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Filtering Newsgroups with Thunderbird
Author: Jason Evans
Publication Date: 2020-07-25
= Description: =
= Description: =


Much of the Usenet is a little like the wild west. Moderated Newsgroups exist,
Much of the Usenet is a little like the wild west. Moderated Newsgroups exist, but they are few and far between. Even fewer are newsgroups that actually have active moderators. So, it’s not uncommon to see two common issues that really turn people off of Usenet. The first is spam and the second is trolls.
but they are few and far between. Even fewer are newsgroups that actually have
active moderators. So, it’s not uncommon to see two common issues that really
turn people off of Usenet. The first is spam and the second is trolls.


The spam is usually very obvious. You will see articles advertising drugs,
The spam is usually very obvious. You will see articles advertising drugs, loans, counterfeit money, and a wide range of other shady goods and services. It’s also almost always off-topic to the newsgroup that they are posted in and it’s easy to filter.
loans, counterfeit money, and a wide range of other shady goods and services.
It’s also almost always off-topic to the newsgroup that they are posted in and
it’s easy to filter.


Trolls first came to life on the Internet via Usenet and some still reside
Trolls first came to life on the Internet via Usenet and some still reside there. What do I mean by a troll? Trolls are mainly people who enjoy irritating and upsetting people just for fun. The same filtering that works for spam can also work for trolls.
there. What do I mean by a troll? Trolls are mainly people who enjoy irritating
and upsetting people just for fun. The same filtering that works for spam can
also work for trolls.


This tutorial will show you how to filter articles using Thunderbird based on
This tutorial will show you how to filter articles using Thunderbird based on sender and on subject. It is assumed that you know how to use Usenet or have reviewed the previous tutorial: [[Getting_Started_with_Usenet|Getting Started with Usenet]].
sender and on subject. It is assumed that you know how to use Usenet or have
reviewed the previous tutorial, "Getting Started with Usenet".


= Task 1: Setup Thunderbird =
= Task 1: Setup Thunderbird =


1. Open Thunderbird and right-click on the area next to your main tab and
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">
    choose Main Bar:
<li><p>Open Thunderbird and right-click on the area next to your main tab and choose '''Main Bar''':</p>
 
[[File:Filter_tutorial1.png]]
    If you already have this enabled, then you can continue on.
<p>If you already have this enabled, then you can continue on.</p></li>
 
<li><p>On the Menu bar, check the box next to '''View''' '''Threads''' '''Ignored Threads'''</p>
2. On the Menu bar, click View → Threads → All
[[File:Filter_tutorial2.png]]
 
<p>This will allow you to see all threads including those that are ignored.</p></li></ol>
    This will allow you to see all threads before they are filtered.
 
3 Task 2: Create your first filter
 
1. Go to the eternal-september.test newsgroup:
 
2. Choose an article with a subject that contains "test":


    Note:
= Task 2: Create your first filter =


    In Thunderbird, the newsgroup area has 3 parts: The article list, the
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">
    header which contains the From, Subject, etc, and the body of the article.
<li><p>Go to the '''eternal-september.test''' newsgroup:</p></li>
<li><p>Choose an article with a subject that contains &quot;test&quot;:</p></li>


3. In the header area, right-click on the Subject title and choose Create
<span style="border:2px solid red">'''Note:'''</span><br>In Thunderbird, the newsgroup area has 3 parts: The '''article list''', the '''header''' which contains the From, Subject, etc, and the '''body''' of the article.
    Filter From…​
<li><p>In the '''''header''''' area, right-click on the '''''Subject title''''' and choose '''Create Filter From…​'''</p>
[[File:Filter_tutorial3.png]]
<br>You should now see a new pop-up screen called '''Filter Rules'''.
<li><p>In the '''''Filter Name''''' field, choose type '''test''':</p></li>
<li><p>Choose '''Match any of the following''':</p></li>
<li><p>Change the filter rule from to the following:</p>
<p>Subject '''contains''' test</p></li>
<li><p>Under '''''Perform these actions''''', choose '''Ignore Thread''':</p></li>
[[File:Filter_tutorial4.png]]
<li><p>Click '''OK''':</p>
<p>The '''Filter Rules''' window should close and be replaced with the '''Message Filters''' window.</p></li>
<li><p>Click '''Run Now''':</p>
<p>You have now created a filter that will automatically look at all articles and place an &quot;ignored flag next to them.&quot; On some articles, you will now see a red icon next to articles that contain the word &quot;test&quot; in the subject.</p></li>
<li><p>On the Menu bar, check the box next to '''View''' → '''Threads''' → '''Ignored Threads''' again:</p>
<p>Those messages should no longer be visible because the check box is now gone.</p></li></ol>


    You should now see a new pop-up screen called Filter Rules.
<span style="border:2px solid red">'''Note''':</span><br>While it may seem to be better to just delete any articles that you don’t want to see, sometimes everyone delete things by accident that they didn’t want to. It’s better to just hide something and be able to go back if you need to than the delete it completely. Also, deleting only deletes it from your machine not from the rest of Usenet.
 
4. In the Filter Name field, choose type test:
 
5. Choose Match any of the following:
 
6. Change the filter rule from to the following:
 
    Subject contains test
 
7. Under Perform these actions, choose Ignore Thread:
 
8. Click OK:
 
    The Filter Rules window should close and be replaced with the Message
    Filters window.
 
9. Click Run Now:
 
    You have now created a filter that will automatically look at all articles
    and place an "ignored flag next to them." On some articles, you will now
    see a red icon next to articles that contain the word "test" in the
    subject.
 
10. On the Menu bar, click View → Threads → Ignored Threads:
 
    Those messages should no longer be visible.
 
Note:
 
While it may seem to be better to just delete any articles that you don’t want
to see, sometimes everyone delete things by accident that they didn’t want to.
It’s better to just hide something and be able to go back if you need to than
the delete it completely. Also, deleting only deletes it from your machine not
from the rest of Usenet.


= Task 3: Filter articles by person: =
= Task 3: Filter articles by person: =


1. In the article list on eternal-september.test, choose the article called  
<ol style="list-style-type: decimal;">
    greetings from the past! by tux:
<li><p>In the article list on '''''eternal-september.test''''', choose the article called '''greetings from the past!''' by tux:</p></li>
[[File:Filter_tutorial5.png]]
<li><p>In the '''''header''''' area, right-click on the '''''tux@linux.com''''' and choose '''Create Filter From…​'''</p></li>
<li><p>Like in the previous task, filter any articles where '''From''' contains '''tux''':</p></li>
<li><p>Instead of ignoring the article, choose '''Add Star''':</p></li>
[[File:Filter_tutorial6.png]]
<li><p>Click '''OK''':</p></li>
<li><p>Click '''Run Now''':</p></li>
<li><p>On the Menu bar, click '''View''' → '''Sort by''' → '''Star''':</p>
<p>You should now see that article at the top of your list of article.</p></li></ol>


2. In the header area, right-click on the tux@linux.com and choose Create
<span style="border:2px solid red">'''Note''':</span><br>Filters aren’t just negative. They can also be used to make sure that important topics or articles from from friends are seen first. The filtering tool is very powerful and can drastically change how useful Usenet is to you.
    Filter From…​


3. Like in the previous task, filter any articles that contain tux:
= Summary: =
 
4. Instead of ignoring the article, choose Add Star:
 
5. Click OK:
 
6. Click Run Now:
 
7. On the Menu bar, click View → Sort by → Star:


    You should now see that article at the top of your list of article.
In this exercise, you created your first two filters, by subject and user respectively. You also learned how to view, hide, and sort articles based on those filter.
 
Note:
 
Filters aren’t just negative. They can also be used to make sure that important
topics or articles from from friends are seen first. The filtering tool is very
powerful and can drastically change how useful Usenet is to you.
 
= Summary: =


In this exercise, you created your first two filters, by subject and user
(End of Exercise)
respectively. You also learned how to view, hide, and sort articles based on
those filter.

Latest revision as of 20:49, 25 July 2020

Description:

Much of the Usenet is a little like the wild west. Moderated Newsgroups exist, but they are few and far between. Even fewer are newsgroups that actually have active moderators. So, it’s not uncommon to see two common issues that really turn people off of Usenet. The first is spam and the second is trolls.

The spam is usually very obvious. You will see articles advertising drugs, loans, counterfeit money, and a wide range of other shady goods and services. It’s also almost always off-topic to the newsgroup that they are posted in and it’s easy to filter.

Trolls first came to life on the Internet via Usenet and some still reside there. What do I mean by a troll? Trolls are mainly people who enjoy irritating and upsetting people just for fun. The same filtering that works for spam can also work for trolls.

This tutorial will show you how to filter articles using Thunderbird based on sender and on subject. It is assumed that you know how to use Usenet or have reviewed the previous tutorial: Getting Started with Usenet.

Task 1: Setup Thunderbird

  1. Open Thunderbird and right-click on the area next to your main tab and choose Main Bar:

    Filter tutorial1.png

    If you already have this enabled, then you can continue on.

  2. On the Menu bar, check the box next to ViewThreadsIgnored Threads

    Filter tutorial2.png

    This will allow you to see all threads including those that are ignored.

Task 2: Create your first filter

  1. Go to the eternal-september.test newsgroup:

  2. Choose an article with a subject that contains "test":

  3. Note:
    In Thunderbird, the newsgroup area has 3 parts: The article list, the header which contains the From, Subject, etc, and the body of the article.

  4. In the header area, right-click on the Subject title and choose Create Filter From…​

    Filter tutorial3.png
    You should now see a new pop-up screen called Filter Rules.

  5. In the Filter Name field, choose type test:

  6. Choose Match any of the following:

  7. Change the filter rule from to the following:

    Subject contains test

  8. Under Perform these actions, choose Ignore Thread:

  9. Filter tutorial4.png

  10. Click OK:

    The Filter Rules window should close and be replaced with the Message Filters window.

  11. Click Run Now:

    You have now created a filter that will automatically look at all articles and place an "ignored flag next to them." On some articles, you will now see a red icon next to articles that contain the word "test" in the subject.

  12. On the Menu bar, check the box next to ViewThreadsIgnored Threads again:

    Those messages should no longer be visible because the check box is now gone.

Note:
While it may seem to be better to just delete any articles that you don’t want to see, sometimes everyone delete things by accident that they didn’t want to. It’s better to just hide something and be able to go back if you need to than the delete it completely. Also, deleting only deletes it from your machine not from the rest of Usenet.

Task 3: Filter articles by person:

  1. In the article list on eternal-september.test, choose the article called greetings from the past! by tux:

  2. Filter tutorial5.png

  3. In the header area, right-click on the tux@linux.com and choose Create Filter From…​

  4. Like in the previous task, filter any articles where From contains tux:

  5. Instead of ignoring the article, choose Add Star:

  6. Filter tutorial6.png

  7. Click OK:

  8. Click Run Now:

  9. On the Menu bar, click ViewSort byStar:

    You should now see that article at the top of your list of article.

Note:
Filters aren’t just negative. They can also be used to make sure that important topics or articles from from friends are seen first. The filtering tool is very powerful and can drastically change how useful Usenet is to you.

Summary:

In this exercise, you created your first two filters, by subject and user respectively. You also learned how to view, hide, and sort articles based on those filter.

(End of Exercise)