NG favourite newsreader

[John Fitzsimons]

Where can one download a freeware version.

Wasn't your copy freeware ? How much did you pay for it ?

I just got the latest bete and was unaware it was time limited.

So you download/use software without checking it's license ?

The license says :

"WARNING This is beta software."

Marcus couldn't have made it much clearer than that.

He also says ;

"EXPIRATION Please note that this version of the software expires
on .... " etc.,

Regards, John.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

On 07 Sep 2003 13:17:52 GMT, Onno <[email protected]> took a
very strange color crayon and scribbled:

It would appear the only error here is sloppy writing by both of you.
If you want to explain features, then do so with precision please,
otherwise you're just boring the bystanders. And also, skip the
innuendo, it's neither precise nor necessary.

Very well put. The lengths that some people will go to to "protect"
their "favourite" newsreader from real/imagined criticism is quite
amazing.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

Ordinary MSIE (with yProxy for yEnc, if necessary) is capable of
downloading only the FIRST part of a binary .MP3 or .JPG (or some
similar) .. then you can play or view that first part to get an idea of what
you may want to download all parts for.

That's very interesting. I didn't know that any newsreader was
capable of opening, let alone displaying, one part of a multi-part
file. I just assumed one would get a "cannot open", or similar,
error.

Thanks for your post.

Regards, John.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

At last you're admitting that your aim is to point out a shortcoming in
Xnews,

Nope. But if it had been then would it matter ? Is XNews some sort of
a "sacred cow" ? People can recommend it but never be critical in any
way ?

or at least something that you consider so.

< snip >

I point out shortcomings in many programs. The difference is that when
I have done that with Agent the program has been updated/improved as a
result. When I have pointed out the shortcomings of Dialog the program
has been updated/improved as a result. The same goes for many other
programs.

Hardly a surprise as I have beta tested a number of programs over the
years. A number of commercial, and freeware, authors have asked me
to beta test their products, and to give them any feedback/criticisms
I might have. In the case of XNews however all I ever get is flames.
No improvements, no discussion of improvements whatsoever.

IMO the better programs, whether freeware or not, end up far
better programs when people give feedback/criticisms of current
functionality. Many authors request that from even non beta
testers.

Regards, John.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

And it came to pass that John Fitzsimons wrote:

It assembles them into a file that can then be set to open in
the system default viewer for that filetype.

Thanks. Nice to get a sensible answer to a sensible question. Agent
works the same way. That's why I was so pleased to see inline display
of images in Dialog. Not many freeware newsreaders offer that.

Regards, John.

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=BBQ=AB?=]

That's very interesting. I didn't know that any newsreader was
capable of opening, let alone displaying, one part of a multi-part
file. I just assumed one would get a "cannot open", or similar,
error.

Many media filetypes are openable even if only a partial file is
there. I often view or listen to a file that has Xnews has not
finished DLing.

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=BBQ=AB?=]

IMO the better programs, whether freeware or not, end up far
better programs when people give feedback/criticisms of current
functionality. Many authors request that from even non beta
testers.

Just to keep the record straight, that is exactly how Xnews came to be
so good. During its development, Luu Tran was active in
news.software.readers, paying attention to posters' suggestions and
complaints. Between the things he wanted in it and the things he saw
that others wanted, he wound up packing a lot of great features into
it.

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=BBQ=AB?=]

Wasn't your copy freeware ? How much did you pay for it ?

So you are unaware that every version of Dialog is free of cost?
So you are unaware that Dialog is donationware rather than freeware?
Have I asked enough annoyingly condescending questions?

So you download/use software without checking it's license ?

The license says :

"WARNING This is beta software."

Marcus couldn't have made it much clearer than that.

He also says ;

"EXPIRATION Please note that this version of the software expires
on .... " etc.,

Marcus could have made it much much clearer before a potential user
bothers to download the software. The 40Tude website clearly says
it is beta, but makes no mention of the time limitation.

 

[longshotjohn7]

Yes, Outlook Express without OE-Quotefix is unusable in newsgroups.>

That's not backed up by the fact that OE6 is ranked number 1 in the category
of "most used". I don't have the link now but I just read that fact last
week. Maybe someone can dispatch the link here.

lsj7

 

[badgolferman]

That's not backed up by the fact that OE6 is ranked number 1 in the
category of "most used". I don't have the link now but I just read
that fact last week. Maybe someone can dispatch the link here.

You may very well be right about OE6 being ranked number 1, but that
does not really mean much in the context we are talking about.
Microsoft products will always be number one or somewhere near that
because they are the most prevalent applications.

My statement that you quoted is regarding the ability to read quoted
text in newsgroups by Outlook Express. OE-Quotefix cleans up the messy
quoting and is an add-on to OE. If you view my headers you will see I
am using OE6, but you cannot see OE-Quotefix being used. That's because
OE6 IS the application I use for mail and news reading and OE-Quotefix
is dependant upon OE.

 

[Onno]

Is XNews some sort of a "sacred cow" ?

Not at all. However, it is your raw nerve.

People can recommend it but never be critical in any way ?

When somebody says they like Xnews you immediately come up with your
Pavlovian reaction that you think Dialog is better. You even go as far as
lying on your quest.
[snip]

< snip > [snip]

In the case of XNews however all I ever get is flames.

Poor John.

No improvements, no discussion of improvements whatsoever.

[snip]

Either you don't know much about Xnews, which means that you should keep
your opinion to yourself, or you are once again lying.
Xnews has been extended and improved many times during the past years
that I have used it.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

When somebody says they like Xnews you immediately come up with your
Pavlovian reaction that you think Dialog is better. You even go as far as
lying on your quest.
[snip]

The Pavlovian reaction of XNews groupies to anyone pointing out any
XNews shortcomings is flaming. Hardly very useful.

Either you don't know much about Xnews,

Attempts to know about XNews are almost 100% responded to by flames
from XNews groupies. Rather making that task difficult.

which means that you should keep
your opinion to yourself, or you are once again lying.

To be lying once again I would need to have done so previously.
Your saying I lied is an example of your lying. If someone isn't sure
how an application works then it doesn't follow they are lying about
it. Perhaps if you spent more time properly answering people's
queries, and less time talking about imaginary lying, then everyone
would benefit ?

Perhaps all you are interested in doing is attacking anyone who is not
an XNews fanatic ? Let's see if that is so. How about telling me what
XNews does better than Dialog ?

Regards, John.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

<news:[email protected]>:

So you are unaware that every version of Dialog is free of cost?

For personal use ? Yep, I am aware of that. You don't appear to be
though. Or are you simply trying to misrepresent things ? Otherwise
why ask where you can download a freeware version ?

So you are unaware that Dialog is donationware rather than freeware?

Many freeware programs ask for donations. I have never seen you
complain about that before. Why do you choose to do so now ?

Have I asked enough annoyingly condescending questions?

Ask away. Helps other people to know just how good Dialog is.

Marcus could have made it much much clearer before a potential user
bothers to download the software. The 40Tude website clearly says
it is beta, but makes no mention of the time limitation.

He could probably go to your home and install it as well. But he
doesn't. If you cannot be bothered reading the license then it is
hardly Marcus's fault.

Regards, John.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

<news:[email protected]>:

Just to keep the record straight, that is exactly how Xnews came to be
so good. During its development, Luu Tran was active in
news.software.readers, paying attention to posters' suggestions and
complaints. Between the things he wanted in it and the things he saw
that others wanted, he wound up packing a lot of great features into
it.

Well, that isn't my experience. In a recent thread in
news.software.readers my comments let to a 113 post thread that was
almost 100% flames by XNews "groupies".

Unless I missed it there was not even a single comment from Luu Tran.
Quite a contrast to Dialog. The Dialog author regularly responds to my
queries/complaints in that newsgroup. As well as incorporating
suggestions made.

Regards, John.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

<news:[email protected]>:

Many media filetypes are openable even if only a partial file is
there. I often view or listen to a file that has Xnews has not
finished DLing.

I wasn't talking about a file that has all the parts and is
downloading. I was talking about opening a single multipart.
Where eg. there are five multiparts and only the first is available.

In this latter situation, only one part of five is available, will
that single (incomplete) part play ? If so then which media
filetypes are we talking about ?

Regards, John.

 

[Onno]

Unless I missed it there was not even a single comment from Luu Tran.
Quite a contrast to Dialog.

Luu has better things to than to read and reply to your babble.
And in contrast to Xnews, the Dialog writer has his own interests in
replying to beta testers. He aims to sell it when beta testing is over.
So actually you are a guinea pig for a commercial product. Not really a
reason to beat your chest.
Luu is simply sharing HIS news reader. Once again, his reader.

 

[Onno]

When somebody says they like Xnews you immediately come up with your
Pavlovian reaction that you think Dialog is better. You even go as far
as lying on your quest.
[snip]

The Pavlovian reaction of XNews groupies to anyone pointing out any
XNews shortcomings is flaming.

Once again : you replied to my post, not the other way around, and you
did that with your apparently habitual innuendo and false information. I
am just doing my best to set the record straight.

[snip]

To be lying once again I would need to have done so previously.

And you have, as I have pointed out in my preceeding post.
The fact that you just snipped that in your reply, without trying to deny
my conclusion is an confession in itself. But I repost it, because I am a
helpful person: [begin quote]

You knew that all along. You're not guessing at all.
So you are a liar, John.

[end quote]

Your saying I lied is an example of your lying.

[snip]
My lying? LOL. You don't have a clue. For me, nothing in
alt.comp.freeware is worth lying.

How about telling me what XNews does better than Dialog ?

I am not interested in Dialog. Trying out software is not my reason for
existance.
Once again, I just posted a message saying that I like Xnews.
Sorry I hit your raw nerve .

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=BBQ=AB?=]

Well, that isn't my experience.

I don't recall you being around for it or being involved in Xnews'
development at all. If you actually want to know anything about how
it went, google Luu and take a look at the change docs for Xnews.

Quite a contrast to Dialog.

Posting a little flamefest to n.s.r hardly qualifies you to
"contrast" the development processes for the two newsreaders.

 

[=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=BBQ=AB?=]

For personal use ? Yep, I am aware of that. You don't appear to be
though. Or are you simply trying to misrepresent things ?

Nope. I asked questions that I knew the answers to, parroting your
style.

Otherwise why ask where you can download a freeware version ?

I did not ask that.

Many freeware programs ask for donations. I have never seen you
complain about that before. Why do you choose to do so now ?

I did not complain.

Ask away. Helps other people to know just how good Dialog is.
lol


He could probably go to your home and install it as well. But he
doesn't.

Or he could put a small note on his webpage.

If you cannot be bothered reading the license then it is
hardly Marcus's fault.

If you cannot be bothered to admit that it would be a good thing for
him to let people know about the time limit before downloading, I
guess it's EOT for me.

 

[SINNER]

* John Fitzsimons Wrote in alt.comp.freeware, on Tue, 09 Sep 2003 11:01:24 +1000:

I wasn't talking about a file that has all the parts and is
downloading. I was talking about opening a single multipart.
Where eg. there are five multiparts and only the first is available.

In this latter situation, only one part of five is available, will
that single (incomplete) part play ? If so then which media
filetypes are we talking about ?

Mpeg will as will MP3, most avi will not. Which ones would you like to
talk about? likely the ones you know that DONT work as thats your
typical MO. That said, who cares if it will play if the whole thing isnt
available? What good is it?