How to block offensive posters?

If you're on a Mac, I heartily recommend Thoth ... it's wonderful for filtering, ease of use, and reliability (has the least amount of "bugs" that I've ever seen - it's what I use on my Mac).

You can buy it ($25, I think) here:

Next reader of choice (from my experience) would be Unison - but beware, although it offers great filtering and ease of use, it's more costly (I think about $70??? It's been over a year since I bought my copy). You can get Unison here: For the record, I really like versiontracker.com ... it's full of neat little apps that you can try out and play with!! :)

But, see what Sandy (from LV) says, she knows her Macs, too!! :)

HTH!! Connie :)

On your setup, you can't. (You're using Google Groups).

It's not a problem with Safari, it's a problem with Google Groups on

*any* browser.

Those of us who get our news from other servers (news.individual.net, aioe.org, or ISP-based servers like mine) and use special-purpose newsreaders (like MacSoup, MT-NewsWatcher, Hogwasher, Thoth, or Unison) can do a lot of filtering.

These alternatives are all free or cheap.

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ============== Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760 for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975 stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

Yes, you can block certain usenet posters. I don't know how to do it with Safari; in Thunderbird, I use message filters. I can block by sender or by subject or by date.

Julia in MN

John, I use a Mac, too, but I find that reading the messages via Google groups in a browser (*any* browser, not just Safari) is less than satisfying. I use MT-NewsWatcher (do a search for it on Google -- Version Tracker should have the latest version for you) and like it enormously. I can easily filter out anyone or any topic that I don't want to see. Of course, this assumes that your ISP provides you with usenet access, that you feel like paying for one of the services (I'm currently using SuperNews, but there are lots of others), or that you can find a free service like Motzarella or Aioe that you like. Google groups may be free, but it's a royal pain, IMHO.

I would like to know this as well, John as I access from google groups also. Let me know if you get a definitive answer please.

Joan Coventry UK

There is a way to killfile on Google groups but only if your using FireFox. Other people might be interested in this info, though...

1. Install Greasemonkey
   formatting link
   2. Install Damian's Google Groups Killfile script
   formatting link

One problem with blocking offensive posters is that there often aren't repeated posts from the same offender. You block one name and another one shows up. I have a bunch of filters for the newsgroup set up on Thunderbird and it logs the messages that are blocked. There is only one poster that shows up repeatedly in the filter log. Either most of the offenders only post once or they change names and post under another name. Easiest is just to skip them.

Julia in MN

I'm with you, Sandy! How do you like SuperNews so far?

I like it just fine, Carolyn! I've been going from month to month, but I'm considering subscribing for longer to get a slight break in the price. :)