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Mac Forum / General / General / May 2008The Proper Etiquette of Cross-Posting--Is There Any?
The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times when cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is there an acceptable limit to the number of cross postings? In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected newsgroups and anything posted to a multiplicity of those newsgroups appears in the subscription's incoming message list only once. Is such behavior generally true of other newsreaders? I have noted that there are those that will filter messages cross-posted to more than a set number of groups, say four, in an effort to minimize the reception of spam. I guess I'm fortunate in that although I currently have no filtering whatsoever set I receive very few spams. I guess that can be attributed to News.Individual.NET, the service I switched to after SuperNews became intolerable because of the spam.  SignatureJames Leo Ryan ..... Austin, Texas ..... taliesinsoft@mac.com > The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times when > cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is there an > acceptable limit to the number of cross postings? Cross-posting to groups where the discussion is on-topic is quite acceptable. > In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create > subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > more than a set number of groups, say four, in an effort to minimize the > reception of spam. For me, it's more trolls than spam. For instance, I kill anything cross-posted to any group with the word "advocacy" in its name. I also kill anything cross-posted to any group in the .uk hierarchy. I kill anything cross-posted to more than 4 groups as well, but that's because I've found through experience that people who cross-post excessively tend towards cluelessness and/or laziness, and I have little interest in their posts. > I guess I'm fortunate in that although I currently have no > filtering whatsoever set I receive very few spams. I guess that can be > attributed to News.Individual.NET, the service I switched to after SuperNews > became intolerable because of the spam. SignatureWoodworking links and more at http://www.woodenwabbits.com > The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times > when cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is > there an acceptable limit to the number of cross postings? Cross-posting is the preferred way to post to multiple groups. However, posting to multiple groups is generally not a good idea, and should be avoided as much as possible. When a message is of genuine interest to multiple groups and ON TOPIC to multiple groups, then a cross-post is appropriate. HOWEVER, a Followips-To header should *ALWAYS* be included in a cross-posted article. For example, when posting about a new Terry Pratchett book one might crosspost to the alt.fan.pratchett and to a rec.arts.books, but set the followups to afp. Many people filter/kill mesages posted to more than 3 or 4 groups. I would say three is about the maximum one should cross-post too. > In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create > subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected > newsgroups and anything posted to a multiplicity of those newsgroups > appears in the subscription's incoming message list only once. Is > such behavior generally true of other newsreaders? Most newsreaders know to mark a post read once it has been read and not presenet it anew in another group. This is why crossposting is better than multiposting. SignatureWith excitement like this, who is needing enemas? >> The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times >> when cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > cross-post is appropriate. HOWEVER, a Followips-To header should > *ALWAYS* be included in a cross-posted article. I disagree with your position on follow-ups. For example, alt.usage.english and alt.english.usage are two groups with 100% topic overlap. People learning English often post usage questions to both groups and get responses from both groups. In this case it only makes sense for the threads to be the same in both groups. Some months ago someone crossposted a question about what to call the # sign to both alt.usage.english and alt.folklore.computers. That crossposted thread ran for weeks and upwards of 1000 posts (and lots of topic drift) with pleasant joint participation and cross pollenation of the groups. Before alt.folklore.urban went to hell it often had productive crossposted threads with alt.usage.english. > For example, when posting about a new Terry Pratchett book one might > crosspost to the alt.fan.pratchett and to a rec.arts.books, but set > the followups to afp. I don't understand why you advocate that. If someone from rab enters the conversation, why would he want to be shut out of the follow-ups to his post? > Many people filter/kill mesages posted to more than 3 or 4 groups. I > would say three is about the maximum one should cross-post too. Here we agree. >> In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create >> subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected >> newsgroups and anything posted to a multiplicity of those newsgroups >> appears in the subscription's incoming message list only once. Is >> such behavior generally true of other newsreaders? Hogwasher is the only newsreader I know of that does that. I use that feature to merge alt.usage.english and alt.english.usage, but it's not a useful feature for a thread crossposted between, say, afc and aue, as described above. That thread drove me crazy, since Hogwasher doesn't... > ...know to mark a post read once it has been read and > not presenet it anew in another group. This is why crossposting is > better than multiposting. Crossposting also allows synergy, as in the # thread mentioned above. SignatureJohn Varela Trade NEW lamps for OLD for email. > >> The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times > >> when cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > groups and get responses from both groups. In this case it only makes sense > for the threads to be the same in both groups. I agree, and rarely set a follow-up when I cross-post. (I also rarely cross-post). SignatureWoodworking links and more at http://www.woodenwabbits.com >>> In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create >>> subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >Hogwasher is the only newsreader I know of that does that. But there are other newsgroups that allow one to read a message in one news group - and it is marked as read in every subscribed news group. > >>> In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create > >>> subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > But there are other news [readers] that allow one to read a message in one > news group - and it is marked as read in every subscribed news group. MT-NewsWatcher does that. SignaturePlease send all responses to the relevant news group. E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my very hungry SPAM filter. I do not read posts from Google Groups. Use a real news reader if you want me to see your posts. JR > > But there are other news [readers] that allow one to read a message in > > one news group - and it is marked as read in every subscribed news > > group. > > MT-NewsWatcher does that. So does MacSOUP. All decent newsreaders do. Signature<http://designsbymike.net/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.net/election.shtml> Election 2008 goods. <http://designsbymike.net/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.net/shop/greet.cgi> Holiday cards with attitude >>> But there are other news [readers] that allow one to read a message in >>> one news group - and it is marked as read in every subscribed news [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > So does MacSOUP. All decent newsreaders do. My sentiments exactly. --- John Varela Trade NEW lamps for OLD for email. > >>> In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create > >>> subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > But there are other newsgroups that allow one to read a message in one > news group - and it is marked as read in every subscribed news group. Only if it's cross-posted. SignatureWoodworking links and more at http://www.woodenwabbits.com > The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times when > cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is there an > acceptable limit to the number of cross postings? My understanding (I'm sure it's documented somewhere) and the rule that I follow for my postings, is post to one (1) group unless the subject is *REALLY* important to you AND might not get a timely response in a single less-read group. Only post to more than two (2) groups if you need information immediately to prevent the imminent launch of nuclear missiles and start of WWIII. --Fred > The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times when > cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is there an > acceptable limit to the number of cross postings? I subscribe and regularly read about 10 groups. Most of the regulars that have discussed this topic express the consensus that cross-posting is OK provided you: 1. Don't post to more than 3 groups. 2. Set a follow-up group for responses so only the OP is cross-posted. 3. Don't do it too often. 4. Apologize humbly and ask which group is best. Multi-posting in universally condemned. As you mention below, most good news readers will only show a cross-posted article once, even if you subscribe to more than group receiving the article, as the article has the same reference number in all groups. This is not true of multi-posted articles (the same or similar article posted to more than one group independently.) In general, though, it is the regular, frequent posters of each group that will set the customs by reaction or lack thereof to cross-postings. Here is a good, lengthy discussion of usenet netiquette: <http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html> > In my own case the newsreader I use, Hogwasher, allows one to create > subscriptions which cluster together an arbitrary number of selected > newsgroups and anything posted to a multiplicity of those newsgroups appears > in the subscription's incoming message list only once. Is such behavior > generally true of other newsreaders? I believe so, yes. > I have noted that there are those that will filter messages cross-posted to > more than a set number of groups, say four, in an effort to minimize the > reception of spam. I guess I'm fortunate in that although I currently have no > filtering whatsoever set I receive very few spams. I guess that can be > attributed to News.Individual.NET, the service I switched to after SuperNews > became intolerable because of the spam. I have recently switched to individual.net and am pleased with the results. SignatureJim Gibson > The title of this posting pretty much sums it up. Are there times when > cross-posting is acceptible? Are there times when it is not? Is there an [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > attributed to News.Individual.NET, the service I switched to after SuperNews > became intolerable because of the spam. I use Hogwasher, also, and in my case I have elected to not cluster different (even though maybe related) newsgroups into a single subscription. In one of the ng's I follow, the others in that group get pretty cross if something is crossposted to their group and it is not relevant to that group. There is also the perception that crossposting to a large number of groups is the sign of a spammer. Like driving on any other superhighway, YMMV. tom koehler SignatureI will find a way or make one. [responding to myl opening posting in this thread] > I use Hogwasher, also, and in my case I have elected to not cluster > different (even though maybe related) newsgroups into a single [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > a large number of groups is the sign of a spammer. Like driving on any > other superhighway, YMMV. Even though Hogwasher allows one to cluster a number of newsgroups into a subscription, one has the option when responding to a posting to direct that response to selected newsgroups, and that can be just a single newsgroup regardless of the number of newsgroups contained in the subscription. SignatureJames Leo Ryan ..... Austin, Texas ..... taliesinsoft@mac.com |
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