• Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting t

    From Carlos E.R.@3:633/10 to All on Friday, January 30, 2026 13:35:43
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    On 2026-01-29 22:55, Maria Sophia wrote:
    R.Wieser wrote:
    You might not see this 'cuz a "real" newsreader would likely have emailed >>> the moderator directly

    Why ?

    Why would the moderator want to receive - and put into a newsgroup - a post >> which you could not read the responses to ?

    Hi Rudy,
    You know what I like about you? It's you ask questions about concepts that
    I hadn't even thought of for a single moment, since I run a tight ship.

    Given I care about privacy, I never use the same newsserver to read from as
    I do to write to, so any given newsgroup could be on one but not the other.

    But if you hadn't asked that question, I wouldn't have even thought to tell people this since I do a billion things for privacy by design like that.


    I asked Google "how do moderated groups work on Usenet?". Here is the
    answer. My comments in curly brackets {}.

    +++--------------
    AI Overview

    Moderated groups on Usenet function by requiring all submissions to be reviewed by a human moderator or automated system before appearing,
    ensuring discussions remain on-topic and free of spam. When a user
    posts, the message is routed to a specialized email address, where the moderator approves or rejects it.

    {thus the email must be real and working. The moderator
    must be able to email you, specially if the post is rejected.}

    Key Aspects of Moderated Usenet Groups:

    * The Workflow: Instead of appearing immediately, posts to moderated groups (e.g., rec.food.recipes) are sent to a moderator. The moderator
    reviews them to ensure they follow the group's charter, then publishes approved messages to the Usenet server.

    * Purpose: These groups are designed for higher quality, focused discussions, or to prevent spam and off-topic posts in niche areas.

    Approval Process: If a message is approved, it is distributed to
    the Usenet network. If rejected, it never reaches the public newsgroup.

    * Creation: Moderated groups are created through a formal Request
    for Discussion (RFD) and Call for Votes (CFV) process, which specifies
    the moderation policy.

    * Identification: While not always obvious, moderated groups are
    often identified in newsgroup lists, and their content is generally
    restricted to specific topics rather than open, unmoderated discussion.

    Moderators can also choose to post a composite digest of articles rather
    than individual submissions.
    --------------++-

    Links:

    <https://www.lsu.edu/internet/guides/zen/zen-1.0_5.html>

    <https://www.newsdemon.com/what-is-moderated-group>

    <http://www.tcpipguide.com/free/t_UsenetAddressingNewsgroupsNewsgroupHierarchiesandT-4.htm>



    When you configure an Usenet account in Thunderbird (I'm checking this
    on Linux), there is an entry that is normally not used, where you define
    the "Outgoing Server (SMTP)". This can be a local Sendmail, for example,
    but can be any server on internet. Ie, it is the same configuration as
    for a Mail Account. It has to be a real mail identity, and you must have whatever credentials the outgoing SMTP server requires from you. Likely,
    a password.



    --
    Cheers, Carlos.
    ES??, EU??;

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.8
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Carlos E.R.@3:633/10 to All on Friday, January 30, 2026 22:46:17
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    On 2026-01-30 19:30, rbowman wrote:
    On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:35:43 +0100, Carlos E.R. wrote:


    * The Workflow: Instead of appearing immediately, posts to moderated
    groups (e.g., rec.food.recipes) are sent to a moderator. The moderator
    reviews them to ensure they follow the group's charter, then publishes
    approved messages to the Usenet server.

    I was a moderator for a group years ago. The name escapes me but we used a service to coordinate the moderation. It was inexpensive and the several moderators chipped in to pay the cost.

    The newsgroup still exists but hasn't had moderators for about 20 years.

    From the user side, how did it work?

    For example, when posting, Thunderbird would automatically send an email
    to the moderator list, and would find out this address automatically?

    --
    Cheers, Carlos.
    ES??, EU??;

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.8
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Mike Easter@3:633/10 to All on Friday, January 30, 2026 14:27:09
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    Carlos E.R. wrote:
    From the user side, how did it work?

    For example, when posting, Thunderbird would automatically send an email
    to the moderator list, and would find out this address automatically?

    Not exactly.

    Tb 'tries to' post to the ng via nntp; but in a mod group, the news
    server doesn't 'just' post it; instead the news server 'auto' emails it
    to an .isc address ie group-name@moderators.isc.org. That address is configured to email 'forward' it to the ng's moderators of record.

    The ng's moderators of record have their 'own' system of handling the
    msg. Theoretically it could be handled by human eyeballs and hands, but
    more like the mod mail has some auto-handling of its own.

    If the msg is 'ok' then it gets posted to the group via having an
    appropriate header prepended.

    --
    Mike Easter

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.8
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Carlos E.R.@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, January 31, 2026 00:03:17
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    On 2026-01-30 23:27, Mike Easter wrote:
    Carlos E.R. wrote:
    ˙From the user side, how did it work?

    For example, when posting, Thunderbird would automatically send an
    email to the moderator list, and would find out this address
    automatically?

    Not exactly.

    Tb 'tries to' post to the ng via nntp; but in a mod group, the news
    server doesn't 'just' post it; instead the news server 'auto' emails it
    to an .isc address ie group-name@moderators.isc.org. That address is configured to email 'forward' it to the ng's moderators of record.

    Ah. That makes more sense. Transparent, from the client point of view.

    Although it means that all the news servers in the world have to be
    configured to do this.

    Or perhaps not configured servers can simply refuse to post to moderated groups.


    The ng's moderators of record have their 'own' system of handling the
    msg. Theoretically it could be handled by human eyeballs and hands, but
    more like the mod mail has some auto-handling of its own.

    If the msg is 'ok' then it gets posted to the group via having an appropriate header prepended.

    Right.


    --
    Cheers, Carlos.
    ES??, EU??;

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.8
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Kerr-Mudd, John@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, February 01, 2026 10:07:24
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    On 31 Jan 2026 03:05:28 GMT
    rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

    On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:27:09 -0800, Mike Easter wrote:


    Tb 'tries to' post to the ng via nntp; but in a mod group, the news
    server doesn't 'just' post it; instead the news server 'auto' emails it
    to an .isc address ie group-name@moderators.isc.org. That address is configured to email 'forward' it to the ng's moderators of record.

    I wish I could remember the name of the intermediary service we used. When someone posted the moderators got an email notification and one would approve or deny the post. It streamlined the process.

    It was a lot of work to strain out a few people. This wasn't the group but if you go to alt.pagan and download a couple of months worth of headers you'll meet the famous David Dalton. He has an obsession with Sarah McLachlan and is usually way off his meds. He's still going strong after
    all these years, the sole poster in abandoned ngs.

    He appears (out of his depth) in a few other NGs. At least he's stopped
    wanting to find the ark of the covenant (was it?) buried under Stonehenge.
    The good thing is that he rarely nym-shifts.


    I wasn't too enthusiastic about the moderation and tended to be liberal in allowing posts. Other than the odd nutter the really divisive topic was Viktor Rydgerg's theories on Norse mythology.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Rydberg





    --
    Bah, and indeed Humbug.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Kerr-Mudd, John@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, February 01, 2026 10:44:41
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    On Sun, 1 Feb 2026 21:22:58 +1100
    Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> wrote:

    On 1/02/2026 9:07 pm, Kerr-Mudd, John wrote:
    On 31 Jan 2026 03:05:28 GMT
    rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:
    On Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:27:09 -0800, Mike Easter wrote:

    Tb 'tries to' post to the ng via nntp; but in a mod group, the news
    server doesn't 'just' post it; instead the news server 'auto' emails it >>> to an .isc address ie group-name@moderators.isc.org. That address is
    configured to email 'forward' it to the ng's moderators of record.

    I wish I could remember the name of the intermediary service we used. When >> someone posted the moderators got an email notification and one would
    approve or deny the post. It streamlined the process.

    It was a lot of work to strain out a few people. This wasn't the group but >> if you go to alt.pagan and download a couple of months worth of headers
    you'll meet the famous David Dalton. He has an obsession with Sarah
    McLachlan and is usually way off his meds. He's still going strong after >> all these years, the sole poster in abandoned ngs.

    He appears (out of his depth) in a few other NGs. At least he's stopped wanting to find the ark of the covenant (was it?) buried under Stonehenge.

    "Stonehenge"?? I thought The Ark of The Covenant was on Mt Ararat in
    Turkiye or some such!!

    You're barking up the wrong ark.

    PS it's spelled 'Turkey' in English. If you're a Turk, you need to put
    double dots on the last 'e' in Turkiye, IIRC.


    --
    Bah, and indeed Humbug.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From issdr@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, February 01, 2026 13:09:33
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    "Kerr-Mudd, John" wrote:

    PS it's spelled 'Turkey' in English. If you're a Turk, you need to put
    double dots on the last 'e' in Turkiye, IIRC.

    i'm gonna miss usenet as hell ?

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Mike Easter@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, February 01, 2026 09:11:34
    Subject: Re: The perils of writing your own newsreader - the perils of posting to moderated newsgroups

    Daniel70 wrote:
    I thought, over the past few years there had been a
    swing in English Media to use "Turkiye".

    What we call Turkey 'official' name is Republic of Trkiye which name
    contains the umlaut lowercase U, which should display as a UTF-8.

    --
    Mike Easter

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.10
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)