In alt.os.linux.ubuntu on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:06:32 -0500, John F.
Morse wrote:

> Peter J Ross wrote:
>> In alt.os.linux.ubuntu on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:55:59 -0500, John F.
>> Morse wrote:
>>
>>> I know that when I use slrn, I will expect some issues, and I just
>>> overlook them. Life is certainly easier that way. ;-)
>>>
>>
>> I'd rather you reported the issues, if they still exist in a recent
>> version of slrn, i.e. pre0.9.9, not 0.9.8.1.
>>
>> Ubuntu packages for Gutsy and Hardy:
>>
>> Updated documentation:
>
> Thanks Peter.
>
> The "issues" may all be my not knowing slrn well enough to do something
> correctly. Certainly not "bugs" in slrn.
>
> For instance, I cannot read the text on a black background, especially
> reds and blues. It's an eyeball thing. I know this is configurable
> somewhere, and I've seen it, but haven't had the chance to investigate
> it and try it.

You need to use the "color" command in your .slrnrc.



> The other items are, again, ignorance, like believing slrn cannot handle
> HTML,

You can configure slrn to open HTML messages with metamail or a
similar external program, but I haven't experimented with this myself.



> graphics (or other attachments).

Binaries can be decoded, either with slrn's own methods or with
external software. Handling of binaries is quite primitive: slrn is
intentionally a mostly-text-only newsreader.

> I can "presume" some helper
> application could be configured, but again, I haven't had the time to
> investigate it.

You can use uudeview for decoding binaries:

./configure --with-uudeview

Binary slrn packages tend to have this option turned off.

> I do frequent a few groups where people post jpgs, midis, etc. Plus I
> run my own INN server where I need some of the features in news readers
> that I am familiar with using (templates, moderator "approved" headers,
> etc.). Slrn is a text-based news reader, and I have nothing against
> using the CLI. I do most all of my work in a terminal, usually via ssh,
> but I believe newsgroups and the associated servers ("accounts") and the
> directories ("folders") are more efficiently navigated with a GUI.

slrn isn't a good tool for server administration.

> I don't know if or how slrn can archive messages. I've always used a
> Moz-type reader and e-mail client, and I know how to save messages for
> future reference. I don't like their mbox type files, preferring maildir
> with a separate file per message. But it's always give and take.

slrn can certainly save articles, but the format is mbox.



> I also use (at the last count) 15 different news servers, and I don't
> know if slrn can handle more than one. Or if it can, how much difficulty
> there is to switch amongst them at one sitting.
>
> I don't know if slrn can use multiple servers for downloading certain
> groups, like KLibido does (I think the beta Pan does this too, but I
> prefer and use 0.14.2.91), or if slrn would need to work on one server
> at a time.

You can quite easily use multiple servers separately, but you can't
combine them.

However, slrn works nicely with leafnode, INN etc.

> Like I said, I have nothing "against" slrn, and do consider it a good
> news reader. I'm just not that familiar with it beyond posting an
> occasional test message. In its current default installed configuration,
> it is not as useful as Thunderbird/Icedove or Pan, plus a few others
> when needed, like Claws Mail, Dialog (on Wine), etc.
>
> If you have time, I'd appreciate you replying (inline) about these
> thoughts and concerns. There's no better time to learn than the present!

You'll probably get a more useful set of responses if you repeat your
list of issues in news.software.readers.

> Oh, I forgot I'm in the middle of reconfiguring INN, actually Cleanfeed,
> to allow certain message types while blocking others. I had to put my
> configuration of a Postfix+Dovecot mail server on the back burner to
> work on the news server, but I plan on restarting that project later
> today. The mail server PC has been wasting electricity for the past 11
> days waiting on my return. I need to get it running so I can shut down
> the old SIMS box on a PowerMac, which has been running non-stop for the
> past ten years.
>
> But I will read, save and try anything you provide for slrn.

I'm always delighted to try to help with slrn, and I'll elaborate on
any of the above answers if necessary.

> I want to also thank Andrew for his valuable work.

Andrew's instructions for installing and configuring slrn are the best
I've seen, and are rightly endorsed by John E Davis, the creator and
maintainer of slrn:

--
PJR :-)