Phred schreef
I have to say your "problem" is probably not unique. It hasn't really
bothered me, but, like you, I seem to miss the opening post to *many*
discussions and only see the resultant followups -- and there's no
easy way of noticing whether I'm missing some of them too AFAIK.

I've been inclined to blame my own inattention to detail for missing
the originals -- but you're apparently suffering from the same
failing, so I'm now inclined to blame the news server. Bit strange.

It *may* have something to do with their policy on retention of
individual groups; but I would have thought sci.bio.botany would be
well up there in the priority list. :-) However, if retention is
fairly short, stuff may get deleted before folk in other time zones
get the chance to see it.

Frankly, I don't really see that as an explanation. At least some of
our regional aus.* groups get a run of at least 3 days, for example,
so I would have assumed most of the "serious" Big Eight got at least
that long!

***
I must be terribly spoiled then. I seem to be getting everything (except the
stuff sent by the people living in the killfile) and everything stays on the
server for two weeks (or more?). I remember trying to cut this down, but
unsuccesfully: everything stays with me for two weeks no matter what I do.

I wouldn't know what are the Big Eight.
PvR
I'll try and cc Iris