RAS SPAM - What can be done?

We are seeing an increased amount of SPAM on RAS (rec.aviation.soaring). I have seen this before on other rec.xxx.xxx network news groups and the group becomes basically 100% SPAM. A great shame. We need to fight to keep RAS a good place for discussions.

Many groups have simply exited network news altogether and gone to web based user group forums so that they can control who is allowed to use the system (and kick idiots off). A Google Group is such a forum with controls (I don't recommend Yahoo groups). Some forums are created as money makers and can be filled with ads. Bottom line, this requires someone to create such a thing and administer it.

Believe it or not the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) goes all the way back to 1986, the very beginnings of the Internet! It was designed from the get-go to be open to anyone. Network neutrality as a foundation of the Internet! What can be done to stop SPAM? As I understand it nothing can be done. There is, by design, no way to prevent someone from posting whatever they want to a network news group.

We cannot prevent this person (probably a bot in reality) from posting their drivel to RAS (and in all likelihood also to every other network news group too). Like all SPAM you have to wonder how profitable it really is (but has the advantage of being nearly free to implement). Sending this nefarious person a "why are you doing this?" message is totally useless.

So, what effective things can be done? Here are my thoughts from easy to illegal;

1) Ignore it. Maybe it will just fade away as I have seen in the past.

2) Use Google to read RAS at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!fo...iation.soaring. This is different than creating a new Google group which allows user controls. I use the Google "report abuse" button to mark the entry as SPAM. This, at the very least, replaces the entry with "This topic has been hidden because you reported it for abuse". I believe that if enough people report abuse of an article, then Google blocks these messages for everyone. But this is somewhat tedious.

3) Use a standalone Network News reader application that allows filtering out certain subjects, authors or in other ways. This is available on any device down to smart phones (watches?). The downside is you have to set this up on all your devices (rather than using a web site). I don't have any recent experience with the newest batch of readers. Anyone have some ideas about good readers?

4) Go somewhere else and create a forum to replace RAS network news such as a new Google Group. This requires a coordinated administration.

4) Hire an Italian from Chicago to knock off the offending idiot. Wait a minute, I AM AN ITALIAN FROM CHICAGO! Ok, so that's a very bad idea. Politically incorrect. Ignore this. Please. (as I said anyone can say anything on network news)

Any other (good) ideas?

Thanks, John (OHM Ω)

On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 10:00:04 AM UTC-5, OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
We are seeing an increased amount of SPAM on RAS (rec.aviation.soaring). I have seen this before on other rec.xxx.xxx network news groups and the group becomes basically 100% SPAM. A great shame. We need to fight to keep RAS a good place for discussions.

Many groups have simply exited network news altogether and gone to web based user group forums so that they can control who is allowed to use the system (and kick idiots off). A Google Group is such a forum with controls (I don't recommend Yahoo groups). Some forums are created as money makers and can be filled with ads. Bottom line, this requires someone to create such a thing and administer it.

Believe it or not the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) goes all the way back to 1986, the very beginnings of the Internet! It was designed from the get-go to be open to anyone. Network neutrality as a foundation of the Internet! What can be done to stop SPAM? As I understand it nothing can be done. There is, by design, no way to prevent someone from posting whatever they want to a network news group.

We cannot prevent this person (probably a bot in reality) from posting their drivel to RAS (and in all likelihood also to every other network news group too). Like all SPAM you have to wonder how profitable it really is (but has the advantage of being nearly free to implement). Sending this nefarious person a "why are you doing this?" message is totally useless.

So, what effective things can be done? Here are my thoughts from easy to illegal;

1) Ignore it. Maybe it will just fade away as I have seen in the past.

2) Use Google to read RAS at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!fo...iation.soaring. This is different than creating a new Google group which allows user controls. I use the Google "report abuse" button to mark the entry as SPAM. This, at the very least, replaces the entry with "This topic has been hidden because you reported it for abuse". I believe that if enough people report abuse of an article, then Google blocks these messages for everyone. But this is somewhat tedious.

3) Use a standalone Network News reader application that allows filtering out certain subjects, authors or in other ways. This is available on any device down to smart phones (watches?). The downside is you have to set this up on all your devices (rather than using a web site). I don't have any recent experience with the newest batch of readers. Anyone have some ideas about good readers?

4) Go somewhere else and create a forum to replace RAS network news such as a new Google Group. This requires a coordinated administration.

4) Hire an Italian from Chicago to knock off the offending idiot. Wait a minute, I AM AN ITALIAN FROM CHICAGO! Ok, so that's a very bad idea. Politically incorrect. Ignore this. Please. (as I said anyone can say anything on network news)

Any other (good) ideas?

Thanks, John (OHM Ω)

I use Google groups and report abuse - spam - for each post. If everyone using ras on Google groups did this, they would exclude him/her/it quickly.

On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 7:09:19 AM UTC-8, Dan Daly wrote:
On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 10:00:04 AM UTC-5, OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
We are seeing an increased amount of SPAM on RAS (rec.aviation.soaring).. I have seen this before on other rec.xxx.xxx network news groups and the group becomes basically 100% SPAM. A great shame. We need to fight to keep RAS a good place for discussions.

Many groups have simply exited network news altogether and gone to web based user group forums so that they can control who is allowed to use the system (and kick idiots off). A Google Group is such a forum with controls (I don't recommend Yahoo groups). Some forums are created as money makers and can be filled with ads. Bottom line, this requires someone to create such a thing and administer it.

Believe it or not the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) goes all the way back to 1986, the very beginnings of the Internet! It was designed from the get-go to be open to anyone. Network neutrality as a foundation of the Internet! What can be done to stop SPAM? As I understand it nothing can be done. There is, by design, no way to prevent someone from posting whatever they want to a network news group.

We cannot prevent this person (probably a bot in reality) from posting their drivel to RAS (and in all likelihood also to every other network news group too). Like all SPAM you have to wonder how profitable it really is (but has the advantage of being nearly free to implement). Sending this nefarious person a "why are you doing this?" message is totally useless.

So, what effective things can be done? Here are my thoughts from easy to illegal;

1) Ignore it. Maybe it will just fade away as I have seen in the past.

2) Use Google to read RAS at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!fo...iation.soaring. This is different than creating a new Google group which allows user controls. I use the Google "report abuse" button to mark the entry as SPAM. This, at the very least, replaces the entry with "This topic has been hidden because you reported it for abuse". I believe that if enough people report abuse of an article, then Google blocks these messages for everyone. But this is somewhat tedious.

3) Use a standalone Network News reader application that allows filtering out certain subjects, authors or in other ways. This is available on any device down to smart phones (watches?). The downside is you have to set this up on all your devices (rather than using a web site). I don't have any recent experience with the newest batch of readers. Anyone have some ideas about good readers?

4) Go somewhere else and create a forum to replace RAS network news such as a new Google Group. This requires a coordinated administration.

4) Hire an Italian from Chicago to knock off the offending idiot. Wait a minute, I AM AN ITALIAN FROM CHICAGO! Ok, so that's a very bad idea. Politically incorrect. Ignore this. Please. (as I said anyone can say anything on network news)

Any other (good) ideas?

Thanks, John (OHM Ω)

I use Google groups and report abuse - spam - for each post. If everyone using ras on Google groups did this, they would exclude him/her/it quickly.

I report as well

As I said earlier, I use Thunderbird as my email client and news
reader.Â* When I see a spam message, I simply right click on the subject
before opening the message, and select "Create Filter From".Â* Then I can
use boolean logic (equals, contains, etc.) to create the filter.Â* In the
disposition section of the filter, I simply select "Delete".Â* Problem
solved.

BTW, I'm of Sicilian extraction.Â* My Dad could have taught me better ways...

Cheers!

On 2/22/2018 8:09 AM, Dan Daly wrote:
On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 10:00:04 AM UTC-5, OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
We are seeing an increased amount of SPAM on RAS (rec.aviation.soaring). I have seen this before on other rec.xxx.xxx network news groups and the group becomes basically 100% SPAM. A great shame. We need to fight to keep RAS a good place for discussions.

Many groups have simply exited network news altogether and gone to web based user group forums so that they can control who is allowed to use the system (and kick idiots off). A Google Group is such a forum with controls (I don't recommend Yahoo groups). Some forums are created as money makers and can be filled with ads. Bottom line, this requires someone to create such a thing and administer it.

Believe it or not the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) goes all the way back to 1986, the very beginnings of the Internet! It was designed from the get-go to be open to anyone. Network neutrality as a foundation of the Internet! What can be done to stop SPAM? As I understand it nothing can be done. There is, by design, no way to prevent someone from posting whatever they want to a network news group.

We cannot prevent this person (probably a bot in reality) from posting their drivel to RAS (and in all likelihood also to every other network news group too). Like all SPAM you have to wonder how profitable it really is (but has the advantage of being nearly free to implement). Sending this nefarious person a "why are you doing this?" message is totally useless.

So, what effective things can be done? Here are my thoughts from easy to illegal;

1) Ignore it. Maybe it will just fade away as I have seen in the past.

2) Use Google to read RAS at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!fo...iation.soaring. This is different than creating a new Google group which allows user controls. I use the Google "report abuse" button to mark the entry as SPAM. This, at the very least, replaces the entry with "This topic has been hidden because you reported it for abuse". I believe that if enough people report abuse of an article, then Google blocks these messages for everyone. But this is somewhat tedious.

3) Use a standalone Network News reader application that allows filtering out certain subjects, authors or in other ways. This is available on any device down to smart phones (watches?). The downside is you have to set this up on all your devices (rather than using a web site). I don't have any recent experience with the newest batch of readers. Anyone have some ideas about good readers?

4) Go somewhere else and create a forum to replace RAS network news such as a new Google Group. This requires a coordinated administration.

4) Hire an Italian from Chicago to knock off the offending idiot. Wait a minute, I AM AN ITALIAN FROM CHICAGO! Ok, so that's a very bad idea. Politically incorrect. Ignore this. Please. (as I said anyone can say anything on network news)

Any other (good) ideas?

Thanks, John (OHM Ω)
I use Google groups and report abuse - spam - for each post. If everyone using ras on Google groups did this, they would exclude him/her/it quickly.

--
Dan, 5J

I am also on google groups and report the spam as spam. Seems to disappear quickly and is then shown as deleted because of abuse. I must confess I take a bit of perverse pleasure in doing this. Takes about 10 seconds to report as abuse.

David, BV

When I report it as abuse, does it disappear for others as well?

David, BV

On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 9:33:21 AM UTC-6, David Martin wrote:
When I report it as abuse, does it disappear for others as well?

David, BV

I believe not. I looked at RAS via an alternate Google account and still see all the "Solution Manual" entries.

BTW: I assume these manuals are the teacher's editions of college text books with solutions to the chapter questions. If I was a student and bought one of these I could probably get A's on all my homework but would I be able to pass the final? Slippery slope indeed.

More likely...your credit card will get compromised and you'll never receive any manuals.

No 419!

Hi Dan,

I already use T-bird for email, no reason I couldn't use it as my news reader.

But how? I'm lazy - can you please share the NNTP configuration you use in thunderbird? Thinks like server name .... unless they are specific to your ISP?



On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 9:18:57 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
As I said earlier, I use Thunderbird as my email client and news
reader.Â* When I see a spam message, I simply right click on the subject
before opening the message, and select "Create Filter From".Â* Then I can
use boolean logic (equals, contains, etc.) to create the filter.Â* In the
disposition section of the filter, I simply select "Delete".Â* Problem
solved.

BTW, I'm of Sicilian extraction.Â* My Dad could have taught me better ways...

Cheers!

On 2/22/2018 8:09 AM, Dan Daly wrote:
On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 10:00:04 AM UTC-5, OHM Ω http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
We are seeing an increased amount of SPAM on RAS (rec.aviation.soaring). I have seen this before on other rec.xxx.xxx network news groups and the group becomes basically 100% SPAM. A great shame. We need to fight to keep RAS a good place for discussions.

Many groups have simply exited network news altogether and gone to web based user group forums so that they can control who is allowed to use the system (and kick idiots off). A Google Group is such a forum with controls (I don't recommend Yahoo groups). Some forums are created as money makers and can be filled with ads. Bottom line, this requires someone to create such a thing and administer it.

Believe it or not the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) goes all the way back to 1986, the very beginnings of the Internet! It was designed from the get-go to be open to anyone. Network neutrality as a foundation of the Internet! What can be done to stop SPAM? As I understand it nothing can be done. There is, by design, no way to prevent someone from posting whatever they want to a network news group.

We cannot prevent this person (probably a bot in reality) from posting their drivel to RAS (and in all likelihood also to every other network news group too). Like all SPAM you have to wonder how profitable it really is (but has the advantage of being nearly free to implement). Sending this nefarious person a "why are you doing this?" message is totally useless.

So, what effective things can be done? Here are my thoughts from easy to illegal;

1) Ignore it. Maybe it will just fade away as I have seen in the past..

2) Use Google to read RAS at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!fo...iation.soaring. This is different than creating a new Google group which allows user controls. I use the Google "report abuse" button to mark the entry as SPAM. This, at the very least, replaces the entry with "This topic has been hidden because you reported it for abuse". I believe that if enough people report abuse of an article, then Google blocks these messages for everyone. But this is somewhat tedious.

3) Use a standalone Network News reader application that allows filtering out certain subjects, authors or in other ways. This is available on any device down to smart phones (watches?). The downside is you have to set this up on all your devices (rather than using a web site). I don't have any recent experience with the newest batch of readers. Anyone have some ideas about good readers?

4) Go somewhere else and create a forum to replace RAS network news such as a new Google Group. This requires a coordinated administration.

4) Hire an Italian from Chicago to knock off the offending idiot. Wait a minute, I AM AN ITALIAN FROM CHICAGO! Ok, so that's a very bad idea. Politically incorrect. Ignore this. Please. (as I said anyone can say anything on network news)

Any other (good) ideas?

Thanks, John (OHM Ω)
I use Google groups and report abuse - spam - for each post. If everyone using ras on Google groups did this, they would exclude him/her/it quickly.

--
Dan, 5J

Allow me to correct my proceduÂ* I open the message, right click on
the reply to address, select "Create Filter From", and proceed as below.

On 2/22/2018 8:18 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:
As I said earlier, I use Thunderbird as my email client and news
reader.Â* When I see a spam message, I simply right click on the
subject before opening the message, and select "Create Filter From".Â*
Then I can use boolean logic (equals, contains, etc.) to create the
filter.Â* In the disposition section of the filter, I simply select
"Delete".Â* Problem solved.

BTW, I'm of Sicilian extraction.Â* My Dad could have taught me better
ways...

Cheers!

On 2/22/2018 8:09 AM, Dan Daly wrote:
On Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 10:00:04 AM UTC-5, OHM Ω
http://aviation.derosaweb.net wrote:
We are seeing an increased amount of SPAM on RAS
(rec.aviation.soaring).Â* I have seen this before on other
rec.xxx.xxx network news groups and the group becomes basically 100%
SPAM.Â* A great shame.Â*Â* We need to fight to keep RAS a good place
for discussions.

Many groups have simply exited network news altogether and gone to
web based user group forums so that they can control who is allowed
to use the system (and kick idiots off).Â* A Google Group is such a
forum with controls (I don't recommend Yahoo groups).Â* Some forums
are created as money makers and can be filled with ads.Â* Bottom
line, this requires someone to create such a thing and administer it.

Believe it or not the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) goes all
the way back to 1986, the very beginnings of the Internet!Â* It was
designed from the get-go to be open to anyone. Network neutrality as
a foundation of the Internet! What can be done to stop SPAM?Â* As I
understand it nothing can be done.Â* There is, by design, no way to
prevent someone from posting whatever they want to a network news
group.

We cannot prevent this person (probably a bot in reality) from
posting their drivel to RAS (and in all likelihood also to every
other network news group too). Like all SPAM you have to wonder how
profitable it really is (but has the advantage of being nearly free
to implement). Sending this nefarious person a "why are you doing
this?" message is totally useless.

So, what effective things can be done? Here are my thoughts from
easy to illegal;

1) Ignore it.Â* Maybe it will just fade away as I have seen in the past.

2) Use Google to read RAS at
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!fo...iation.soaring. This
is different than creating a new Google group which allows user
controls.Â* I use the Google "report abuse" button to mark the entry
as SPAM. This, at the very least, replaces the entry with "This
topic has been hidden because you reported it for abuse". I believe
that if enough people report abuse of an article, then Google blocks
these messages for everyone.Â* But this is somewhat tedious.

3) Use a standalone Network News reader application that allows
filtering out certain subjects, authors or in other ways.Â* This is
available on any device down to smart phones (watches?).Â* The
downside is you have to set this up on all your devices (rather than
using a web site).Â* I don't have any recent experience with the
newest batch of readers.Â* Anyone have some ideas about good readers?

4) Go somewhere else and create a forum to replace RAS network news
such as a new Google Group.Â* This requires a coordinated
administration.

4) Hire an Italian from Chicago to knock off the offending idiot.Â*
Wait a minute, I AM AN ITALIAN FROM CHICAGO!Â* Ok, so that's a very
bad idea. Politically incorrect. Ignore this. Please.Â* (as I said
anyone can say anything on network news)

Any other (good) ideas?

Thanks, John (OHM Ω)
I use Google groups and report abuse - spam - for each post. If
everyone using ras on Google groups did this, they would exclude
him/her/it quickly.


--
Dan, 5J