Reclaiming this group for Java enthusiasts

[softwarepearls_com]

I've been thinking how to stop the spamming criminals from raising the
noise levels of this group to the point that serious Java programmers
give up and go elsewhere. (BTW I access the group through
groups.google.com, YMMV).

One idea which could work is to artificially lower c.l.j.p's radar
profile for a while (a week, 2 weeks?) so that c.l.j.p temporarily
becomes a low activity group. I think it's the current high activity
which attracts the creeps (probably automatically) to spam our group
to oblivion.

Any ideas why this wouldn't work?

I'm also wondering why giants such as Google don't step in to tackle
all this blatant off-topic spam. Guess they must be making money from
their ads posted alongside the articles.

 

[Joshua Cranmer]

I've been thinking how to stop the spamming criminals from raising the
noise levels of this group to the point that serious Java programmers
give up and go elsewhere. (BTW I access the group through
groups.google.com, YMMV).

Short answer: you don't. The only possible countermeasure would be
moderating, and this is too high-traffic to be moderated.

One idea which could work is to artificially lower c.l.j.p's radar
profile for a while (a week, 2 weeks?) so that c.l.j.p temporarily
becomes a low activity group. I think it's the current high activity
which attracts the creeps (probably automatically) to spam our group
to oblivion.

Any ideas why this wouldn't work?

Suppose lowering its activity worked. Two weeks later, it'd be high
activity again and the spammers would come roaring back. Besides, my
analysis is that a spam list has a half-life of around 3-5 months.

A quick round among some other Usenet groups show that activity does not
really have a major effect on signal/noise ratio.

I'm also wondering why giants such as Google don't step in to tackle
all this blatant off-topic spam. Guess they must be making money from
their ads posted alongside the articles.

Google is probably more concerned with people sending email spam than
Usenet spam, since the former is going to be a lot more noticed. If
you've not noticed, the era of ISPs providing free Usenet access is
drawing to a close.

 

[Dr J R Stockton]

I've been thinking how to stop the spamming criminals from raising the
noise levels of this group to the point that serious Java programmers
give up and go elsewhere. (BTW I access the group through
groups.google.com, YMMV).

You have just explained your problem, in the parentheses. Currently I
am not able to use my normal well-designed standards-compliant
newsreader. Because of that, instead of thinking that Google provides
a bad user unierface to Usenet, I _know_ that it does.

Get a proper newsreader, configure it thoughtfully, and your problem
will dwindle into moderate insignificance.

 

[Tim Slattery]

I've been thinking how to stop the spamming criminals from raising the
noise levels of this group to the point that serious Java programmers
give up and go elsewhere. (BTW I access the group through
groups.google.com, YMMV).

99% of the spam comes from google groups.

One idea which could work is to artificially lower c.l.j.p's radar
profile for a while (a week, 2 weeks?) so that c.l.j.p temporarily
becomes a low activity group. I think it's the current high activity
which attracts the creeps (probably automatically) to spam our group
to oblivion.

Any ideas why this wouldn't work?

In the first place, there's no way to do it. There is no central
authority that can cut postings to this group. There are thousands of
Usenet servers accepting posts and trading posts with each other.

I'm also wondering why giants such as Google don't step in to tackle
all this blatant off-topic spam.

See my first response. Nearly all the spam in the Usenet groups I
frequent comes through googlegroups. Google doesn't seem to care.

 

[Arne Vajhøj]

I've been thinking how to stop the spamming criminals from raising the
noise levels of this group to the point that serious Java programmers
give up and go elsewhere. (BTW I access the group through
groups.google.com, YMMV).

Get a newsreader that can detect spam and not show it to you.

And don't spend any time thinking about it.

Arne