XPost: comp.programming 
 From: tgm2tothe10thpower@replacetextwithnumber.hotmail.com 
  
 (just kidding) 
  
  
 Will Twentyman  coughed up the following: 
  
 > Thomas G. Marshall wrote: 
 > 
 >> I've been interested in the following, but am not sure if it violates 
 >> the ethics and charter of usenet. 
 >> 
 >> Please tell me if I'm asking this in the wrong place. 
 >> 
 >> I've noticed that there are many miscreants out there that flame 
 >> away, and even /prefer/ to become plonked, because it gives them 
 >> freedom of sorts to respond to the plonkers without argument.  This 
 >> is bad for the others to see. 
 > 
 > I usually just filter them out and be done with it.  No need to tell 
 > the person I think he/she is annoying. 
 > 
 >> 
 >> Is this ok for a newsreader to do? 
 >> 
 >>     1. If a user is bozo-bin'd by you, then 
 >>     2.    /IF/ he responds to a post of yours, then 
 >>     3.        Your newsreader replies with post with the subject: 
 >> 
 >>         " automatically ignored by newsreader" 
 >> 
 >> with a body of 
 >> 
 >>         This post was made by a user that had previously plonked 
 >>         by me and was therefore automatically ignored by my 
 >>         newsreader without me reading it. 
 >> 
 >>         The purpose of this message is to make it clear to others 
 >>         that this person had been ignored, and to hopefully make 
 >>         it clear than when I do not further respond, that it is not 
 >>         because I believe that he is correct. 
 >> 
 >>         This is critical because many such people actually prefer 
 >>         to become plonked so that they can appear to make points 
 >>         that are without retort. 
 >> 
 >> Or somesuch. 
 > 
 > This would waste network space, and be at the top of my list of things 
 > to plonk.  What purpose does this serve?  Moreover, if you've been 
 > plonked by someone, you just make yourself look dumb chasing someone 
 > who doesn't respond.  There's no need to advertise it. 
 > 
 >> 
 >> Remember, it /only/ would happen if a plonked user responded 
 >> /directly/ to your post.  Further, it would not happen to a reply to 
 >> an autoplonk message, as this could cycle itself out of control 
 >> should both parties plonk each other, and have each autoplonk 
 >> message respond to each other. 
 >> 
 >> *Does this already exist in a newsreader somewhere*, and/or is this a 
 >> terrible idea? 
 >> 
 > 
 > Terrible idea. 
 > 
 > -- 
 > Will Twentyman 
 > email: wtwentyman at copper dot net 
  
 -- 
 It'salwaysbeenmygoalinlifetocreateasignaturethatendedwiththeword"blarpho 
 ogy". 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)