especially when they start on topic and then drift
off topic, but new threads that are off topic from get go, very easy
to get control of that subject line.

For this to work, it will take the concerted effort of many to get rid
of the few :-) and it will be a cat and mouse game. With my other
group, the majority has turned the tide. I know this because I looked
on his profile and his postings have reduced by 1/3 in one month we
started and his responses now show frustration. And it will take
persistence as you already indirectly pointed out for this to work.