KILLING S.P.A.M with ggkiller: a brief 'tutorial'
UVR
plaguing our Usenet newsgroup. I have tried to give two 'levels' of
instructions -- Simple and Advanced. This post contains the 'Simple
Recipe'. The 'Advanced Recipe' will be posted in a separate message.
-UVR.
PURPOSE:
To "hide" from view certain spam messages when visiting the RMIM (and
other) Google interface (https://groups.google.com/group/
rec.music.indian.misc/). Also works for other Google groups (e.g.,
ALUP, RMIC, ...)
INGREDIENTS:
1. Mozilla Firefox browser -- http://www.firefox.com/
2. Greasemonkey Add-on -- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748
3. Google Groups Killer user script -- http://www.penney.org/ggkiller.html
DIRECTIONS:
Following these directions will get the spam messages out of your view
in the shortest amount of time.
STEP 1: Install Mozilla Firefox.
Go to http://www.firefox.com/ and get the latest version. Most of us
may already have this browser installed. If not, better do it. Don't
use Microsoft Internet Explorer. It's the worst browser around.
If you don't want to use Firefox, STOP reading this post now. I
cannot help you.
STEP 2: Install the Firefox Greasemonkey Add-on.
Visit https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/748 using Firefox
and click on the green "Add to Firefox" button. A window will pop up.
Wait a few seconds and click on the 'Install' button. When
greasemonkey has been successfully installed, it will ask you to
restart Firefox. Restart Firefox.
STEP 3: Install the ggkiller User script
If you didn't restart Firefox at the end of Step 2, do so now. Then
visit http://www.penney.org/ggkiller.html and click on the link that
says "Latest Google Groups Killfile Script". It will bring up another
window that will offer you the ability to install the script. Install
the script.
STEP 4: "Kill" spam
Visit https://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.indian.misc/topics?gvc=2.
Find spam messages under the Topics column and/or spammers under the
Authors column. There will be a small "X" against either. Click on
the X to remove that particular topic or author from view. Once a
particular topic or author is killed, no messages (past, present OR
future) by that topic/author will be displayed when you visit the
Google RMIM page using Firefox.
THAT'S IT, YOU'RE DONE.
If in the future you happen to see more spam messages, just follow
step 4 above to kill the message or its author.
UVR
> Here's a recipe for killing the type of spam which is currently
> plaguing our Usenet newsgroup. I have tried to give two 'levels' of
> instructions -- Simple and Advanced. This post contains the 'Simple
> Recipe'. The 'Advanced Recipe' will be posted in a separate message.
>
> -UVR.
>
> PURPOSE:
>
> To "hide" from view certain spam messages when visiting the RMIM (and
> other) Google interface (https://groups.google.com/group/
> rec.music.indian.misc/). Also works for other Google groups (e.g.,
> ALUP, RMIC, ...)
>
> INGREDIENTS:
>
> 1. Mozilla Firefox browser --http://www.firefox.com/
> 3. Google Groups Killer user script --http://www.penney.org/ggkiller.html
>
> DIRECTIONS:
>
> Following these directions will get the spam messages out of your view
> in the shortest amount of time.
>
> STEP 1: Install Mozilla Firefox.
>
> may already have this browser installed. If not, better do it. Don't
> use Microsoft Internet Explorer. It's the worst browser around.
>
> If you don't want to use Firefox, STOP reading this post now. I
> cannot help you.
>
> STEP 2: Install the Firefox Greasemonkey Add-on.
>
> and click on the green "Add to Firefox" button. A window will pop up.
> Wait a few seconds and click on the 'Install' button. When
> greasemonkey has been successfully installed, it will ask you to
> restart Firefox. Restart Firefox.
>
> STEP 3: Install the ggkiller User script
>
> If you didn't restart Firefox at the end of Step 2, do so now. Then
> says "Latest Google Groups Killfile Script". It will bring up another
> window that will offer you the ability to install the script. Install
> the script.
>
This post contains the 'Advanced Recipe' for using ggkiller to
killfile the specific kind of spam messages that have been appearing
on RMIM for the past 4-6 weeks. These instructions are for users who
are familiar with editing their Firefox user preferences using the
built-in configuration editor. A certain level of familiarity with
regular expressions (preferably Javascript REs) will be helpful.
Feel free to drop me a line at contact DOT uvr AT gmail DOT com if you
have any questions that you'd rather not ask here.
-UVR.
ADVANCED RECIPE
STEP 1: Install Firefox (see instructions in the 'Simple Recipe' --
retained above)
STEP 2: Install the Greasemonkey extension (see instructions in the
'Simple Recipe' -- retained above)
STEP 3: Install the 'ggkiller' User Script (see instructions in the
'Simple Recipe' -- retained above)
STEP 4: Use the Firefox 'config editor' to set up the killfile.
Here's how --
(a) Open a new tab and type "about:config" in the Firefox URL bar.
Ignore the warning and click the "I'll be careful, I promise" button.
(b) Type "penney.org" in the 'Filter' bar and hit ENTER. If there's a
match, go to (d).
(c) If no matching preference is found, RIGHT CLICK anywhere in the
area below the "Preference Name" header. Choose "New" > "String".
Cut and paste the following into the Preference Name box EXACTLY as
you see it here:
greasemonkey.scriptvals.www.penney.org/Google Groups
Killfile.GoogleKillFile
and hit ENTER. Leave the "Enter String Value" box empty and hit
ENTER.
(d) Type "penney.org" again in the 'Filter' bar and hit ENTER. RIGHT
CLICK on the matching preference which comes up and select "Modify".
Then enter the following string EXACTLY as you see it here:
-----%FFTopic%3ASPAM%5B%5E%5Cw+%5D%FFTopic%3A.*%5BWw%5D%28holesale
%7Catches%7Callets%29%7C%5BSs%5D%28hoes%7Chox%7Chirt%7Cunglass%29%7C
%5BPp%5D%28urses%7Caypal%29%7C%5BJj%5Deans%7C%5BDd%5Discount%7C%5BGg
%5Ducci%7C%5BNn%5Dike%7C%5BLl%5Dacoste
and type ENTER.
[This is a set of regular expressions I fashioned that seem to fit the
bill. I don't claim that they are foolproof or that they will work
for all spam that will be posted in the future, but they seemed to
work well enough for me to post them here. If you have better ones,
do share.]
(e) Close the 'about:config' tab. Return to the tab that's viewing
RMIM and reload the page. The spam messages that were being displayed
earlier should now disappear.
That's it. You're done for now.
If, in the future, you see some spam messages that the killfile didn't
capture, edit your killfile and adjust the regular expression, or add
a new one. Then, for the benefit of other RMIMers, reply to that post
and mark it as SPAM.
abhayphadnis
(snip)
>
> STEP 3: Install the ggkiller User script
>
> If you didn't restart Firefox at the end of Step 2, do so now. Then
> says "Latest Google Groups Killfile Script". It will bring up another
> window that will offer you the ability to install the script. Install
> the script.
Doesn't seem to work for me. I am using the latest version of Firefox
(3.5.2) on a Mac. When I try to install the ggkiller script, I get an
error message that says "The page you are trying to view cannot be
shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."
I tried hunting around to see if there was a way out of this but could
find nothing either on penney.org or anywhere else.
Warm regards,
Abhay
Sukesh
> On Aug 6, 10:56 am, UVR <u...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> (snip)
>
>
>
> > STEP 3: Install the ggkiller User script
>
> > If you didn't restart Firefox at the end of Step 2, do so now. Then
> > says "Latest Google Groups Killfile Script". It will bring up another
> > window that will offer you the ability to install the script. Install
> > the script.
>
> Doesn't seem to work for me. I am using the latest version of Firefox
> (3.5.2) on a Mac. When I try to install the ggkiller script, I get an
> error message that says "The page you are trying to view cannot be
> shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."
> I tried hunting around to see if there was a way out of this but could
> find nothing either on penney.org or anywhere else.
>
> Warm regards,
> Abhay
May be this will be of help.
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.greek/2008-12/msg00037.html
Regards
Sukesh
UVR
> On Aug 6, 10:56 am, UVR <u...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> (snip)
>
>
>
> > STEP 3: Install the ggkiller User script
>
> > If you didn't restart Firefox at the end of Step 2, do so now. Then
> > says "Latest Google Groups Killfile Script". It will bring up another
> > window that will offer you the ability to install the script. Install
> > the script.
>
> Doesn't seem to work for me. I am using the latest version of Firefox
> (3.5.2) on a Mac. When I try to install the ggkiller script, I get an
> error message that says "The page you are trying to view cannot be
> shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."
> I tried hunting around to see if there was a way out of this but could
> find nothing either on penney.org or anywhere else.
>
> Warm regards,
> Abhay
I'm using Firefox 3.5.2 on a Mac too (10.5.7, if that matters). It
all "just works" for me.
The first thing is probably to try again -- maybe the web server at
penney.org was being restarted or something when you hit it.
If you continue to see the problem, the next thing to check is the
setting under Firefox > Preferences [command-comma] > Advanced >
Protocols. If both SSL3 and TLS1 are not selected, select them (they
should be so by default).
Next, at what stage of the installation of ggkiller do you see the
'invalid compression' message? When you go to penney.org? When you
click on the 'Latest Google Groups Killfile Script' link? Something
else?
What happens if you directly click here? http://www.penney.org/googleGroups.user.js
If the problem persists, maybe it's something to do with
Greasemonkey. Is it disabled (is the small brown monkey smiling at
you through the Firefox status bar -- bottom right hand corner --
'grayed out')? If so, enable it -- click on the monkey's face. If
the problem still persists, maybe its time to reinstall Greasemonkey.
-UVR.
abhayphadnis
(snip)
> I'm using Firefox 3.5.2 on a Mac too (10.5.7, if that matters). It
> all "just works" for me.
Same combo - and it works well for me too now! It wouldn't work if I
clicked on the .js file link on the relevant page at penney.org: that
would bring up a message saying "Fetching user file" on the status bar
and no further movement. The error message would come up if I tried to
click on the link again.
It worked when I downloaded the .js file and manually installed it.
Works well now - but, with the spam killfiled, it shows a depressingly
small number of posts on each page!
Purely personal crib: it means that one can use only Firefox to browse
RMIM/C; with the new Safari being a delightful browser, I am not happy
firing up Firefox only for these newsgroups.
Thanks for taking the trouble to put up detailed instructions for
getting this done.
Warm regards,
Abhay
UVR
> On Aug 6, 7:08 pm, UVR <u.v.ravin...@gmail.com> wrote:
> (snip)
>
> > I'm using Firefox 3.5.2 on a Mac too (10.5.7, if that matters). It
> > all "just works" for me.
>
> Same combo - and it works well for me too now! It wouldn't work if I
> clicked on the .js file link on the relevant page at penney.org: that
> would bring up a message saying "Fetching user file" on the status bar
> and no further movement. The error message would come up if I tried to
> click on the link again.
Ah! This is similar to a slow-javascript/slow-loading problem I had
experienced (on OpenSolaris, though) with Firefox 3.5.2. Not on OSX
though.
> It worked when I downloaded the .js file and manually installed it.
> Works well now - but, with the spam killfiled, it shows a depressingly
> small number of posts on each page!
>
> Purely personal crib: it means that one can use only Firefox to browse
> RMIM/C; with the new Safari being a delightful browser, I am not happy
> firing up Firefox only for these newsgroups.
>
This is where I part company with you. I use Firefox only -- mainly
because it allows me to keep the user experience the same on all the
OSes I have to use on an almost daily basis. Plus, I think Firefox is
a lot more customizable and gives me exactly the amount of control I
need. I think Safari goes with the general OSX philosophy of keeping
certain things hidden from the user to avoid confusion, or to keep the
interface cleaner, or whatever. I don't have any patience for that
model of user interaction design. I firmly believe in giving the user
a gun to shoot burglars with, and if he wants to shoot himself in the
foot instead, well, he deserved it! No reason to keep the gun hidden
is what I say.
-UVR.
UVR
> RMIM/C; with the new Safari being a delightful browser, I am not happy
> firing up Firefox only for these newsgroups.
>
> Abhay
Then *don't* (fire up Firefox "only for these newsgroups"). Use
Safari. Here's how:
http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/11/14/how-to-run-greasemonkey-scripts-in-safari/
Caveat: I don't use Safari and haven't checked how well (or if) these
instructions work. But they've got to be worth a shot, na'ii.n?
-UVR.
abhayphadnis
>
> Caveat: I don't use Safari and haven't checked how well (or if) these
> instructions work. But they've got to be worth a shot, na'ii.n?
Thanks a ton for taking the trouble to look this up! Unfortunately,
while ggkiller now installs on Safari, it doesn't work. The comments
on the relevant page indicate that the Greasekit app runs into some
trouble on Safari 4. Well, will keep trying - thanks again for the
pointer!
Warm regards,
Abhay
UVR
Try this: http://userscripts.org/topics/23793
The same disclaimer from earlier applies -- I don't use Safari and
therefore do not know if these are any good.
-UVR.
Prasanna
Is there a way to "whitelist" a user if I accidentally added him/her
to "Ignore User" list?
Thanks again,
Prasanna
UVR
Yes. Here's how:
1. Go to the main RMIM page (http://groups.google.com/group/
rec.music.indian.misc)
2. Look at the top right hand corner of the page (where you normally
find the "Sign Out" link). You should see a link that says
"KillFile". Click on it.
3. A 'window' will appear listing all the rules in your current
killfile. Seek out the one you want to "whitelist" and click on the X
against that rule to remove it from the killfile. Close. Reload.
-UVR.
Mitesh Gandhi
Mitesh
UVR
> Thank you this works for me
>
> Mitesh
I am happy this is all working out nicely for those who have tried
it. Here's a small additional note.
If you are like me and prefer "https" (secure http) access over http
where available, and consequently prefer using Google groups also over
https, then you need a small change to your Greasemonkey/ggkiller
configuration to killfile these SPAM posts over https. Do this:
(1) Go to "Tools > Greasemonkey > Manage User Scripts..."
(2) Make sure "Google Groups Killfile" is selected on the LEFT HAND
SIDE. If ggkiller is the only user script you have installed, it
should already be selected.
(3) On the RIGHT SIDE under "Included Pages", SELECT "http://
groups*.google.*/*" and click EDIT
(4) In the new window that pops up, CHANGE
http://groups*.google.*/*"
TO
http*://groups*.google.*/*
That is to say, add an asterisk (= a "star" symbol) immediately
following http, preceding the 'colon-slash-slash'. OK. CLOSE. Reload
the RMIM page.
Hope this helps.
-UVR.
UVR
UVR
UVR
[I'll stop bumping this at the end of the month. Until then, I'll
bump it every time it falls behind the 'first 30 messages' list on
Google groups]
UVR
UVR
Prasanna
One more question, is it possible to "share" a killfile with others?
At the moment, *every* user has to individually add spam messages to
the ignore list.
Lets say we have a group of RMIM users who share a common killfile.
This way, only one person from this group has to mark it as spam, rest
of us automatically don't see these spam messages.
Of course each individual should still be able to override group
killfile settings, should there be a dispute over why a certain user/
post was added to spam list.
Is this possible?
UVR
Short answer: NO.
Long answer: Technically speaking, it *is* possible to "share" a
killfile with others. That's what I did in post #2 (Advanced
instructions) of this thread. The killfile isn't really a file, it's
a Firefox user_pref, so everyone MUST have a copy of the same
user_pref in their own Firefox profile directory.
Your suggestion is, of course, pretty good. I suppose it would be
possible to reimplement the ggkiller javascript in such a way that it
uses a remote killfile (there are Firefox extensions that do exactly
that -- e.g., my favorite: AdBlock Plus) with support for local
overrides. But I'm not a Javascript program and wouldn't know how to
begin writing such a script, and the current implementation doesn't
support any such remote+local killfile use.
I'm sure there are experience Javascript coders on RMIM who could
undertake the reimplementation task if interested. Alternatively, you
could post a request for enhancement on the penney.org site and see
where that gets us.
-UVR.
UVR
UVR
> (bump)
(the spam is getting really unberable, dammit)
UVR
Looks like not responding to spam posts is "sort of" keeping them down.
surjit singh
This is working great for me in Firefox. Thanks.
I can finally 'killfile' even non-spam posters that I do not want to
read and reply to :)
pdg
>
> This is working great for me in Firefox. Thanks.
> I can finally 'killfile' even non-spam posters that I do not want to
> read and reply to :)
What! You're kill-filing poor non-spam posters! And I was expecting
that as head-honcho of the RMIM-mafia you would be promoting bhai-
chaaraa here with slogans like "Jay harmony".
-pdg/
surjit singh
I have the option, but will probably never do it.
Sukesh
What attributes should one have to become a member of this 'RMIM-
mafia"? ;-)
Regards
Sukesh
