# Usenet Addition Opinion



## cfleck (May 21, 2005)

I'm not sure when it was added as I can't find an announcement, but it is an insult to this site.  Its flooded with the type of behavior that has driven me away from forums before.  The trolling, cursing, ignorant behavior has no place here as far as I'm concerned as I was quite happy here prior to its existance.

I know I can hit the "new posts" button that doesn't include the newsgroup, but thats not the point.  Quite frankly, I find it embarrasing to even be associated with something that harbors this sort of environment.  

Maybe it is my own fault for reading it to begin with, but I can't help but believe it will attact people to the actual site to do the sort of things I mentioned above.  Regardless, I've stated my thoughts, so now I'd like to see anyone else's.  Write em down!


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## ScottW (May 21, 2005)

We are still tweaking the importing feature, doing away with a lot of the typical troll posts and off-topic. A majority of these appear to be in the Mac Advocacy group and it is also the biggest, so it requires some work. Plus the importing feature has taken much longer than expected. Still not 100% complete. 

The goal is to provide a more filtered Mac newsgroup selection. We have the ability to filter and not import posts that have certain keywords. Of course, until we see the actual threads/posts, we don't know which keywords an this means you will see some content that we would rather not see. Plus, you have the ability to flag any posts/threads and we can take care of it.

I suppose, it would not be to much to give the the option to OPT-OUT of all newsgroups, I will investigate if that can be automated.


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## nixgeek (May 21, 2005)

I've started to exclude most of the postings from the newsgroups since I barely have enough time to read all of what's just included in this site.  To add more stuff in there, although a great resource if you are looking for information or assistance (disregarding the annoying trolls), can just be a bit too much to consume for the likes of me, and possibly others.


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## ScottW (May 21, 2005)

Okay, you can turn them on/off... see this thread.

http://www.macosx.com/forums/showthread.php?p=799797#post799797


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## nixgeek (May 21, 2005)

ScottW said:
			
		

> Okay, you can turn them on/off... see this thread.
> 
> http://www.macosx.com/forums/showthread.php?p=799797#post799797



Thanks.


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## ora (May 25, 2005)

Another comment on this. Frankly i've seen nothing in any of the [NG] threads i'd ever want to read, too much trolling and arguments. The opt out is good, and i have opted out, but i still get [NG] posts when i use the search system (even though this isn't supposed to happen), which is irritating as the volume of posts there swamps the forum posts.


In the end i have to agree with cfleck, i really would prefer this site not to be associated with these newsgroups at all. As an alternative, maybe you could make it a wholly different area of the site, with different logon etc.


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## Zammy-Sam (May 25, 2005)

ScottW said:
			
		

> Okay, you can turn them on/off... see this thread.
> 
> http://www.macosx.com/forums/showthread.php?p=799797#post799797


Ahhhh, finally silence.


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## ScottW (May 25, 2005)

Well, I did have a period of that if you did opt-out that you may have still got some, but if you are still getting them, please advise. If so, which "forum" are you seeing?


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## ora (May 25, 2005)

Used basic search for 'widget', got results from [NG] Mac Advocacy, [NG] PHP Language 2, [NG] Mac Apps, [NG] Mac System, [NG] Mac Misc, [NG] Mac Programmers Tools,


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## ScottW (May 25, 2005)

I just turned off my access (using the toggle access feature) and did a search on Widget and got no NG results at all. Please check your access first. When you go to the main forum display page, do you see the newsgroups listed?


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## ora (May 25, 2005)

It was already off, but to make sure i turned it on, then off again using the above link, and i  still get NG results in my searches. Whether on or off, i see the Newsgroups on the main forum page in a blue block, different form the other forums.


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## ScottW (May 25, 2005)

Is anyone else having this issue?


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## lurk (May 25, 2005)

I turned it off and I still get [NG] groups when I search for widget.  So I see the same thing as another data point.


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## Mikuro (May 25, 2005)

I can't turn them off at all. I click the link in the FAQ, and it _says_ the NG access has been turned on/off, but either way, I see the newsgroups in the main list and they show up in searches.

I appreciate that this feature is useful for searching, but I really don't think it should be so integrated into the regular forum. I'd rather have it be an entirely separate entity, and include an "also search newgroups" check box in the advanced search options. I shouldn't need to go through the enable/disable rigamarole every time I want to perform a search that does or does not include newsgroups (I realize you've always been able to search specific forums in the advanced search window, but deselecting them all is a bit of a hassle).

I've never been much of a newsgroup guy, myself. Part of me thinks "aren't there far better ways of searching newsgroups already out there?" I'm not sure there's really a need for macosx.com to take on this role. That said, as long as it stays out of my way, I won't really care.

Just my 2¢


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## ScottW (May 25, 2005)

Turning off newsgroups removes your access to them. Meaning, you shouldn't even see them, they should not show up in searches, it is as though they don't exist. Now, if you are logged out, then they will show up, but when you login, they will disappear.

I guess the question now is, is it working for anyone? It works for me just fine. I am having trouble duplicating. It would be nice to see if I am the only one or if others are having the same result I am.


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## lurk (May 25, 2005)

I have the newsgroups turned off. Here is a little screen shot of me searching for "widget" and a little screen shot of the newsgroup results that turn up.

Hope it helps.


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## ScottW (May 25, 2005)

If you can see them on the main page, you still see them in results. It's all connected. I don't doubt you are seeing them, just trying to find out why. It works for me.


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## cfleck (May 26, 2005)

I'm not sure, but I think newsgroup threads are showing up in the RSS feed.  Not sure if this intentional or not, but as you can imagine, not a welcome addition for me.  

I assume they are usenet feeds as I can't access them when I click the link.

Is it the case that the RSS feed will include the usenet threads?


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## lurk (May 26, 2005)

I toggled the newsgroups on and off.  It said something to the effect of "removing newsgroup access" and "adding newsgroup access" so I know it toggled.  But in every case when the front page refreshed it included the newsgroups.

If you cannot fix the newsgroup thing in the short term is it possible to return more than 100 threads on the "new posts" search.  The newsgroups are pushing out the threads I am interested in and I am sure that there are a couple of discussions that I have dropped out of because they were not posted to in the past 12 hours and were pushed off the new list.

I can try to ignore the newsgroups in the meantime. 

Thanks.


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## ScottW (May 27, 2005)

RSS: No Newsgroups
Main Page: No Newsgroups
New Posts (Logged In): No Newsgroups
New Posts [Combined] (Logged In): Includes Newsgroups

If you are getting newsgroups posts in any of the above, except where noted, then clear your browser cache.


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## ScottW (May 27, 2005)

It appears the issue you are all having with what you can see or not see has to do with vbulleting caching permissions. My little db insert isn't being applied. To get around this I am forcing a logout of the user sessions in hopes it would be rebuilt once you log back in. I am unable to test this because my account worked before and naturally works this way as well. So, if someone else can try it out and let me know, that would be helpful.

If this doesn't resolve the issue, then I will have to see about how to apply a refresh of the datastore to make applied changes take effect.


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## g/re/p (May 27, 2005)

You mean i can turn that crap/drivel/slop good_for_nothing bullsquat usenet  
feature off ???   Thank god........


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## g/re/p (May 27, 2005)

Ahhhhh.....much better now!


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## Mikuro (May 27, 2005)

The newsgroups still show up after the logout, just like before. :\ I tried emptying Safari's cache, and I tried Firefox, but the results were the same. No idea what's wrong.


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## ScottW (May 27, 2005)

Mikuro, send me your password, I'd like to try it out on my end. Send it in PM.


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## ora (May 27, 2005)

logging in and out sorted it for me, thanks scott.


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## ScottW (May 27, 2005)

Good. It looks like it might be a hit/miss thing on if it works for you or not. Thanks to Mikuro's password, I was able to see it not working first hand. I will be investigating further.


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