XPost: alt.windows7.general   
   From: not.my.real@email.address   
      
   I wrote:   
      
   > R.Wieser wrote:   
   >   
   >> Simple question : using the NNTP protocol - How do I check for   
   >> newsgroups that have been removed ?   
   >>   
   >> I don't really want to go thru the list of all newsgroups I currently   
   >> have stored and check, one by one, if I they are still present on the   
   >> newsgroup server.   
   >>   
   >> Remark: I found the command to find all *new* newsgroups (since a   
   >> certain date), but have not been able to find its opposite.   
   >   
   > There isn't a method defined in any RFC to do so, because there are a   
   > number of hurdles that make it infeasible:   
   >   
   > - *WHO* decides what groups to include on that list?   
   > - How far back do you want to go/removed since *WHEN*?   
   > - For each user, the server would need to remember the last time that user   
   >   checked the groups, and what groups have been removed since then.   
   >   *WHERE* does the server store this information?   
   > - *WHY* would the server retain information it has already removed?   
   >   
   > The *only* method to do this is using the "LIST" command.   
      
   ...and then comparing the downloaded list to the local copy.   
      
   > Alternately, you could send the "CAPABILITIES" command and see what the   
   > server returns. Maybe your chosen server has a method to do what you   
   > want. (Don't count on it.)   
      
   --   
   The past is past, and histories care little for speaking the truth of it.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)