Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Smirnoff

This is a post that failed to appear yesterday, I'll try again:

my posts appear but having posted about six times today, two posts have
failed to appear at all.

I have made sure that I have selected "Reply Group" for replies and Sent
Items
confirms this.

No particular pattern or time. Have failed to see one post sent this
afternoon and one sent about an hour ago. Others appear OK.

Is the server a bit iffy? "

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Ildhund

The NNTP servers seem pretty stable, but the 'newsgroup Communities
support features' ones have always been a bit dodgy. Turn it off at
[Tools >] Options > General and see if the performance improves.
--
Noel

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Smirnoff

Thanks, Ildhund. Have done that and will see if any improvement.

On another subject, have you read the thread I started re: "Watched
messages"?

The reason I ask is that your reply to me in this thread has not
appeared as a Watched thread i.e., in red with the Watched (spectacles)
icon by it. My OP had both these attributes (although now hidden).

Could you throw some light on it please.

As per advice, I downloaded (opened) my OP and all NGs are synch'd.

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Smirnoff

Sorry, also meant to ask exactly what are "Communities support features"
and what do they do (apart from being a bit dodgy?)

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Ildhund

This function uses an extra level between you and the NNTP server to
give a similar experience to that you would have if you visited the
NG on the web and signed in with a Live ID. It's largely to do with
classifying posts (as questions or comments) and rating them (as
useful or not). Some of these extra attributes a post may have
propagate downwards to your client if the option is selected, so you
can see, for example, if a poster is an MVP if you have the
appropriate column visible in your Message list View. Paste the
following link into a browser and read all about it:
http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales/help/help_en-us.htm#RateAPostAsAnswer
(I say paste rather than just clicking it - for some reason
bookmarks (the bit after '#') don't work for me in URLs clicked in
WLMail)
FWIW, I consider these "features" a complete waste of effort in NGs
like this one, and they're so open to abuse that they can even be
misleading.
--
Noel

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Smirnoff

Thanks for a very full explanation. The option stays OFF.

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Jan Kuipers

Yesterday I had a problem too. I couldn't send a test message for an hour.
I turned 'newsgroup Communities support features' off and then it went well.
But after an hour I turned it on again and then I could send new messages.
--
Jan Kuipers

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Smirnoff

According to Ildhund, the "support features" servers can be "dodgy". If
you don't use them it may be best to leave them off.

Is there a problem with this NG's server? - Jan Kuipers

I see. But tonight I noticed again that it works good, whatever option I choose.
But I've noticed before, with Outlook Express too, that it takes longer for Dutch
messages
to reach the Dutch newsgroups than when I write to the American by the way.
--
Jan Kuipers