Any other Newsgroup Reader out there beside Thunderbird?
I have always preferred 'Pan'.
Mindsurfer wrote to Gamgee <=-
Re: Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbird
By: Gamgee to Mindsurfer on Sun Nov 02 2025 16:06:36
Any other Newsgroup Reader out there beside Thunderbird?
I have always preferred 'Pan'.
looks really decent. But in the short time i have tested Pan, i could
not make it show the actual message but the headers only.
Any other Newsgroup Reader out there beside Thunderbird?
I have always preferred 'Pan'.
looks really decent. But in the short time i have tested Pan, i could not
make it show the actual message but the headers only.
Well, have you tried looking at the "View" section in the top toolbar?
I mean....
i made some funky test posts using Thunderbird and Pan on FSXNet. The "From" field includes an email in one post
your from field contains an entire email?
PS: is there a way to make Newsreaders (Pan) show color Ansi?
Ok, thats interesting. i might send out some more tests and watch how
the actual message looks outside the Newsreader, in the BBS.
I accidently messed up an smtp server setting in Thunderbird while
testing around with the newsgroups yesterday. Took me a while to add
that SMTP again and to find out that i have an application password for
that Email provider different from the providers website login =) LOL
still thinking about if i want to test slrn. Not sure if i want another
TUI interface for reading/posting messages.
On Sun, 2 Nov 2025 23:03:46 -0600, "MRO" (VERT/BBSESINF) wrote:
i made some funky test posts using Thunderbird and Pan on FSXNet.
The "From" field includes an email in one post
your from field contains an entire email?
sending this from Pan Newsreader as a test.
Mindsurfer
---
￭ Synchronet ￭ FuNToPiA BBS - telnet://funtopia.synchro.net:3023 ssh:3022
* Origin: _thePharcyde telnet://bbs.pharcyde.org (Wisconsin) (723:1/0)
Mindsurfer wrote to Gamgee <=-
I have always preferred 'Pan'.
looks really decent. But in the short time i have tested Pan, i could not
make it show the actual message but the headers only.
Well, have you tried looking at the "View" section in the top toolbar?
I mean....
I have installed Pan once again to check if i missed a setting and what can i say. It does show the body now. No idea what was wrong before or
if it takes some time to load the body for each message after the
headers. i don't know.
PS: is there a way to make Newsreaders (Pan) show color Ansi?
PS: is there a way to make Newsreaders (Pan) show color Ansi?
Short answer, no.
Non-colored ansi (ascii) can be viewed in any newsreader that supports the CP437 charset. I'm not sure about Pan, but Claws Mail does, and Thunderbird does not. However, as soon as color is added, no newsreader that I've tried knows what an ANSI is. ;)
still thinking about if i want to test slrn. Not sure if i want another TUI
interface for reading/posting messages.
What TUI interfaces do you already have?
Mindsurfer wrote to Accession <=-
What TUI interfaces do you already have?
well, sitting in my BBS reading/writing messages, or connecting to the
LXC where the BBS resides via ssh terminal and doing stuff in the
terminal or using midnight commander to move files around. i just
thought it could be nice to zoom out a bit of the 80x25 matrix every
now and then and have a different interface for reading/writing
messages =) But it seems it is still the easiest and most convenient to just stay connected to you bbs the whole day and open the messages view when you feel like it ;)
ignore my repeated ansi question in my other message ;)
yeah, i thought that could be problematic. You can't have it all. =)
Pan is configurable in regards to the fonts. monochrome cp437 chars
should work there if you load the right font/ global codepage.
What TUI interfaces do you already have?
well, sitting in my BBS reading/writing messages, or connecting to the
LXC where the BBS resides via ssh terminal and doing stuff in the
terminal or using midnight commander to move files around. i just thought
it could be nice to zoom out a bit of the 80x25 matrix every now and then
and have a different interface for reading/writing messages =) But it
seems it is still the easiest and most convenient to just stay connected
to you bbs the whole day and open the messages view when you feel like it
;)
I find it easier/better to login to the BBS a few times a day, and download a QWK packet of messages to read/reply to in an offline mail reader. I use MultiMail, which seems to be the modern/popular choice, available for several operating systems.
Mindsurfer wrote to Gamgee <=-
I find it easier/better to login to the BBS a few times a day, and download a QWK packet of messages to read/reply to in an offline mail reader. I use MultiMail, which seems to be the modern/popular choice, available for several operating systems.
Thats the other option. But you always have to login to download or
upload the qwk file. There is no option for the qwk up/download to be directly managed between the QWK reader and the BBS account?
Thats the other option. But you always have to login to download or
upload the qwk file. There is no option for the qwk up/download to be directly managed between the QWK reader and the BBS account?
Thats the other option. But you always have to login to download or uploa
the qwk file. There is no option for the qwk up/download to be directly
managed between the QWK reader and the BBS account?
Correct, there is no option for that.
Thats the other option. But you always have to login to download or
uploa the qwk file. There is no option for the qwk up/download to be
directly managed between the QWK reader and the BBS account?
Correct, there is no option for that.
You can FTP to the BBS and download a magic name "BBS.QWK" to download your new messages, and upload BBS.REP to upload your packet (change BBS to the name your BBS gives to QWK packets).
It's pretty handy here, I don't know if a lot of sysops open FTP on their firewalls though.
poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Gamgee <=-
Re: Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbi
By: Gamgee to Mindsurfer on Tue Nov 04 2025 08:09 pm
Thats the other option. But you always have to login to download or uploa
the qwk file. There is no option for the qwk up/download to be directly
managed between the QWK reader and the BBS account?
Correct, there is no option for that.
You can FTP to the BBS and download a magic name "BBS.QWK" to download your new messages, and upload BBS.REP to upload your packet (change BBS
to the name your BBS gives to QWK packets).
It's pretty handy here, I don't know if a lot of sysops open FTP on
their firewalls though.
Mindsurfer wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-
Ok, thats nice. I guess that would be scriptable, so you can automate
it a bit. Is it unencrypted FTP only or can you FTPS too?
Ok, thats nice. I guess that would be scriptable, so you can automate it
a bit. Is it unencrypted FTP only or can you FTPS too?
Not sure, I've never tried. I only FTP in from my local network.
I use the built-in command-line FTP client in windows, it takes a script file.
Not sure how that's any easier than logging in with Syncterm and just getting the QWK packet the normal way, and then repeating for the .REP. Seems harder, actually.
It's pretty handy here, I don't know if a lot of sysops open FTP on
their firewalls though.
I know that I absolutely would not.
I use the built-in command-line FTP client in windows, it takes a script file.
ah, ok. so thats less critical then if you just use insecure ftp locally.
So in your case it is a sysops solution only.
I use the built-in command-line FTP client in windows, it takes a
script file.
ah, ok. so thats less critical then if you just use insecure ftp locally.
So in your case it is a sysops solution only.
If you classify ftp is insecure, then use ftps instead (yes, Synchronet supports it). But really, no one in the path between the client and your BBS cares what your user password is or the contents of the QWK packets you're transferring, so secure-auth and data privacy is over-kill, but it's there to use if you want it.
Gamgee wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-
Not sure how that's any easier than logging in with Syncterm and just getting the QWK packet the normal way, and then repeating for the .REP. Seems harder, actually.
Mindsurfer wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-
ah, ok. so thats less critical then if you just use insecure ftp
locally. So in your case it is a sysops solution only.
You can FTP to the BBS and download a magic name "BBS.QWK" to download your new messages, and upload BBS.REP to upload your packet (change BBS > pF> to the name your BBS gives to QWK packets).
Not sure how that's any easier than logging in with Syncterm and just getting the QWK packet the normal way, and then repeating for the .REP. Seems harder, actually.
I'll play devil's advocate here - running insecure protocols on a BBS aren't that big of a deal as long as you're not sharing passwords. I still allow telnet.
Dumas Walker wrote to Gamgee <=-
Re: Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbi
By: Gamgee to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Nov 05 2025 08:10:45
You can FTP to the BBS and download a magic name "BBS.QWK" to download your new messages, and upload BBS.REP to upload your packet (change BBS to the name your BBS gives to QWK packets).
Not sure how that's any easier than logging in with Syncterm and just getting the QWK packet the normal way, and then repeating for the .REP. Seems harder, actually.
OT from the original post but this is actually pretty easy with a shell scrit and ncftp. I log onto my BBS to get the QWK packet, but almost always upload the REP using a script. Once it is set up, it is easy
and a lot faster.
Not sure how that's any easier than logging in with Syncterm and just getting the QWK packet the normal way, and then repeating for the .REP. Seems harder, actually.
Console prompt:
$ ./getpkt
$ ./mm
$ ./putpkt
Mind you, these were scripts I wrote, one of which is one line, and the other is maybe 5 lines. No where near as difficult or time consuming.
OT from the original post but this is actually pretty easy with a shell scrit and ncftp. I log onto my BBS to get the QWK packet, but almost always upload the REP using a script. Once it is set up, it is easy
and a lot faster.
Yeah, after reading yours and a couple other responses, I can see this
being a good thing, didn't know that could be done.
Mind sharing a look at the script? (assuming Linux). Thanks.
Yeah, after reading yours and a couple other responses, I can see this
being a good thing, didn't know that could be done.
Mind sharing a look at the script? (assuming Linux). Thanks.
Sure. It changes to the "DOS drive" that Multimail/SLMR would have
I am now seeing the value of this method...
Would you mind sharing the scripts? (don't need the MultiMail one).
NOTE that the lines that start with a '+' are line wrapped!
Dumas Walker wrote to GAMGEE <=-
OT from the original post but this is actually pretty easy with a shell scrit and ncftp. I log onto my BBS to get the QWK packet, but almost always upload the REP using a script. Once it is set up, it is easy and a lot faster.
Yeah, after reading yours and a couple other responses, I can see this
being a good thing, didn't know that could be done.
Mind sharing a look at the script? (assuming Linux). Thanks.
Sure. It changes to the "DOS drive" that Multimail/SLMR would have accessed the QWK packets in, tests for whether or not the packet name
got written out in all CAPS or all lower case, and acts accordingly.
NOTE that the lines that start with a '+' are line wrapped!
#!/bin/bash
cd /opt/DRIVE_E/KERM231
test -e /opt/DRIVE_E/KERM231/CAPCITY2.REP
if (( $? == 0 )) ;
then
ncftpput -u "Dumas Walker" -p 448fmr -DD -E -d stdout
+ capitolcityonline.net / /opt/DRIVE_E/KERM231/CAPCITY2.REP
fi
test -e /opt/DRIVE_E/KERM231/capcity2.rep
if (( $? == 0 )) ;
then
ncftpput -u "Dumas Walker" -p 448fmr -DD -E -d stdout
+ capitolcityonline.net / /opt/DRIVE_E/KERM231/capcity2.rep
fi
cd ~
#
##END
Accession wrote to Gamgee <=-
I am now seeing the value of this method...
Would you mind sharing the scripts? (don't need the MultiMail one).
Sure thing. As long as your on a personal computer, and don't share it with others:
getpkt:
#!/bin/bash
cd /home/user/mmail/down
wget --ftp-user=<username> --ftp-password=<password> ftp://<yourBBSaddress>/<BBSID>.qwk
cd /home/user/mmail
putpkt:
#!/bin/bash
cd /home/user/mmail/up
ftp -nv <<EOF
open <yourBBSaddress>
user <username> <password>
bin
put <BBSID>.rep
quit
EOF
rm <BBSID>.rep
cd /home/user/mmail
Technically you could use the FTP method for both transfers (using
'get' instead of put), but I did the script with 'wget' first, and soon after realized 'wput' was a thing at some point, but isn't maintained anymore and isn't in my distro's repositories.
Change your paths to match your system, fill in your authentication information, make them executable, and you're off to the races!
FYI, I don't remove the QWK packet, because I can do that in Multimail once I'm done reading/replying. But I do remove the .REP packet after I send it, otherwise the next time I run that script it'll send it again, probably causing dupes. Unless there's some fancy numbering of .REP packets Multimail does that I don't yet know about (I didn't read the docs, I just figured MM out by mashing buttons, lol).
Regards,
Nick
Sure. It changes to the "DOS drive" that Multimail/SLMR would have
Um... you may want to change your password now?
NOTE that the lines that start with a '+' are line wrapped!
..and completely disregard the password, too! :D
Regards, Nick
Yes, understood. The "put" direction makes good sense to me. I have a question about the "get" side though - What causes the BBS to know to
pack up all the new messages into a QWK packet though? Does just the
act of requesting <BBSID>.qwk cause that to happen?
I was thinking I'd
have to somehow "tell" the BBS to create the new QWK packet, and *then*
grab it with wget/ftp.
Yes, understood. The "put" direction makes good sense to me. I have a question about the "get" side though - What causes the BBS to know to
pack up all the new messages into a QWK packet though? Does just the
act of requesting <BBSID>.qwk cause that to happen? I was thinking I'd
have to somehow "tell" the BBS to create the new QWK packet, and *then*
grab it with wget/ftp.
Appreciate you taking the time to send/explain this! Thanks.
No, it happens on demand. The *.qwk file that appears in the FTP
directory listing is just a virtual file. A "get" (RETR) of the file actually signals the sbbs event thread to create the packet, on demand,
so there is a bit of delay before the file transfer actually starts
(which is fine).
Accession wrote to Gamgee <=-
Yes, understood. The "put" direction makes good sense to me. I have a question about the "get" side though - What causes the BBS to know to
pack up all the new messages into a QWK packet though? Does just the
act of requesting <BBSID>.qwk cause that to happen? I was thinking I'd
have to somehow "tell" the BBS to create the new QWK packet, and *then*
grab it with wget/ftp.
I think either when you connect or when there is a new message(s), Synchronet creates the QWK packet and puts it in that location automatically. I'm not sure on exactly how it works, but it's there
every time I grab it, and it's an updated packet each time.
Rob would have to explain that better, but I'll just call it 'magic'.
:)
Digital Man wrote to Gamgee <=-
Re: Re: NNTP(S) via Thunderbi
By: Gamgee to Accession on Fri Nov 07 2025 09:15 pm
Yes, understood. The "put" direction makes good sense to me. I have a question about the "get" side though - What causes the BBS to know to
pack up all the new messages into a QWK packet though? Does just the
act of requesting <BBSID>.qwk cause that to happen?
Yes, correct.
I was thinking I'd
have to somehow "tell" the BBS to create the new QWK packet, and *then*
grab it with wget/ftp.
No, it happens on demand. The *.qwk file that appears in the FTP
directory listing is just a virtual file. A "get" (RETR) of the file actually signals the sbbs event thread to create the packet, on demand,
so there is a bit of delay before the file transfer actually starts
(which is fine).
On Fri, 07 Nov 2025 11:31:18 -0500, you wrote:
NOTE that the lines that start with a '+' are line wrapped!
..and completely disregard the password, too! :D
| Sysop: | DaiTengu |
|---|---|
| Location: | Appleton, WI |
| Users: | 1,076 |
| Nodes: | 10 (1 / 9) |
| Uptime: | 77:09:04 |
| Calls: | 13,805 |
| Files: | 186,990 |
| D/L today: |
5,237 files (1,702M bytes) |
| Messages: | 2,443,143 |