Using Thunderbird for Usenet
in [Laptops]
|
Prev: blinding webcam
Next: drivers for NEC Japan laptop
From: BillW50 on 22 May 2010 15:09 In news:HcOdnQWXddx1lWXWnZ2dnUVZ7rKdnZ2d(a)brightview.co.uk, John Rumm typed on Sat, 22 May 2010 17:40:09 +0100: > On 22/05/2010 16:40, BillW50 wrote: > >> Hello Roger! I have been using Thunderbird for many years and I still >> like Outlook Express v6 with OE-QuoteFix far better. At least for >> newsgroups. And no newsreader except OE has the "Show Replies to my >> Messages" (CTRL-H) view. Which IMHO makes everything else so bad as a >> newsreader. As I think this should be a feature on all newsreaders. >> But I guess the other programmers just don't get it. > > The programmers seem to "get it" just fine. However by making some of > the filtering tools a little more flexible, they are perhaps not quite > as simple. However they give far greater scope if you spend a little > time learning what they can do. Yes well I use TB 1.5, 2.0, and v3 and use the filtering tools. Even when you are a pro at using them. None of them work as nice as OE "Show Replies to my Messages" (CTRL-H) view. Sad isn't it? > So, using the technique I described elsewhere (watching threads to > which you post, and then restricting the view to watched threads) you > get get pretty much the functionality you desire. Hitting "n" (next) > will take you to each unread new post in a thread you have either > started or replied to. That is another stupid thing from TB. The key for the next unread should be "u" and not "n". And "n" should be for the next message, read or not. And sometimes I read with a mouse alone. And adding back, forward, next unread, and previous unread on the toolbar isn't available for all version of TB either. How dumb can you get? >> Thunderbird doesn't call them Watched threads like OE does. But you >> can > > <panto mode> > > Oh yes it does! > > </panto mode> The older versions didn't call them watched. I think 3.0 now does. It takes Mozilla many years to make one simple change to a very old mistake. But then again Mozilla programmers love to show off how inferior their programming abilities are. They believe in making things as difficult as possible. Sun is another company who likes to makes things slow, bloated, and very difficult to use as well. And Microsoft is starting to do the same. I guess all of the great programmers at Microsoft have already retired. I guess nobody writes great software anymore. >> mark them with a Star. Another option is by marking them with a flag >> (I > > Or mark it as watched with a w > >> think there are 5 different default type of flags). And flags you can >> change the color of the header. Kind of like OE. > > You can add additional flags if you want. > >> I am not sure if you can make a newsgroup as read when you exit. I >> know you can mark it as read manually. And I remember you should be >> able to show only the unread messages under TB. Btw, TB has been >> released to different versions. I believe the popular ones are v1.5, >> v2.0, and v3.0. And depending on which one you are using, the >> answers maybe different. I actually like 2.0 the best, but I also >> like 1.5 too. > > There are two stable releases generally 2.0.x.x and 3.0.x, three has > some additional group options like killing a sub thread and better > searching (if you let it index anyway). 2 is a tad faster. V3 is the worse version of TB to date! Bloated and slow just like it's brother called Firefox. Must be the same dang programmers. Or at least party together or something. At least FF gets security updates. As they don't bother with TB. >> I think this newsgroup maybe able to help you for the questions we >> here can't give you. >> >> netscape.public.mozilla.mail-news -- Bill Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Windows XP SP3
From: Bruce on 22 May 2010 15:48 On Sat, 22 May 2010 15:55:47 +0100, Roger Mills <watt.tyler(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Having moved to a new computer, I've finally decided to bite the bullet >and get shot of Outlook Express as a newsreader - and have opted for >Thunderbird, largely because I'm using Firefox as a browser, and it's >from the same stable - and free! > >Anyone know whether there's an Idiot's guide anywhere, telling ex-OE >users how to use Thunderbird for newsgroup access? There doesn't seem to >be any targetted help - the Help menu takes you to a website which seems >mainly geared towards use as an email client. > >Specifically, I need to know: >- How to mark interesting threads so that they show up in red >- How to automatically treat all messages as "read" when exiting a group >- How to set the View options so that only new messages (since the last >time I read a group) are displayed > >Any pointers will be greatly appreciated. I have used Forte Agent for many years now. Originally there was a stripped-down free version, but that soon changed so it has to be paid for. But I find it incredibly intuitive to use. Recently I looked at Thunderbird as an alternative to upgrading to the latest version of Agent. I found it was clunky and difficult to understand. After about an hour I gave up and happily upgraded Agent to the current version. While Agent must be paid for ($29.00, or slightly less than �20.00), there is a free 30 day trial so you can see if you like it. If you can manage with Thunderbird, that's fine, but if not, you might like to give Agent a try. http://www.forteinc.com/ By the way, I use Agent only for news, but you can also configure it for email.
From: Tim Watts on 22 May 2010 16:55 On 22/05/10 20:48, Bruce wrote: > > I have used Forte Agent for many years now. Originally there was a > stripped-down free version, but that soon changed so it has to be paid > for. But I find it incredibly intuitive to use. > > Recently I looked at Thunderbird as an alternative to upgrading to the > latest version of Agent. I found it was clunky and difficult to > understand. After about an hour I gave up and happily upgraded Agent > to the current version. I used Agent about 12 years back - and it was good then too. I quite liked it. However as I use Linux it's a bit of a non starter (never have been arsed to fiddle with Wine). Thunderbird isn't as good as the good bits of knode (filtering, highlighting) but it does mean one less program open (I use it for email too) and I like the fact it can open basic URLs too from USENET, and I do like the "ignore subthread" open. My killfile is set to ignore subthreads from those killed as that's usually where the flamewares spawn and stay burning... I must get round to understanding plugin programming - there are a few things I'd like to tweak... -- Tim Watts Hung parliament? Rather have a hanged parliament.
From: John Rumm on 22 May 2010 18:49 On 22/05/2010 20:09, BillW50 wrote: >> The programmers seem to "get it" just fine. However by making some of >> the filtering tools a little more flexible, they are perhaps not quite >> as simple. However they give far greater scope if you spend a little >> time learning what they can do. > > Yes well I use TB 1.5, 2.0, and v3 and use the filtering tools. Even > when you are a pro at using them. None of them work as nice as OE "Show > Replies to my Messages" (CTRL-H) view. Sad isn't it? Watched threads with unread works nicely for me... >> So, using the technique I described elsewhere (watching threads to >> which you post, and then restricting the view to watched threads) you >> get get pretty much the functionality you desire. Hitting "n" (next) >> will take you to each unread new post in a thread you have either >> started or replied to. > > That is another stupid thing from TB. The key for the next unread should > be "u" and not "n". And "n" should be for the next message, read or not. So change the default key bindings if it bothers you that much. > And sometimes I read with a mouse alone. And adding back, forward, next > unread, and previous unread on the toolbar isn't available for all > version of TB either. How dumb can you get? Dumb would be complaining that a feature you want is missing, when its been standard for ages, and the only reason you have not noticed is you are using an insecure, non supported, out of date version. I bet OE 4 does not do everything that you want either, why not complain about that? > >>> Thunderbird doesn't call them Watched threads like OE does. But you >>> can >> >> <panto mode> >> >> Oh yes it does! >> >> </panto mode> > > The older versions didn't call them watched. I think 3.0 now does. It > takes Mozilla many years to make one simple change to a very old Watched threads have been about for ages... > mistake. But then again Mozilla programmers love to show off how > inferior their programming abilities are. They believe in making things > as difficult as possible. Na, I think they just like to tease you. > Sun is another company who likes to makes things slow, bloated, and very > difficult to use as well. And Microsoft is starting to do the same. I Starting? They invented code bloat! > guess all of the great programmers at Microsoft have already retired. I Most of MS's better products were not written by them anyway! > guess nobody writes great software anymore. Depends on what you want I guess. >> There are two stable releases generally 2.0.x.x and 3.0.x, three has >> some additional group options like killing a sub thread and better >> searching (if you let it index anyway). 2 is a tad faster. > > V3 is the worse version of TB to date! Bloated and slow just like it's > brother called Firefox. Must be the same dang programmers. Or at least > party together or something. At least FF gets security updates. As they > don't bother with TB. Yup, I mean TB 2 which is not even the current version has only had 24 point releases. Remember the last update for OE? (don't think MS ever got round to making it quote properly) -- Cheers, John. /=================================================================\ | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------| | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \=================================================================/
From: The Natural Philosopher on 22 May 2010 19:28
Roger Mills wrote: > Having moved to a new computer, I've finally decided to bite the bullet > and get shot of Outlook Express as a newsreader - and have opted for > Thunderbird, largely because I'm using Firefox as a browser, and it's > from the same stable - and free! > > Anyone know whether there's an Idiot's guide anywhere, telling ex-OE > users how to use Thunderbird for newsgroup access? There doesn't seem to > be any targetted help - the Help menu takes you to a website which seems > mainly geared towards use as an email client. > > Specifically, I need to know: > - How to mark interesting threads so that they show up in red pass. > - How to automatically treat all messages as "read" when exiting a group right click on newgroup in main pane and select 'mark all read' > - How to set the View options so that only new messages (since the last > time I read a group) are displayed > Try my settings, view by thread and view display unread only. > Any pointers will be greatly appreciated. |