On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:40:39 -0400, Alan Erskine wrote
(in article ):

"hielan' laddie" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:41:41 -0400, Alan Erskine wrote
(in article ):

Define "real" (don't provide examples of what you consider 'real'
newsreaders, just the definition please).



A real newsreader has:

1 proper filtering. This means the ability to filter on _any_ header. It
also
means the ability to place the results of the filtering the way the user
wants. Examples: some newsreaders have the ability to tag posts with
colour,
so that posts of interest (or of non-interest) can be detected at a
glance.
Some newsreaders can tag posts with ratings of interest, which also can be
detected at a glance. Some can do both. Filtering also means the ability
to
sort out purely text from binary posts, and the ability to save a post as
text or binary to a folder of the user's choice on a volume of the user's
choice. The filter should also be capable of ferreting out _all_ the files
the user wants, using such techniques as 'regular expressions'. With
proper
filtering, a user can find all posts in a newsgroup made by Alan Erskine,
tag
them red or give them a +10 rating or both, save any purely text files to
disk, extract any binaries, and then delete the binary posts while leaving
the text-only posts alone.

I can do that quite easily - it's just a matter of going to Tools, Message
Rules, News and then "New". Easy.

As for the rest, which newsreader can play videos (wmv, .avi, .mp3,)?

Hogwasher, Agent, MTNW all can.

Surely, you still need to have the relevant player installed on the
computer.

Nope. You might need the codecs installed somewhere, but not any player.


OE supports text other than Latin. It's just a matter of installing the
preferred language (the computer will usually say which language it is).

I don't need to do that, it's all done automatically by the system.


Proper automation - why have newsgroups if it can be done automatically?

To keep things properly arraigned.

I
spend very little time on newsgroups - few are worth it (which is why I'm so
adament about what J3 did; as this group is very much worth fighting for).

He didn't do a damn thing other than post a few .rars. Precisely because you
have an inadequate newsreader, you saw _each separate part_ as a different
post. Precisely because _I_ have a real newsreader, _I_ saw the posts as one.
Instead of 35 parts of a .rar, I saw a .rar. Those who had real newsreaders
simply did not see the 'clutter' that those who have crippled newsreaders
saw. The problem is not J3. The problem is your crippled newsreader.


OE can go through the posts in a newsgroup - it's called "scrolling" - quite
easy to do.

With a proper setup you need not do that unless you're looking for something
specific.


OE can access any file, at will - as long as I have the software to view
that particular format (one of the main problems with any software is
compatibility with other formats).

A proper newsreader will access the files using internal resources, except
for codecs. And the codecs apply mostly to multimedia files, so pix and audio
files Just Work. No external help required.


OE can restrict file formats quite easily - same as for filtering via the
subject line.

Cool. So if you don't like J3's stuff, filter out .rar and they will all go.
Or filter on his posting ID. Problem done.

oh, wait, the problem is that you don't want him to post that stuff on
a.b.p.a. Hmm. Sucks to be you, 'cause you can't control that. You can control
what _you_ see. Pity about any delusions of control for anything else.

One reason why _I_ use a real newsreader is _precisely_ so that I have
_complete_ control over what _I_ see in the newsgroup. If I don't want to see
something, that something is _gone_. Unlike some, I _don't care if anyone
else sees it_. I only care that _I_ don't.


OE does everything that you say is necessary (with the exception of some
formats like yEnc, which can be overcome with additional software - yEnc
isn't all that common, with the exception of some porno groups who don't
want people knowing what they are actually posting - most of those people
end up in prison)

Errm... YENC doesn't block people from seeing what they're posting, and puts
a nice big flag with the file name in the subjectline...


As for email; I haven't had any problems with OE - it's doing just fine.



You obviously don't get the volume of mail I get. MSOE died from overwork,
and lacks the controls, especially filtering, to get my mail organised the
way I want it. Eudora, on the other hand...