Amen Janet. Didn't take me long to find the killfile and use it. even tho I
am a newbie on newsgroups. Thanks for clarifying the details.
Elaine
"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message .com
from "Vivek.M" contains these words:


didn't think you'd actually keep track of this old post

It's not old, you posted it on June 20.

and wasn't
expecting anyone on rec.gardens to read what i posted,

Uh? You posted it to an entire public newsgroup.

Can you mark posts and be notified when new-entries crop up ? How do i
do that ?

You sem to be confused; this is not a website message board, a
chatroom, or an e-list. It's a usenet newsgroup.

Googlegroups (which you're using to acces it), is only a portal; like
looking in on a party through a window. Anyone using a newsreader (the
medium for which usenet is designed) will be shown the new posts that
their news-server collected since last time the looked. They are at the
same party you're looking in on, but able to pick and choose what they
eat and who they talk to.

Kill-files don't really work

I suspect you're thinking of email filter/killfiles.

On usenet, a good newsreader will provide a range of trap-options in
the killfile , AND a range of options for viewing thread structures
before reading posts. That combination enables the user to exclude or
bypass (unread) any repeat poster; whatever ID they are using.

On many newsgroups where the majority of users share a particular
interest and want to pursue its discussion, persistent trolls are
rapidly filtered out of their newsreaders. They may keep posting, but
unseen and unanswered by the majority. Then it becomes rather annoying
to the majority if some newbie, who fails to recognise the troll, keeps
engaging it in the same old tiresome conversations and requoting its
posts in full (by passing everyone's filters). The newbie finds the
novelty entertaining, longer term readers do not.

IME, that newbie has a very short period of grace in which to cease
playing with trolls to the detriment of the rest of the group. If he
persists, he tends to join the troll in the KF, as a means to eliminate
the trolls garbage once more. . Then the newbie finds his legitimate
posts go unanswered (because they weren't read) , and ends up talking to
himself.

Janet.

--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens