• NNTP(S) via Thunderbird

    From Accession@1:103/705 to Mindsurfer on Sun Nov 2 20:12:40 2025
    On 11-02-25 21:56, Mindsurfer wrote:

    Well it works, but i think it is prone to making errors/problems. At
    least in comparison to posting from the BBS, don't you think?

    Not really. The only errors/problems you'll probably run into are old outdated newsreaders that don't do certain things how Synchronet would expect it to.

    I keep it there for now, but i have removed port 119 from
    portforwarding into my lan, as i want to offer the NNTPS port only. I don't see a problem in offering the enrypted transport only.

    That's completely your choice, as you're the sysop. ;)

    Any other Newsgroup Reader out there beside Thunderbird?

    I see you've already found Pan. I've tried out just about as many as I could find that still worked and/or compiled.

    Otherwise, as it seems you're using Linux, I'd say the better of the GUI newsreaders would be Thunderbird, Claws Mail, and Pan (although Thunderbird has it's quirks at times, too). There's also some nice console newsreaders as well, but require a bit more configuration, like slrn, tin, neomutt, and alpine. slrn is my favorite out of these choices, and what I still use when reading/posting via NNTP(s). I also really liked neomutt, because while it has newsreader functionality, it's also a console email client (based off the original mutt). However, when I contacted the main dev and asked about NNTP issues, he told me unless I was willing to fix it myself and send patches, or find someone else to continue the NNTP support.. he wasn't interested in overhauling that outdated code. I ended up going back to slrn after that.

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: Because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Digital Man@1:103/705 to Stephan Gebbers on Sun Nov 2 18:23:38 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Stephan Gebbers to MRO on Mon Nov 03 2025 01:30 am

    well, there is not very much documentation in the wiki or the old docs about NNTP. If i give my users access to NNTP i don't want them to be able to easily make a mess. (By default you dont have to authenticate at all to access NNTP for example). And if i as the sysop do not know much about the NNTP+synchronet details, how can i expect them users to handle it correctly.

    By defualt, an anonymous/guest login can't post messages. So they won't be able to "make a mess" either.
    --
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  • From MRO@1:103/705 to Mindsurfer on Mon Nov 3 13:56:46 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Mindsurfer to MRO on Mon Nov 03 2025 06:39 pm

    your from field contains an entire email?
    At least it looked like it on my side. Maybe it had been changed
    after sending the Message. I have to check that again.

    i'm giving you a link to newslink.txt. not sure if there's a newer version. you should read it fully https://pastebin.com/raw/fsD0inMS

    also read the bbs documentation. not just the wiki but whatsdone and other things. it will be really helpful.
    ---
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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to Mindsurfer on Mon Nov 3 16:41:36 2025
    Hey Mindsurfer!

    On Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:14:00 +0000, you wrote:

    Might be true. There are not really any new or updated Newsgroups
    Readers out there. Usenet and newsgroups are more known due to binary newsgroups nowadays.

    I doubt there will be any 'new' newsreaders any time soon. However, Thunderbird, Claws Mail, and Pan I believe are still updated. Tin is still currently being maintained, and slrn's last update was only a few years ago or so, I believe. So there are options.

    It should have some advantage over reading/posting messages from inside
    the bbs at least. If not a GUI, at least a better GUI with bigger XY characters resolution etc I see what i can find out there or test some
    of those you mentioned. Claws Mail has Newsgroups capabilities?
    Interesting.

    There are some advantages. Using slrn or tin in a UTF-8 console, uses iconv for character set translation, which is nice. If you're using something like Thunderbird or Claws Mail, you can do NNTP messaging and email in the same place. Even using slrn or tin, I just execute them from the command line and they automatically pull in new messages that I can start reading instantly, etc.

    All depends on what you want to do, I guess. If I have time, I login to the BBS and read/write messages. If I want to do a super fast newscan without the need to login to the BBS, I use a newsreader or Golded.

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to Mindsurfer on Mon Nov 3 16:50:08 2025
    Hey Mindsurfer!

    On Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:19:00 +0000, you wrote:

    By defualt, an anonymous/guest login can't post messages. So they
    won't be able to "make a mess" either.

    Ok, makes sense. So an anonymous nntp(s) user acts with bbs guest
    rights.

    To be safe, I would continue using the "-na" option that requires a login for NNTP(s), though. That way, there can not be anonymous logins.

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to Mindsurfer on Mon Nov 3 17:23:26 2025
    Hey Mindsurfer!

    On Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:21:00 +0000, you wrote:

    parameters or with -f parameter only and Thunderbird just does not
    provide a user/password field for the Newsgroup account. So it is a bit dificult to login as a non anonymous user using Thunderbird if you don't require your nntp(s) service a non anonymous login via -na parameter.

    FYI, there is a setting in Thunderbird under the account settings that forces authentication every time you connect. After you input the name and password the first time, Thunderbird will save it under "Saved Passwords" so you don't have to manually enter it every time.

    Still, I would recommend to continue using the '-na' option.

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@1:103/705 to Accession on Mon Nov 3 18:00:34 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Mindsurfer on Mon Nov 03 2025 04:41 pm


    I doubt there will be any 'new' newsreaders any time soon. However, Thunderbird, Claws Mail, and Pan I believe are still updated. Tin is still currently being maintained, and slrn's last update was only a few years ago or so, I believe. So there are options.

    Is Forte Agent still developed? That was my favorite.

    ---
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  • From Mindsurfer@1:103/705 to Accession on Tue Nov 4 11:22:00 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Mindsurfer on Mon Nov 03 2025 16:41:36

    I doubt there will be any 'new' newsreaders any time soon. However, Thunderbird, Claws Mail, and Pan I believe are still updated. Tin is still currently being maintained, and slrn's last update was only a few years ago or so, I believe. So there are options.

    So far i like Pan the most. i think Thunderbird is not really perfect for Newsgroups. It can do it but not very good.

    It should have some advantage over reading/posting messages from inside the
    bbs at least. If not a GUI, at least a better GUI with bigger XY characters
    resolution etc I see what i can find out there or test some of those you
    mentioned. Claws Mail has Newsgroups capabilities? Interesting.

    There are some advantages. Using slrn or tin in a UTF-8 console, uses iconv for character set translation, which is nice. If you're using something like Thunderbird or Claws Mail, you can do NNTP messaging and email in the same place. Even using slrn or tin, I just execute them from the command line and they automatically pull in new messages that I can start reading instantly, etc.

    btw: can one of the newsreaders render/display ansi codes?

    All depends on what you want to do, I guess. If I have time, I login to the BBS and read/write messages. If I want to do a super fast newscan without the need to login to the BBS, I use a newsreader or Golded.

    What does it take to use Golded with Synchronet? it does run on the same machine as Synchronet?

    Mindsurfer

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  • From Mindsurfer@1:103/705 to Accession on Tue Nov 4 11:26:00 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Mindsurfer on Mon Nov 03 2025 16:50:08

    By defualt, an anonymous/guest login can't post messages. So they won't
    be able to "make a mess" either.

    Ok, makes sense. So an anonymous nntp(s) user acts with bbs guest rights.

    To be safe, I would continue using the "-na" option that requires a login for NNTP(s), though. That way, there can not be anonymous logins.

    Will do that. It's a service for my BBS users, so as soon as you have an account, you can login to nntps too and read/write messages.

    Mindsurfer

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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to poindexter FORTRAN on Tue Nov 4 16:33:52 2025
    Hey poindexter!

    On Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:00:34 -0800, you wrote:

    Is Forte Agent still developed? That was my favorite.

    Just by looking at Wikipedia as well as their website (which is updated to reflect 2025), the last "news" post and any actual action occuring seems to be from 2014 at the latest. It also seems to /still/ be payware with a 30 day trial. ;)

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to Mindsurfer on Tue Nov 4 16:38:40 2025
    Hey Mindsurfer!

    On Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:22:00 +0000, you wrote:

    So far i like Pan the most. i think Thunderbird is not really perfect
    for Newsgroups. It can do it but not very good.

    I'd tend to agree with that. Also, Thunderbird ditched support for most of the character sets and codepages we still use with BBSing and FTN, a long time ago.

    btw: can one of the newsreaders render/display ansi codes?

    I believe I answered this already. No.

    It can display "high ascii" properly, just not ansi/color.

    What does it take to use Golded with Synchronet? it does run on the same machine as Synchronet?

    It takes a little bit of messing about, but not too much. However, while I tested Golded with Synchronet quite a bit, that's not how I use it normally. There's too many quirks that I don't like, and it doesn't look like Golded will be updated to work better with Synchronet any time soon.

    1) Netmail doesn't work. You can read the mail base, but you'll break stuff if you try to write to it.

    2) You have to completely disable Synchronet's "voting" feature, and completely clear your message bases of any "voting" messages. Golded doesn't understand it, and will display blank messages and then jump back to the first message in the area - completely ruining any chance of reading messages in order, or keeping last read pointers in tact.

    If you don't mind any of that, then it works great afterwards. It was definitely enough for me to move on to other options. ;)

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to Deuce on Wed Nov 5 16:49:54 2025
    Hey Deuce!

    On Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:46:10 +0000, you wrote:

    Those both sound pretty fixable... maybe I'll take a look this weekend.

    Wow, I'm surprised to see you here. :)

    If you do anything with this, let me know and I'll gladly help test it out!

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Deuce@1:103/705 to Accession on Sat Nov 8 04:23:40 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Deuce on Wed Nov 05 2025 04:49 pm

    Those both sound pretty fixable... maybe I'll take a look this weekend.

    Wow, I'm surprised to see you here. :)

    If you do anything with this, let me know and I'll gladly help test it out!

    Heh, with the work on The Clans, I'm actually putting a non-zero amount of time into making at least one of my boards not suck... even set up a FTN message network.

    https://bbsdev.net/BBSDev/

    It sucks and has nothing to recommend it.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The future of BBSing
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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to Deuce on Sat Nov 8 07:23:18 2025
    Hey Deuce!

    On Sat, 08 Nov 2025 04:23:40 +0000, you wrote:

    Heh, with the work on The Clans, I'm actually putting a non-zero amount
    of time into making at least one of my boards not suck... even set up a
    FTN message network.

    https://bbsdev.net/BBSDev/

    It sucks and has nothing to recommend it.

    Erm, has the original Deuce been kidnapped? What did you do with him!?

    The Deuce I know doesn't like people. Now you're setting up a message network... for... communication with people!? :D

    I'll hop on IRC soon to set this all up.

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Digital Man@1:103/705 to Deuce on Sat Nov 8 14:51:10 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Deuce to Accession on Sat Nov 08 2025 04:23 am

    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Deuce on Wed Nov 05 2025 04:49 pm

    Those both sound pretty fixable... maybe I'll take a look this weekend.

    Wow, I'm surprised to see you here. :)

    If you do anything with this, let me know and I'll gladly help test it out!

    Heh, with the work on The Clans, I'm actually putting a non-zero amount of time into making at least one of my boards not suck... even set up a FTN message network.

    https://bbsdev.net/BBSDev/

    It sucks and has nothing to recommend it.

    Many of those setup steps can be automated by adding your network to the exec/init-fidonet.ini and then the steps at https://wiki.synchro.net/howto:fidonet can be followed to add your network, eliminating a lot of manual configuration.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    Rush quote #63:
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  • From Deuce@1:103/705 to Accession on Sun Nov 9 00:54:06 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Deuce on Sat Nov 08 2025 07:23 am

    The Deuce I know doesn't like people. Now you're setting up a message network... for... communication with people!? :D

    It's only some people I don't like.

    I'll hop on IRC soon to set this all up.

    Cool, and the network is mostly for testing The Clans.
    ---
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  • From MRO@1:103/705 to Accession on Sat Nov 8 19:19:22 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Deuce on Sat Nov 08 2025 07:23 am

    The Deuce I know doesn't like people. Now you're setting up a message network... for... communication with people!? :D

    he must have had some good whiskey that night.
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  • From Accession@3:712/1321 to Deuce on Sun Nov 9 06:27:42 2025
    Hey Deuce!

    On Sun, 09 Nov 2025 00:54:06 +0000, you wrote:

    It's only some people I don't like.

    I'll hop on IRC soon to set this all up.

    Cool, and the network is mostly for testing The Clans.

    That's what I figured. Once The Clans is done, do you plan on possibly doing any others?

    Regards,
    Nick

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.
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  • From Deuce@1:103/705 to Accession on Sun Nov 9 16:35:32 2025
    Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
    By: Accession to Deuce on Sun Nov 09 2025 06:27 am

    That's what I figured. Once The Clans is done, do you plan on possibly doing any others?

    Absolutely, I plan to go through all the BBS doors in git to start with... the GAC games are the ones I plan to look at next since they share a lot of code between the three.
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