Author Topic: Advantages and disadvantages of NNTP Newsreaders (Read 27,456 times)

KenR · « **on:** September 17, 2006, 08:32 PM »

I am currently using Agent 4 for newsgroups. While I don't have anything strong against it, I am not thrilled with it either and wanted to get the input of others on alternative news readers, particularly News Rover and Newsleecher or any others they think are great.

What information can people provide about these programs? Is anyone familiar with all of them who could discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each? References to other reviews of these programs would also be appreciated.

Thanks, Ken

Screenshot - 9_17_2006 , 3_30_49 PM_thumb002.png

KenR · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2006, 08:45 PM »

Ok, let me be the first to reply to my own message. I just discovered a new program called Omea (there is a free basic version as well as the usual vastly more able pro version) that is very nice. It does both RSS and NNTP, and many more things in the pro version. It is available at http://www.jetbrains.com/ and looks very good too. Anyone familiar with it?

Ken

Eóin · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2006, 09:20 PM »

I use Thunderbird myself. I don't actually like the program all that much but it does everything I need

.

KenR · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2006, 09:46 PM »

Ok, I think I'm in love. I have been working with the basic (free version) of Omea and it's wonderful. I would encourage everyone to take a look at this program. It has a great UI, is incredibly versatile, and integrates the functionality of a NNTP news, RSS subscriptions, a browser, contacts, and notes. You can set up workspaces and show information in different ways. The pro version will do emails and sync with Outlook as well as index files, Miranda, and ICQ chats.

Here's a quite from the site: "Omea Pro 2.1 replaces tools like your Email Organizer, Desktop Search Utility, RSS Reader, Personal Information Manager, Newsgroup Reader, Task Manager, Contact Manager, Bookmark Manager, and Instant Message History Manager. It can also read your Files in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and view your Pictures, in one Integrated Information Environment."

One important fact about newsgroups though, the program only seems to handle TEXT, not BINARIES.

Ken

f0dder · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2006, 05:28 AM »

I personally use Outlook Express for NNTP - and only for that. All other NNTP clients I've come about had pretty disagreeable user interfaces - especially Agent

OE isn't perfect though, it's a bit sluggish if you keep downloaded messages and get large message bases, etc etc etc. I guess I'll give Omea a try.

EDIT: gave Omea a try, a bit too much on the heavy end for me. It used 50% CPU (which means 100% on one of my dual cores) when typing in the name of a group to watch, and for some reason it thought I was author of all posts in comp.lang.asm.x86. Oh well, it was worth a shot

KenR · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2006, 05:59 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on September 18, 2006, 05:28 AM

EDIT: gave Omea a try, a bit too much on the heavy end for me. It used 50% CPU (which means 100% on one of my dual cores) when typing in the name of a group to watch, and for some reason it thought I was author of all posts in comp.lang.asm.x86. Oh well, it was worth a shot

Hey f0dder,
Thanks for letting me know that about Omea. I never checked on resources it was using. I think it has a lot going for it, but it does appear to have some significant drawbacks as well.
Ken

Darwin · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2006, 10:10 PM »

atm I am using Feeddemon for RSS and OE for NNTP (and like f0dder ONLY for NNTP). I got Feeddemon by virture of having purchased Newsgator a couple of years ago to read RSS from within Outlook. I got fed up of the limitations in Newsgator but really like Feeddemon so that investment long ago was not for naught!

I'm open to suggestions for alternatives, though, and am monitoring this thread...

crono · « **Reply #7 on:** September 19, 2006, 01:04 AM »

I used XanaNews (http://www.wilsonc.demon.co.uk/xananews.htm) a lot. Now I'm just fine with Tunderbird. Omea looks great, maybe I give it a try

sbb123 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2006, 07:38 PM »

I like 40tude's Dialog newsreader. I used to use Xananews but have recently switched; they're similar in many ways. Both are excellent NNTP newsreaders.

http://www.40tude.com/dialog/

JavaJones · « **Reply #9 on:** October 10, 2006, 05:13 AM »

I think there's a sharp division in which reader is appropriate based on whether you focus more on binary (file) downloads or conversations/text/posting. If the former then you really want a client that specializes in that. If the latter, likewise. Thunderbird is a very capable simple read and post client, likewise Outlook Express is decent. I personally don't find much need to go beyond either one unless I am wanting to download a bunch of stuff in which case the options become quite extensive and I really don't have a good recommendation there beyond the widely respected and highly reated Newsleecher ($).

- Oshyan

2stepsback · « **Reply #10 on:** April 02, 2007, 12:16 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on September 18, 2006, 05:28 AM

I personally use Outlook Express for NNTP - and only for that. All other NNTP clients I've come about had pretty disagreeable user interfaces - especially Agent

I've always used Google groups for usenet but I'm finding it more and more of a burden to conncet, log in,especially now that they made the interface clunkier than before - I'm a sucker for text and basic no-frills UIs.

My main worry is virus/worm/malware protection - OE is M$, used by everyone, and comes bundled with Windows. To me that means "tempting sitting duck for virus writers". So could anyone suggest a cheap/free method, plugin or newsreader which has some kind of inherent ability against viruses - AFAIK, good malware protection comes expensive - $40-$75 for Inernet security products from various companies.

EDIT: I want access to usenet programming groups only and not for any binaries. I prefer a method/program which will keep any and all active content blocked or out, by default, or by configuration

TIA,
-2stepsback

f0dder · « **Reply #11 on:** April 02, 2007, 01:20 PM »

If you set OE to "text only" (and use OE QuoteFix), I _think_ you'll be reasonably safe - afaik, the OE exploits are really for IE's html engine...

2stepsback · « **Reply #12 on:** April 02, 2007, 05:29 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on April 02, 2007, 01:20 PM

If you set OE to "text only" (and use OE QuoteFix), I _think_ you'll be reasonably safe - afaik, the OE exploits are really for IE's html engine...

Ok. I also tried out Opera, looks good as well.
Will be getting spamassassin as well ... just in case.
As far as Antiviruses go, I have a question: What is meant by personal use only? I have only one PC - Windows XP Pro SP2, and it is my home *and* work PC (work from home), so can I or can't I use it to protect my PC.
Sales departments of Antivirus companies are probably too big to answer my email

And then my Norton installation keeps warning me of dire consequences if I fail to renew....

btw, Does anyone here own a newsreader? as in, has written and sells one?

mwb1100 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 02, 2007, 06:37 PM »

Quote from: KenR on September 17, 2006, 08:45 PM

I just discovered a new program called Omea (there is a free basic version as well as the usual vastly more able pro version) that is very nice. It does both RSS and NNTP, and many more things in the pro version. It is available at http://www.jetbrains.com/ and looks very good too.

Since December 4, 2006 Omea Pro is free (but you do have to register for a license): http://www.jetbrains.com/omea/download/download.html

It seems that development on Omea has stopped - there was a hint that Omea Pro would be open-sourced (http://www.larkware.com/dg7/TheDailyGrind1031.aspx), but I've seen no evidence that's happening.

FWIW, I tried Omea as an NNTP and RSS reader, but didn't take to it.

imtrobin · « **Reply #14 on:** April 07, 2007, 04:52 AM »

After trying many (years ago), XNews is realyl one of the best, although it's difficult to setup compared to others.

craigcolby · « **Reply #15 on:** July 01, 2007, 09:26 PM »

What about News Rover? It is very good, but for the timid, the learning curve of the newsreader is a little steep

Curt · « **Reply #16 on:** July 01, 2007, 10:33 PM »

I tried various readers but was annoyed that I had to open the program to read the news. I much prefer to have the news delivered to my mail inbox (because Outlook is placed in Start), so now I use the old but free RSS Popper (which has not been updated for 3 years); it does the job. Edit: Integrated with the context menu: Subscribe in RSS Popper

Edit2: I have no idea what a NNTP Newsreader is.

Quote from: Saturday, October 16, 2004

RSS Popper is a news aggregator add-in for Outlook & Outlook Express. News items delivered directly to Outlook as e-mails. No need to use a separate program for reading RSS anymore. All RSS/RDF/Atom formats are supported.

Just download, install, set you favorite news feeds, and you're ready to go.

Features (Partial list):

* Supports MS-Outlook 2000, XP, 2003 (RSS Popper)
* Outlook Express 6 (RSS Popper for Outlook Express)
* Supports all RSS, Atom & RDF versions
* Support Podcasts
* Bloglines.com synchronization
* NewsGator Online synchronization
* Enable full page download to Outlook (i.e. Off-line view)
* OPML Import/Export
* And much more...

http://rsspopper.blogspot.com/2004/10/home.html

Renegade · « **Reply #17 on:** July 01, 2007, 11:32 PM »

+1 for XNews

I find it does what it's supposed to do and is easy to use.

PlayPhil · « **Reply #18 on:** September 07, 2007, 11:23 PM »

Wondering if anyone here has tried Gravity v2.7 available for free from Steve Gibson's site (Gibson Research Corp) available on his Discussions page.

Have to admit I'm a fan of Steve's and he also supports (for community's sake) using M$ie's Browser & Ouchlook EggStress, the latter I refuse to use. Like others above I prefer text and at the same time not open a Pandora's box...

f0dder · « **Reply #19 on:** September 07, 2007, 11:35 PM »

Fan of steve? poor soul. More appropriate to link to gravity itself imho.

I personally like the Outlook Express interface quite a bit, and it's a very lightweight application as well... but I don't use it because of the security implications. Thunderbird comes pretty close (even if noticeably more sluggish) so that's what I use for NNTP now - mail still handled by TheBat, though.

KenR · « **Reply #20 on:** September 08, 2007, 11:58 PM »

I love Gravity. I've used it at all stages of it's existence. I have tried it a few times in the last several years and it has just not been the same since it's death as shareware.

Ken

PlayPhil · « **Reply #21 on:** September 09, 2007, 08:36 AM »

Thx for the direct link f0dder. Thunderbird eh

Was thinking of pursuing that route, more so now after reading Ken's comment (Thx Ken).

There's only one feed (at the moment) I want to subscribe to so likely the best solution.

Also use theBat (V3) for emails. Will be interesting to see what version 4 brings, apparently not too far away from what I read yesterday.

Lashiec · « **Reply #22 on:** September 09, 2007, 05:30 PM »

Zaine could really give you some insight on newsreaders, as he is a heavy user. But he's not been around as lately, wonder where is he... vacations? fighting Vista?

PlayPhil · « **Reply #23 on:** September 09, 2007, 11:42 PM »

Thx Lashiec - I just finished building a box last w/e and loaded Vista Ultimate to see whazzup. Sincerely hope Zaine is on holidays LOL