N. Miller wrote:
On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 04:28:38 -0000, Shane wrote:

...one two three.

Why do you always get people who complain about test posts and say
there are dedicated test groups?

Because it clutters the group with unnecessary dross.

Usually I suppose this is the case, but not always - not in this case for
instance, when there were apparently no posts for more than a day -
mid-week. One expects minimal activity of a weekend but mid-week it still
seems to imply server problems.

I should have specified *when Google Groups shows nothing and when resetting
the group all posts download again bar, again, the potentially absent ones
that made one suspicious in the first place*. iwo I wasn't specific enough,
but nor are most who post the critical retorts to test posts - because a
test group does not show when the problem is with the windowsme.x servers as
distinct from, say, the windowsxp.x servers, does it? The msnews.public
servers have had no shortage of problems over the years! I've only ever made
test posts because windowsme.x group posts specifically are noticeable by
their absence while other msnews.public groups are as busy as ever. It used
to almost always be because the servers were having problems. Now it seems
more frequently simply that nobody's posted for a day or two.

I guess, when a group is busy and then someone posts a *test* post, it is
reasonable to point him/her to a test group. But when it isn't busy,
complaining is no more justified than all those who have over the years
criticised regulars here for top posting, when top posting here is the norm.

btw if in our previous exchange your response to me was the 'complaint' you
mentioned, I never for a moment took it as a complaint. It was reasonable
dialogue. Now, if you'd wrote to M$ about my post, *that* would have been
what I consider *being up oneself*. I'm sure you didn't do that.

Shane


How does posting to a test group demonstrate whether
windowsme.general is working or not?

You are testing the ability of the news client to interact with the
NNTP server. The interaction is the same, regardless of the group. If
the post works in the test group, it _will_ work with any other group
on the NNTP server. In the end, you are testing
'msnews.microsoft.com', not 'windowsme.general'.