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  • List of active (used) groups

    From Marco Moock@mm@dorfdsl.de to news.groups on Sat Jun 20 10:51:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Hello!

    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up
    newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?
    --
    Gru|f
    Marco

    Spam bitte an abfalleimer2001@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Thomas Hochstein@thh@thh.name to news.groups on Sat Jun 20 11:46:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Marco Moock wrote:

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    Probably not out of the box. A bit clunky and work in progress [1]: <https://code.virtcomm.de/thh/newsstats>

    The stats in de.admin.lists and <https://de-usenet.de/files/stats/>
    are generated this way.

    By default, you'll have to capture "live" data, i.e. the database will
    be filled starting with installation and configuration. You can add
    single posts by Message-ID with the "addpost" tool (designed to re-add "dropped" postings e.g. when the database goes down before the
    newsserver), so you could grab/grep all storage tokens from your INN
    history file and feed them in a loop through sm to addpost. Never
    tried, no idea of the performance with really large datasets (you
    could take a Message-ID from a post a year ago, get the storage token
    with grephistory and process the tokens from history starting with
    that token, so you get only a year of posts).

    If you don't need to filter out crossposts, don't want to save your
    raw data to create more stats without parsing everything again and
    don't need more elaborate stats, you could simple do the above without
    using NewsStats at all: grep all storage tokens from history (perhaps
    starting at a known point in time), loop them through sm and grep for Newsgroups, split the contents of the header by comma, and count each component.

    -thh

    [1] It works, but the code is in dire need of refactoring and removing
    code reuse. I never had the time to re-do it right after starting it
    in 2010 or so.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From gmc@gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens) to news.groups on Sat Jun 20 17:22:43 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:
    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up
    newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    I run the below script from cron to create a list of active groups.

    https://news.sonologic.net/stats/article_counts.html

    I run a variant with the find command modified to:

    `find . -type d -links 2 -mtime 7 ! -empty`

    to create a list of articles in the last week:

    https://news.sonologic.net/stats/article_counts_weekly.html

    Quick, dirty, good enough for me.

    Cheers,

    Koen

    ```
    #!/bin/sh

    cd ~/spool/articles

    {
    cat << EOF
    <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html lang="en">
    <head>
    <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="600">
    <title>news.sonologic.net: article counts</title>
    </head>
    <body>
    `date`
    <table>
    <tr><td>Group</td><td>Articles</td>
    EOF
    for f in `find . -type d -links 2 ! -empty`; do
    echo "$(echo ${f} | tr / . | sed 's/^\.\.//g') $(ls $f | wc -l | sed 's/ //g' )";
    done | sort -r -n -k 2 -t\ | awk '{ printf("<tr><td>%s</td><td>%s</td></tr>\n", $1, $2); }'

    echo "</body></html>"
    } > ~/http/article_counts.html
    ```
    --
    Software architecture & engineering: https://www.sonologic.se/
    Sci-fi: https://www.koenmartens.nl/
    Retrocomputing videos: https://retroscandinavian.eu/

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From gmc@gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens) to news.groups on Sat Jun 20 17:31:14 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Koen Martens <gmc@metro.cx> wrote:
    I run a variant with the find command modified to:

    `find . -type d -links 2 -mtime 7 ! -empty`

    to create a list of articles in the last week:

    https://news.sonologic.net/stats/article_counts_weekly.html

    I don't really trust the output of this btw, I should look
    into that. Probably the articles are modified after they've
    been received and mtime is not a good indicator of post
    age.

    Cheers,

    Koen
    --
    Software architecture & engineering: https://www.sonologic.se/
    Sci-fi: https://www.koenmartens.nl/
    Retrocomputing videos: https://retroscandinavian.eu/

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Marco Moock@mm@dorfdsl.de to news.groups on Sat Jun 20 21:18:36 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Am 20.06.26 um 19:31 schrieb Koen Martens:
    I don't really trust the output of this btw, I should look
    into that. Probably the articles are modified after they've
    been received and mtime is not a good indicator of post
    age.

    Did you import articles from other spools?
    Maybe this updated the filesystem metadata.
    --
    Gru|f
    Marco

    Junk-Mail bitte an trashcan@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Marco Moock@mm@dorfdsl.de to news.groups on Sat Jun 20 21:28:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Am 20.06.26 um 19:31 schrieb Koen Martens:
    I don't really trust the output of this btw, I should look
    into that.

    The results look false for me, as various de.* groups got more than 10 articles this week, but are not listed.

    E.g. de.comp.os.unix.linux.misc.
    --
    Gru|f
    Marco

    Junk-Mail bitte an trashcan@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From gmc@gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens) to news.groups on Sun Jun 21 06:59:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:
    Am 20.06.26 um 19:31 schrieb Koen Martens:
    I don't really trust the output of this btw, I should look
    into that.

    The results look false for me, as various de.* groups got more than 10 articles this week, but are not listed.

    E.g. de.comp.os.unix.linux.misc.

    Yeah, something's not quite right. I'll have to have
    a look at that sometime, maybe. It's just an indication
    for me, so I'm not inclined to put much time in it.

    Cheers,

    Koen
    --
    Software architecture & engineering: https://www.sonologic.se/
    Sci-fi: https://www.koenmartens.nl/
    Retrocomputing videos: https://retroscandinavian.eu/

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Steve Bonine@spb@pobox.com to news.groups on Mon Jun 22 10:16:10 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Marco Moock wrote:
    Hello!

    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up
    newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    There is a basic flaw here. "New posts" does not equate to "useful".

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From gmc@gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens) to news.groups on Mon Jun 22 17:50:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Steve Bonine <spb@pobox.com> wrote:
    Marco Moock wrote:
    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up
    newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    There is a basic flaw here. "New posts" does not equate to "useful".

    But it at least tells you which if the tens of thousands of groups you
    could check out to find active discussions. Sure, you'll get false
    positives, but it narrows things significantly.

    Cheers,

    Koen
    --
    Software architecture & engineering: https://www.sonologic.se/
    Sci-fi: https://www.koenmartens.nl/
    Retrocomputing videos: https://retroscandinavian.eu/

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to news.groups on Mon Jun 22 18:23:49 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Koen Martens <gmc@metro.cx> wrote:
    Steve Bonine <spb@pobox.com> wrote:
    Marco Moock wrote:

    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up >>>newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups >>>that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    There is a basic flaw here. "New posts" does not equate to "useful".

    But it at least tells you which if the tens of thousands of groups you
    could check out to find active discussions. Sure, you'll get false
    positives, but it narrows things significantly.

    Again: This is would-be advice to new users. These statistics may be of interest to experienced users and News administrators, it will give new
    users the wrong impression.

    Again: This will lead a new user to seemingly active *.politics.*
    groups, which consist not of worthwhile discussion, but of articles
    reposted from the Web (not an example of Usenet discussion), trolling,
    and flame wars that have lasted for years. No new user unprepared for a
    flame war should be directed to such a group.

    This is part of Marco's ongoing purge of Usenet newsgroups by actively discouraging anyone from even thinking about posting to an inactive
    newsgroup. Just the other day, Marco actively discouraged a new user fro subscribing to and reading *.fan.* groups. The new user saw some group
    names that appealed to him.

    A new user needs to be told that it can be up to him to start
    discussion. He may post on topic in a group that's lacked discussion for
    a while, but that act could get discussion going. Inactive groups still
    have subscribers.

    Attempting to start an on topic discussion is the right thing to do.
    Marco's act of discouraging reading and posting is the wrong thing to
    do.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From pschleck@pschleck@panix.com (Paul W. Schleck) to news.groups on Tue Jun 23 12:31:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    In <11169v6$3t82$3@dont-email.me> "Adam H. Kerman" <ahk@chinet.com> writes:

    Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:

    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up
    newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    If I tell you something logical, you will put your fingers in your ears
    and ignore it as you've been doing for years.


    Ah, yes, the "fingers in your ears" rhetoric when accusing the other
    side of refusing to "listen."

    You know, Steve Bonine uses that one, too. Perhaps you two have more
    in common than you realize?
    --
    Paul W. Schleck
    pschleck@panix.com

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From pschleck@pschleck@panix.com (Paul W. Schleck) to news.groups on Tue Jun 23 13:02:30 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    In <1115k9u$fnd1$1@solani.org> Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> writes:

    Hello!

    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up
    newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    --
    Gru|f
    Marco

    Spam bitte an abfalleimer2001@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de


    The late Alexander Bartolich had a script to accomplish this, used to
    help identify inactive newsgroups for removal. It likely worked as a
    client, accessing via NNTP a remote news server that had a long
    article history. To help reduce false positives, it searched not only
    for article activity in a given newsgroup, it looked for articles that
    had a "References:" header in them, indicating likely followup
    discussion, versus just one-way SPAM or flooding.

    Roman Racine may still have this script, as he had access to
    Alexander's account and files after he passed. Regardless, this
    feature could probably be easily added to any other similar newsgroup
    activity report generating script.


    --
    Paul W. Schleck
    pschleck@panix.com

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Marco Moock@mm@dorfdsl.de to news.groups on Tue Jun 23 15:12:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Am 23.06.26 um 15:02 schrieb Paul W. Schleck:
    Roman Racine may still have this script, as he had access to
    Alexander's account and files after he passed. Regardless, this
    feature could probably be easily added to any other similar newsgroup activity report generating script.

    Do you have a contact address?
    --
    Gru|f
    Marco

    Junk-Mail bitte an trashcan@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Steve Bonine@spb@pobox.com to news.groups on Tue Jun 23 18:28:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Paul W. Schleck wrote:

    Ah, yes, the "fingers in your ears" rhetoric when accusing the other
    side of refusing to "listen."

    You know, Steve Bonine uses that one, too. Perhaps you two have more
    in common than you realize?

    Just for the record, I have never "accused others of refusing to listen"
    and I would challenge you to find any Usenet article where I did so. I
    have stated my opinion for decades, and if people are inclined to take
    my babbling as more than noise, that's their decision.

    As for "more in common", Adam and I have disagreed for decades, but we
    have also agreed for decades.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From pschleck@pschleck@panix.com (Paul W. Schleck) to news.groups on Wed Jun 24 03:46:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    In <111f4rh$2kei5$1@dont-email.me> Steve Bonine <spb@pobox.com> writes:

    Paul W. Schleck wrote:

    Ah, yes, the "fingers in your ears" rhetoric when accusing the other
    side of refusing to "listen."

    You know, Steve Bonine uses that one, too. Perhaps you two have more
    in common than you realize?

    Just for the record, I have never "accused others of refusing to listen"
    and I would challenge you to find any Usenet article where I did so.


    It wasn't in a Usenet article, it was in a complaint e-mail sent to a newsgroup's moderation team in response to an article rejection:


    "I do not agree with your decision to refuse to allow discussion in
    the group on this decision. Obviously you know best and do not want
    any input from the people who actually participate in the newsgroup.
    Have it your way guys, but you'll have it without me. The
    signal-to-noise was low enough; you've reduced it below my threshold.
    Watching you put your fingers in your ears and hum was the last
    straw."


    The moderators were not refusing to listen, they just did not wish to
    allow criticism of moderation decisions in the newsgroup itself.
    --
    Paul W. Schleck
    pschleck@panix.com

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Adam H. Kerman@ahk@chinet.com to news.groups on Sat Jun 20 15:00:54 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Marco Moock <mm@dorfdsl.de> wrote:

    Some time ago we created a getting started guide for setting up
    newsgroup access.
    https://www.big-8.org/wiki/Getting_Started_with_Usenet

    I would like to extend that with a list of active groups, e.g. groups
    that received new posts in the last year etc.

    Is there an easy way for server operators to create such statistics?

    If I tell you something logical, you will put your fingers in your ears
    and ignore it as you've been doing for years.

    Such a list might be informative for server utilization but SHOULD NOT
    be given as guidance to new users.

    Among the most active groups will be *.politics groups. DO NOT, repeat,
    DO NOT encourage an inexperienced Usenet user who has no idea what a
    flame war that lasts indefinitely looks like. They will scream in terror
    and never read Usenet again.

    Once again, this is part of your ongoing scheme to purge Usenet of
    groups still listed in a server's active and newsgroups files that you
    think through useless statistical analysis like this. Instead, new users
    should be told the truth about Usenet, that users tend to subscribe to
    groups based on topics they are interested in regardless of recent
    activity and that, by posting on topic, it is possible to start a
    discussion. They should be told to have patience as a followup may not
    be posted for weeks. An inactive newsgroup is not useless for
    discussion,

    You don't know what you don't know.

    I have argued that, failing to actually read articles in a group, that a
    group you might list as active is literally not useful for discussion
    purposes. It's full of articles reposted from the Web. It's full of
    crossposts. In truth, an active newsgroup is one in which articles being
    posted have not been crossposted and were actually written by the user,
    and attract discussion in followup.

    You aren't unaware of any of this. You simply choose to ignore how
    discussions work on Usenet. You ignore anything and everything that
    contradicts the assumptions you already made.
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Steve Bonine@spb@pobox.com to news.groups on Thu Jun 25 17:56:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: news.groups

    Paul W. Schleck wrote:
    In <111f4rh$2kei5$1@dont-email.me> Steve Bonine <spb@pobox.com> writes:

    Paul W. Schleck wrote:

    Ah, yes, the "fingers in your ears" rhetoric when accusing the other
    side of refusing to "listen."

    You know, Steve Bonine uses that one, too. Perhaps you two have more
    in common than you realize?

    Just for the record, I have never "accused others of refusing to listen"
    and I would challenge you to find any Usenet article where I did so.


    It wasn't in a Usenet article, it was in a complaint e-mail sent to a newsgroup's moderation team in response to an article rejection:


    "I do not agree with your decision to refuse to allow discussion in
    the group on this decision. Obviously you know best and do not want
    any input from the people who actually participate in the newsgroup.
    Have it your way guys, but you'll have it without me. The
    signal-to-noise was low enough; you've reduced it below my threshold. Watching you put your fingers in your ears and hum was the last
    straw."


    The moderators were not refusing to listen, they just did not wish to
    allow criticism of moderation decisions in the newsgroup itself.

    I challenged you to find a Usenet article. You found some text, written
    by someone, in some private email, and posted it without attribution. I
    do not remember writing the text quoted above. If I wrote it, it is
    accusing someone else of the action you are trying to attribute it to
    me. If it was written TO a moderation team then it was not written to
    me personally. At any rate, if the best you can do is dig up
    decades-old text and post it out of context with no attribution, I am sincerely sorry for how far you have fallen.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2