jamesgangnc wrote:
Harry tends to reply to more off topic than start them. Harry really does
not start many posts at all. His only new post in January is the off topic
one about "bimini tops". Typically every morning it is another 6 or so off
topic posts from Tom. Seldom even remotely related to boating.

There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are declining
in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a bit over the
years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats if on topic
participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.

"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
...
jamesgangnc wrote:
Once again, another morning with rec.boats filled with off topic posts
from you. Can't you get a life?

Yeah, if Tom keeps this up, he will be posting almost as many off topic
posts as Harry. I sure am glad Tom hasn't followed Harry's idea of cross
posting into numerous other groups (including alt.kooks) to encourage "new
blood". Can you imagine how many off topic post we would have then.



I think you need to change your UseNet server, you seem to be missing
most of the NG posts. I normally see 10-20 cut and paste political post
a day from Harry. I have not kept up with his posting history since
Jan. 1, but the 10-20 track record is his historical norm. I personally
would rather see Tom's silly OT posts, than OT posts that are nothing
more than a troll to call people "scum" "sheetzs" "bullshippers"
"idiots" or whatever his new favorite insult is.

One thing I have learned in UseNet, is YMMV.

I'm using the east coast earthlink news server since they're my isp as well.
But I'm not seeing anything high in initial posts from Harry on google
either. You say you see 10-20 new topics from Harry a day? On earthlink
and google groups I only see one new topic posting from Harry for all of
January, the bimini top one. Sure you are not counting replys? There are
tons of replys from Harry.

"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
...
jamesgangnc wrote:
Harry tends to reply to more off topic than start them. Harry really
does not start many posts at all. His only new post in January is the
off topic one about "bimini tops". Typically every morning it is another
6 or so off topic posts from Tom. Seldom even remotely related to
boating.

There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are
declining in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a
bit over the years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats
if on topic participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.

"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
...
jamesgangnc wrote:
Once again, another morning with rec.boats filled with off topic posts
from you. Can't you get a life?

Yeah, if Tom keeps this up, he will be posting almost as many off topic
posts as Harry. I sure am glad Tom hasn't followed Harry's idea of
cross posting into numerous other groups (including alt.kooks) to
encourage "new blood". Can you imagine how many off topic post we would
have then.



I think you need to change your UseNet server, you seem to be missing most
of the NG posts. I normally see 10-20 cut and paste political post a day
from Harry. I have not kept up with his posting history since Jan. 1, but
the 10-20 track record is his historical norm. I personally would rather
see Tom's silly OT posts, than OT posts that are nothing more than a troll
to call people "scum" "sheetzs" "bullshippers" "idiots" or whatever his
new favorite insult is.

One thing I have learned in UseNet, is YMMV.

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
m...


There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are
declining in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a
bit over the years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats if
on topic participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.


I read somewhere recently that newsgroups will become a thing of the past in
the not to distant future. The original concept and intent has long since
been lost and the culture has changed.
Part of the change has been brought on by faster computers, higher
bandwidths and speed.
One does not have to carefully construct brief posts anymore in order to
participate at turtle-like uploading/downloading speeds.

The other big influence was when the web based sites started automatic feeds
of newsgroups to their forums. This lead further to things like "Google
Groups" and such where the original culture of Usenet is totally lost.
There are many users of Google Groups who don't realize or know what a
newsgroup is.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
m...


There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are
declining in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off
a bit over the years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in
rec.boats if on topic participation would pick up if the bs level
dropped.


I read somewhere recently that newsgroups will become a thing of the
past in the not to distant future. The original concept and intent has
long since been lost and the culture has changed.
Part of the change has been brought on by faster computers, higher
bandwidths and speed.
One does not have to carefully construct brief posts anymore in order to
participate at turtle-like uploading/downloading speeds.

The other big influence was when the web based sites started automatic
feeds of newsgroups to their forums. This lead further to things like
"Google Groups" and such where the original culture of Usenet is totally
lost. There are many users of Google Groups who don't realize or know
what a newsgroup is.

Eisboch


There are a handful of folks whose presence here I enjoy. I probably
have half the "regulars" in my bozo bin, though.

If I need boating info or want to share it, though, I tend to look
elsewhere, to the moderated discussion boards where crap posters like
Loogy, Reggie, DK, et cetera, have short lives before they are flushed.

On Tue, 6 Jan 2009 09:21:08 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:


"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
om...


There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are
declining in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a
bit over the years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats if
on topic participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.


I read somewhere recently that newsgroups will become a thing of the past in
the not to distant future. The original concept and intent has long since
been lost and the culture has changed.
Part of the change has been brought on by faster computers, higher
bandwidths and speed.
One does not have to carefully construct brief posts anymore in order to
participate at turtle-like uploading/downloading speeds.

The other big influence was when the web based sites started automatic feeds
of newsgroups to their forums. This lead further to things like "Google
Groups" and such where the original culture of Usenet is totally lost.
There are many users of Google Groups who don't realize or know what a
newsgroup is.

Eisboch

I hope not. There are some groups out there that provide a lot of good
information at a reasonable price.

This is one of them, it just requires some high waders.

On Jan 6, 8:21*am, "jamesgangnc" wrote:
Harry tends to reply to more off topic than start them. *Harry really does
not start many posts at all. *His only new post in January is the off topic
one about "bimini tops". *Typically every morning it is another 6 or so off
topic posts from Tom. *Seldom even remotely related to boating.

There are really very few on topic posts anymore. *Newsgroups are declining
in use. *Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a bit over the
years. *Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats if on topic
participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.

"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in messagenews:OJadnbTA3r7OzP7UnZ2dnUVZ_qLinZ2d@gigan ews.com...



jamesgangnc wrote:
Once again, another morning with rec.boats filled with off topic posts
from you. *Can't you get a life?

Yeah, if Tom keeps this up, he will be posting almost as many off topic
posts as Harry. *I sure am glad Tom hasn't followed Harry's idea of cross
posting into numerous other groups (including alt.kooks) to encourage "new
blood". *Can you imagine how many off topic post we would have then.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yeah, Harry's a great guy, he'd NEVER make political posts here, he's
always on topic, he wouldn't ever think of cross posting to other
groups just to satisfy his narcissistic needs, he wouldn't resort to
petty and childish vulgar name calling, and he certainly wouldn't lie
about anything here. He is the best, and is just trying to get the
rest of the group to be nice, and make every topic ON topic.

On Tue, 6 Jan 2009 08:21:21 -0500, "jamesgangnc"
wrote:

Harry tends to reply to more off topic than start them. Harry really does
not start many posts at all. His only new post in January is the off topic
one about "bimini tops". Typically every morning it is another 6 or so off
topic posts from Tom. Seldom even remotely related to boating.


All true but most of us are willing to cut Tom a little slack because
he's basically a reasonable person and likes boats.

There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are declining
in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a bit over the
years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats if on topic
participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.

Interesting points with no ready answers. It's true that quite a few
of the old rec.boats people are missing in action, and no doubt part
of that is due to the hyperactivity of the off-topic crowd and the
uncivil nature of many discussions. The signal to noise ratio has
always been poor and it has gotten a lot worse in the last couple of
years.

What to do about it ? Darned if I know. Perhaps we should all
make a New Years resoulution to make no more than one off topic post
for every one that is on topic. It seems reasonable on the surface
and would definitely improve the group.

Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 6 Jan 2009 08:21:21 -0500, "jamesgangnc"
wrote:

Harry tends to reply to more off topic than start them. Harry really does
not start many posts at all. His only new post in January is the off topic
one about "bimini tops". Typically every morning it is another 6 or so off
topic posts from Tom. Seldom even remotely related to boating.


All true but most of us are willing to cut Tom a little slack because
he's basically a reasonable person and likes boats.

There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are declining
in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a bit over the
years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats if on topic
participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.

Interesting points with no ready answers. It's true that quite a few
of the old rec.boats people are missing in action, and no doubt part
of that is due to the hyperactivity of the off-topic crowd and the
uncivil nature of many discussions. The signal to noise ratio has
always been poor and it has gotten a lot worse in the last couple of
years.

What to do about it ? Darned if I know.



One thing you could do is cut back on your snarky comments. You did the
same thing over at Chuck's. Why bother to put up what might be an
interesting boating post if the snarks are going to jump on it?

On Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:41:22 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

What to do about it ? Darned if I know. Perhaps we should all
make a New Years resoulution to make no more than one off topic post
for every one that is on topic. It seems reasonable on the surface
and would definitely improve the group.

Rename the threads as fast as they drift, and there will be no
problem.

Casady

On Tue, 6 Jan 2009 08:21:21 -0500, "jamesgangnc" wrote:

Harry tends to reply to more off topic than start them. Harry really does
not start many posts at all. His only new post in January is the off topic
one about "bimini tops". Typically every morning it is another 6 or so off
topic posts from Tom. Seldom even remotely related to boating.

There are really very few on topic posts anymore. Newsgroups are declining
in use. Some of the others I frequent also have dropped off a bit over the
years. Unfortunately there is no way to tell in rec.boats if on topic
participation would pick up if the bs level dropped.

"Reginald P. Smithers III, Esq." wrote in message
m...
jamesgangnc wrote:
Once again, another morning with rec.boats filled with off topic posts
from you. Can't you get a life?


Yeah, if Tom keeps this up, he will be posting almost as many off topic
posts as Harry. I sure am glad Tom hasn't followed Harry's idea of cross
posting into numerous other groups (including alt.kooks) to encourage "new
blood". Can you imagine how many off topic post we would have then.


Apparently you're missing the cut'n'pastes Harry frequents this place with.
They don't get much of a response, but he sure as hell posts them.