Newsreader that keeps messages and has a good text search

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

Justisaur

2024-08-12 15:34:41 UTC

I've been using Thunderbird since Google Groups shut down, but I mostly
enjoyed GG for the ability to quickly find messages by keywords. I set
TB to keep all messages, but it's search has been horrible and can't
find hardly anything. It also had a bug last week where it
re-downloaded all the messages and now everything older than a week just
comes up with an error.

Now Thunderbird has just decided there's no messages in this group, when
I just downloaded the last 500 and started looking at them.

One of the other I'm looking for is the ability to retain all messages
in a particular newsgroup,

Also built in spellcheck. I remember I tried a couple other newsreaders
like x-news which is supposed to have a way to set up spellcheck but I
couldn't get working.

I'm on PC, so running in Windows (10 right now) is a must.

I don't care at all about binaries as I'm using eternal-september. I
don't mind paying a little, and am considering Agent too.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

Keith

2024-08-14 14:00:03 UTC

Permalink

Post by Justisaur
I've been using Thunderbird since Google Groups shut down, but I mostly
enjoyed GG for the ability to quickly find messages by keywords. I set
TB to keep all messages, but it's search has been horrible and can't
find hardly anything. It also had a bug last week where it
re-downloaded all the messages and now everything older than a week just
comes up with an error.
Now Thunderbird has just decided there's no messages in this group, when
I just downloaded the last 500 and started looking at them.
One of the other I'm looking for is the ability to retain all messages
in a particular newsgroup,
Also built in spellcheck. I remember I tried a couple other newsreaders
like x-news which is supposed to have a way to set up spellcheck but I
couldn't get working.
I'm on PC, so running in Windows (10 right now) is a must.
I don't care at all about binaries as I'm using eternal-september. I
don't mind paying a little, and am considering Agent too.

Agent 8.0 has global search, a spell checker and supports news & snews.

You can find a registration key for it in a search on google groups.
Agent is now abandonware, so you can no longer buy a registration key.

<https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php>

Justisaur

2024-08-14 14:54:44 UTC

Permalink

Post by Keith

Agent 8.0 has global search, a spell checker and supports news & snews.
You can find a registration key for it in a search on google groups.
Agent is now abandonware, so you can no longer buy a registration key.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php>

I was considering that, but I found out Agent will eventually quit
working for posts on Jan 19, 2038 and later. Yes it's 13 years away. I
don't really want that to sneak up on my though.

I'm considering 40tude dialog or microplanet gravity. People seem to be
more vocal that dialog is better, but the site for them, and all links
to them are asking for a username and password login to access them,
which makes me skeptical.

Both haven't been touched/supported in 14+ years either which doesn't
instill any confidence.

Are there any more modern or updated text newsreaders that aren't tied
to pay servers, or primarily for email?

TB's still got support, but the annoying way it handles connections is
very irksome, and it's primarily an email client with newsgroups tacked
on as an afterthought. I think I managed to resolve most of my other
issues with it - though it seems to be having some trouble with
i2pn2.org connection, yesterday it was telling me it couldn't send a
message, and it couldn't even save it as draft, I'm not sure if that's
i2pn2 or TB, but feels like it's more TB as it should've been able to
save a draft.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

Retro Guy

2024-08-14 15:29:22 UTC

Permalink

Post by Justisaur

Post by Keith

Agent 8.0 has global search, a spell checker and supports news & snews.
You can find a registration key for it in a search on google groups.
Agent is now abandonware, so you can no longer buy a registration key.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php>

I have good luck with 40tude Dialog, and I run it under wine on Linux. It
may be old, but consider that Usenet hasn't changed much either. It's
working fine for me.

Post by Justisaur
Are there any more modern or updated text newsreaders that aren't tied
to pay servers, or primarily for email?

Not really, as far as gui programs. Sylpheed is ok, but it has one issue I
really dislike. Unless I'm using it incorrectly, when it does an automatic
check of the server while I'm reading a message the message then just
disappears (no longer Unread). I find that irritating.

2024-08-14 16:44:26 UTC

Agent 8.0 has global search, a spell checker and supports news & snews.
You can find a registration key for it in a search on google groups.
Agent is now abandonware, so you can no longer buy a registration key.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php>

I have good luck with 40tude Dialog, and I run it under wine on Linux. It
may be old, but consider that Usenet hasn't changed much either. It's
working fine for me.

Post by Justisaur
Are there any more modern or updated text newsreaders that aren't tied
to pay servers, or primarily for email?

big plus ones...40tude dialog works best of all! just do a clean,
"portable" install (do not install to default x86 program folder):

https://www.barghahn-online.de/4td_faq/download.php
https://www-barghahn--online-de.translate.goog/4td_faq/download.php?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Post by Retro Guy
40tude Dialogue - Download
https://www.barghahn-online.de/4td_faq/download/4d2b38.exe
https://www.barghahn-online.de/4td_faq/download/dialog_41.zip

Bernd Rose

2024-08-14 16:55:28 UTC

Permalink

Post by Justisaur
I'm considering 40tude dialog or microplanet gravity. People seem to be
more vocal that dialog is better, but the site for them, and all links
to them are asking for a username and password login to access them,
which makes me skeptical.

First stop for 40tude Dialog is nowadays the German FAQ. It translates
fairly well to English through Google Translate and hosts the setup file
and the updated .41 program file in the Download section.

https://www.barghahn-online.de/4td_faq/
https://www-barghahn--online-de.translate.goog/4td_faq/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en

Be sure to read the "Installation" section of the FAQ and preferably stick
to the "Portable installation", i.e. outside of any "managed folder" like
C:\Program Files (x86).

HTH.
Bernd

Ralph Fox

2024-08-14 18:37:39 UTC

Permalink

Post by Justisaur
I was considering that, but I found out Agent will eventually quit
working for posts on Jan 19, 2038 and later. Yes it's 13 years away. I
don't really want that to sneak up on my though.

That will affect a lot of other software; it is not unique to Agent.
The Y2038 bug's Wikipedia page does not even mention Agent.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem>

I would recommend you check any other newsreader you are considering,
whether it too will quit working on Jan 19, 2038.

--
Kind regards
Ralph Fox
🦊

Knavery may serve for a turn, But honesty is best at long run.

Justisaur

2024-08-16 15:39:10 UTC

Permalink

Post by Ralph Fox

That will affect a lot of other software; it is not unique to Agent.
The Y2038 bug's Wikipedia page does not even mention Agent.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem>
I would recommend you check any other newsreader you are considering,
whether it too will quit working on Jan 19, 2038.

Ooh:(

After looking into that, I'm guessing both 40tude and Microplanet
Gravity are affected due to their last updates being 14+ years ago, but
I don't see any way to be sure either way.

I wonder if Usenet servers will be affected considering their age? I
assume at least pay ones would want to fix the problems. Not sure about
the free ones.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

Bernd Rose

2024-08-16 17:22:14 UTC

Permalink

Post by Justisaur

Post by Ralph Fox
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem>

[...]

Post by Justisaur
After looking into that, I'm guessing both 40tude and Microplanet
Gravity are affected due to their last updates being 14+ years ago, but
I don't see any way to be sure either way.

40tude Dialog stores dates using the DOSDateTime format inside its database.
This format has 1980 as start offset year (= minimum) and uses 7 bits for
storing the year part of date. Therefore, dates up to 2107 can be safely
written.

HTH.
Bernd

Ralph Fox

2024-08-16 21:47:17 UTC

Permalink

If the program can import MBOX files, this can be tested by importing
an MBOX file with some messages' "Date:" headers set to after 2038.
Check two things:
1. Dates after 2038 _display_ correctly in the message list.
2. Dates after 2038 are in the correct _order_ in the message list.

Similarly if the program can import .eml files (single message).

Post by Justisaur
I wonder if Usenet servers will be affected considering their age? I
assume at least pay ones would want to fix the problems. Not sure about
the free ones.

This will not affect the content of messages themselves.
It is a question for things like:
* Getting new groups, where the server returns a list of groups
    added after a specified date (NNTP 'NEWGROUPS' command).
* Retention, where servers purge older messages.
    And even for the big premium news servers which do not purge, AIUI
    older messages are still moved to a back-end low-traffic "archive"
    server from where they can still be retrieved.

Many of the free servers run INN, and INN is updated regularly.
<https://github.com/InterNetNews/inn/tags>

--
Kind regards
Ralph Fox
🦊

Rome was not built in one day.

Bernd Rose

2024-08-17 07:51:25 UTC

Permalink

Post by Ralph Fox
If the program can import MBOX files, this can be tested by importing
an MBOX file with some messages' "Date:" headers set to after 2038.
1. Dates after 2038 _display_ correctly in the message list.
2. Dates after 2038 are in the correct _order_ in the message list.

To be clear: I already did a similar test after checking my 40tude Dialog
database format reference. And verified, that messages up to Dec 31 2107
are handled fine by Dialog. Any errors in the relevant date string(s) when
receiving/importing a message will result in database entries referencing
the DOSDateTime minimum value, though, aka Jan 1 1980. Errors are date
values of Jan 1 2108 and beyond as well as wrongly formatted date strings.

UTC time offsets may trigger a message being Jan 1 2108 even when the date
text states Dec 31 2107, of course. This will also result in a database
date of Jan 1 1980.

Bernd

Jim the Geordie

2024-08-14 17:07:35 UTC

Permalink

In article <***@mid.individual.net>, ***@invalid.invalid
says...

Post by Keith

Agent 8.0 has global search, a spell checker and supports news & snews.
You can find a registration key for it in a search on google groups.
Agent is now abandonware, so you can no longer buy a registration key.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php>

I often fancied Agent but never got round to it. Since it's abandonware
can anyone post the password/code here?

--
Jim the Geordie

Keith

2024-08-14 21:00:03 UTC

Permalink

Post by Jim the Geordie
says...

Post by Keith

Agent 8.0 has global search, a spell checker and supports news & snews.
You can find a registration key for it in a search on google groups.
Agent is now abandonware, so you can no longer buy a registration key.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php>

I often fancied Agent but never got round to it. Since it's abandonware
can anyone post the password/code here?

You can do a google groups search to find it.

Jim the Geordie

2024-08-14 22:55:57 UTC

Permalink

In article <***@mid.individual.net>, ***@invalid.invalid
says...

Post by Keith

Post by Jim the Geordie
says...

Post by Keith

Agent 8.0 has global search, a spell checker and supports news & snews.
You can find a registration key for it in a search on google groups.
Agent is now abandonware, so you can no longer buy a registration key.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php>

I often fancied Agent but never got round to it. Since it's abandonware
can anyone post the password/code here?

You can do a google groups search to find it.

I did and I couldn't :(

--
Jim the Geordie

2024-08-15 00:04:36 UTC

Permalink

snip

Post by Keith

Post by Jim the Geordie
I often fancied Agent but never got round to it. Since it's abandonware
can anyone post the password/code here?

You can do a google groups search to find it.

(using Tor Browser 13.5.2)
https://www.google.com/groups

Post by Keith
https://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=https://groups.google.com/&q=
About this page
Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This
page checks to see if it's really you sending the requests, and not a
robot. Why did this happen?
IP address: ####:####...
Time: 2024-...

[end quote]

using 40tude dialog . . .

news.blueworldhosting.com:119
alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent
(155,000 articles july 2003 - present)

Post by Keith
Newsgroups: alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent
Subject: Re: so is Forte Kaput?
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:22:52 +0200

Post by Jim the Geordie
Ja, Das Forte is kaput. I don't now where you can download the last 8.00
version. If you can get it someone published a registration key for it, so
you can run it registered.

Hello,
You can download it on the Wayback Machine
https://web.archive.org/web/20211204062601/https://www.forteinc.com/agent/trial.php
Agent Newsreader · 30 Day Free Trial

(expired commercial advertisement?)

2024-08-15 01:30:30 UTC

Permalink

snip

Post by Keith

Post by Jim the Geordie
I often fancied Agent but never got round to it. Since it's abandonware
can anyone post the password/code here?

You can do a google groups search to find it.

p.p.s. another interesting thread . . .

Post by Keith
Newsgroups: alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent
Subject: Re: Forte 6 registration key
Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:13:45 +0100

Post by Jim the Geordie
A while back, someone shared their forte 6 reg key. Does anyone remember what it
was?

UYK3KWEU-W1JA333J-S72G5C9G-SVN2UNAU-83AUZLWU-Y8JZEB4X
VHVJFYBL-4HXHTZYE-BW24V71B-WT4B3ERL-HJY5PE3R-9BPSC9K5
TJZ9ZLV2-6LDF1RHW
And to check that it's a genuine key, go to the thread where I posted
originally posted it.
http://tinyurl.com/cfe5ltq
Don't compromise your PC by using cracks found on the web. Use my
genuine, fully-paid for key.

2024-08-15 01:35:30 UTC

Permalink

snip

Post by Keith

Post by Jim the Geordie
I often fancied Agent but never got round to it. Since it's abandonware
can anyone post the password/code here?

You can do a google groups search to find it.

p.s. found this but haven't tried it (i'm a long-time forte free agent

Post by Keith
Subject: Re: Registration Patch for Agent v7.0
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2012 22:13:31 +0200 (CEST)
Newsgroups: alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent,alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent.modified
At offset 0x002B8D0E change
From: 0xC3CC55
To: 0x0C01C3
If you would rather locate what to change by searching
Find: 0xE746008BE55DC3CC55
Replace: 0xE746008BE55D0C01C3
Start program and enter this for the registration key (other similar
11111111-11111111-11111111
...
Subject: Re: Registration Patch for Agent v7.0
Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2012 16:55:08 +0200 (CEST)
Newsgroups: alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent,alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent.modified

Post by Jim the Geordie
Sussed it. I was altering the wrong string. Thank you!!

OBTW, if you would like to get rid of or change that
User-Agent: ForteAgent/7.00.32.1200
header, that can be removed entirely or replaced with something else.
Just ask for the hex edits and I'll post them.

2024-08-15 04:35:35 UTC

Permalink

snip

Post by Keith

Post by Jim the Geordie
I often fancied Agent but never got round to it. Since it's abandonware
can anyone post the password/code here?

You can do a google groups search to find it.

p.p.p.s. . . .

Post by Keith
Newsgroups: alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent
Subject: Re: Forte 6 registration key
Date: Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:13:45 +0100
And to check that it's a genuine key, go to the thread where I posted
originally posted it.
...
Newsgroups: alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent
Subject: Re: crack for agent
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:56:16 +0000

Post by Jim the Geordie
any available?

Just use my genuine registration key by pasting
UYK3KWEU-W1JA333J-S72G5C9G-SVN2UNAU-83AUZLWU-Y8JZEB4X
VHVJFYBL-4HXHTZYE-BW24V71B-WT4B3ERL-HJY5PE3R-9BPSC9K5
TJZ9ZLV2-6LDF1RHW
into your registration box and you'll have a genuine copy
without having to resort to using a cracked version.
...
Newsgroups: alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent
Subject: Re: crack for agent
Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:01:36 +0000

Post by Jim the Geordie

any available?

If this is genuine

It's genuine.
_________________________________________________________
Agent 6.0 Upgrade Form
VeriSign has routed, processed, and secured your payment information.
More information about VeriSign
Your Agent Upgrade was Successful
A copy of this web page has been sent to you via email.
Order Number: 398877
Item Qty Price Total
Agent 6.0 Upgrade 1 $19.00 $19.00
Subtotal $19.00
No Tax $0.00
Total $19.00
Please note that all currency is expressed in US dollars.
APN Promotion
At this time, you've chosen not to sign up for the APN Promo.
However, you can sign up later using Agent's menu option, Help | Get a Free APN Account, or go to
Agent APN Promo Page and enter your name and serial number.
Setup Instructions
UYK3KWEU-W1JA333J-S72G5C9G-SVN2UNAU-83AUZLWU-Y8JZEB4X
VHVJFYBL-4HXHTZYE-BW24V71B-WT4B3ERL-HJY5PE3R-9BPSC9K5
TJZ9ZLV2-6LDF1RHW
Your new key will register Agent 6.0.
If you are already using Agent 6.0 you do not need to download and re-install Agent.
Serial Number: 100310894
Registration Name: Derek Nash
Highlight your Agent Registration Key and select Edit / Copy.
Run Agent and select the menu command, Help | Enter Registration Key
Right click in the edit box and select Paste.
Press OK and all of Agent's features will be enabled.
If necessary, go to the Agent Install Page for directions on how to download and install Agent.
Contacting Us
Follow this link if you need to contact the Agent Team.
_______________________________________________________________
That's a copy of the email they sent me after I paid for yet another update.

Post by Jim the Geordie
and you want AGENT to succeed and to improve

All development has stopped. They've abandoned their customers.

(no thanks . . . i'll stick with 40tude dialog and free agent)

Keith

2024-08-15 18:00:04 UTC

Permalink

Post by Keith
Just use my genuine registration key by pasting

UYK3KWEU-W1JA333J-S72G5C9G-SVN2UNAU-83AUZLWU-Y8JZEB4X
VHVJFYBL-4HXHTZYE-BW24V71B-WT4B3ERL-HJY5PE3R-9BPSC9K5
TJZ9ZLV2-6LDF1RHW

2024-08-15 19:10:56 UTC

Permalink

Path: news..!individual.net!not-for-mail
Newsgroups: news.software.readers
Subject: Re: Newsreader that keeps messages and has a good text search
Date: 15 Aug 2024 18:00:04 GMT
X-Trace: individual.net pMfoiBbInBgwJFARMGeNbgSQH0qPqX3zBrbgog7XuOVnSORZl8
UYK3KWEU-W1JA333J-S72G5C9G-SVN2UNAU-83AUZLWU-Y8JZEB4X
VHVJFYBL-4HXHTZYE-BW24V71B-WT4B3ERL-HJY5PE3R-9BPSC9K5
TJZ9ZLV2-6LDF1RHW

for this example, the popular newsreader 40tude dialog makes scoring
on all headers easy, even for the novice; it's plain text and can be
tested in settings > scoring and actions, and matched help > regular
expression tester; score numbers can be anything from -9999 to +9999

[*]
# for scoring non-overview headers
=-1000 Header {^X\-No\-Archive: yes}
=-1001 Header {^X\-Trace: individual}
# mnemonic "1/1=1", solo, single, one
=-1559 Header {^X\-Complaints\-To: ***@tweaknews.nl}
# mnemonic "hotel des tournelles", pl. vosges
=-1993 Header {^Injection\-Info: dont\-email}
# mnemonic "eternal september", never ending
=-3142 Header {^X\-Complaints\-To: ***@easynews}
# mnemonic "3.142...", approx. of pi
=-9000 Header {^X\-Usenet\-Provider: http://www.giganews}
# mnemonic 10^9, 1,000,000,000

etc.