dmocsny@UCENG.UC.EDU (daniel mocsny) (11/30/88)
The latest issue of CompuServe's _Online Today_ has an article about TAPCIS, a program that assists PC-based CompuServe subscribers. TAPCIS minimizes on-line time by offloading much of the news reading burden from the host computer. The TAPCIS user tells TAPCIS to get the article titles in the ``forum'' (CompuSpeak for newsgroup) of interest. TAPCIS logs into the CompuServe host, grabs the titles, and then logs off. The user then marks the titles (s)he wants to read, then TAPCIS logs back in, downloads them, and logs off again. The user reads them at leisure, replying or following up as desired, and when (s)he is done, TAPCIS logs in a last time and uploads all the replies. Now I don't know what anybody else thinks, but to me this seems like it would be a big improvement over the ordinary way I read usenet news. Even over a 9600-baud line, our poor HP-9000 can't update the screen as fast as my Compaq could if it was running locally. Especially when 32 other people are trying to compile. A TAPCIS analog to assist usenet readers cut down the amount of time news readers spend tying up terminal lines. And what is the sense of editing replies on the host when I've got perfectly good (and noticeably faster) editors right on the box in front of me? So...the big question. Does anybody know of a news-reading program for the IBM PC and compatibles? If not, would anybody like to write such a program? Pleeeeease? :-) Thank you. Dan Mocsny dmocsny@uceng.uc.edu
jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay C. Bowden) (12/07/88)
In article <KPETERSEN.12452025035.BABYL@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL> dmocsny@UCENG.UC.EDU (daniel mocsny) writes: >.....assists PC-based CompuServe subscribers. ..... >... The TAPCIS user tells TAPCIS to get the article titles >in the ``forum'' (CompuSpeak for newsgroup) of interest. TAPCIS logs into >the CompuServe host, grabs the titles, and then logs off. Now, all you need for for complete automation is a device that turns your PC on every day at 3AM, gets this list, and prints it for your perusal the next morning. Real Electronic Newspaper! (Ref: LATER-ON, $139.95, from Kenmore Computer Technologies 30 Suncrest Drive Rochester, New York 14609 (716) 654-7356 ) The user then >marks the titles (s)he wants to read, then TAPCIS logs back in, downloads >them, and logs off again. The user reads them at leisure, replying or >following up as desired, and when (s)he is done, TAPCIS logs in a last >time and uploads all the replies. > >Dan Mocsny >dmocsny@uceng.uc.edu Just an excuse for a plug. - Jay ------------------------------------------------------------------ Jay Bowden, EE/Consultant; see also Bowden Engineering Currently contracted at Loral Instrumentation, San Diego {ucbvax, ittvax!dcdwest, akgua, decvax, ihnp4}!ucsd!loral!jcb
Ralf.Brown@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU (12/07/88)
In article <1880@loral.UUCP>, jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay C. Bowden) writes: }In article <KPETERSEN.12452025035.BABYL@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL> dmocsny@UCENG.UC.EDU (daniel mocsny) writes: }>.....assists PC-based CompuServe subscribers. ..... }>... The TAPCIS user tells TAPCIS to get the article titles }>in the ``forum'' (CompuSpeak for newsgroup) of interest. TAPCIS logs into }>the CompuServe host, grabs the titles, and then logs off. } }Now, all you need for for complete automation is a device that turns }your PC on every day at 3AM, gets this list, and prints it for your }perusal the next morning. Real Electronic Newspaper! } }(Ref: LATER-ON, $139.95, from } Kenmore Computer Technologies } 30 Suncrest Drive } Rochester, New York 14609 Why spend $140 when a ten-dollar appliance timer and two-three dollar three-plug cube (or five-ten dollar cube with spike protection) will do just as well? Then put in a timed ask program in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, so that it will branch to the routine to get the news if there is no keypress within a certain amount of time. That's the setup I use here to get Netnews on my PC. I'm afraid my package is a terrible kludge, though it does work about 97% of the time (on the PC side, four programs and a batch file, on the Unix side, a program and four shell scripts--I'm not counting ZOO and the SZ and DSZ file transfer modules--and all of it hard-wired....). -- UUCP: {ucbvax,harvard}!cs.cmu.edu!ralf -=-=-=- Voice: (412) 268-3053 (school) ARPA: ralf@cs.cmu.edu BIT: ralf%cs.cmu.edu@CMUCCVMA FIDO: Ralf Brown 1:129/31 Disclaimer? I |Ducharm's Axiom: If you view your problem closely enough claimed something?| you will recognize yourself as part of the problem.
pjh@mccc.UUCP (Pete Holsberg) (12/08/88)
It seems to me that what you would like is a program running on your PC
that will call into your news machine and download everything from
selected newsgroups. I believe that you can do this with UUPC.
Pete
--
Pete Holsberg UUCP: {...!rutgers!}princeton!mccc!pjh
Mercer College CompuServe: 70240,334
1200 Old Trenton Road GEnie: PJHOLSBERG
Trenton, NJ 08690 Voice: 1-609-586-4800skl@van-bc.UUCP (Samuel Lam) (12/09/88)
In article <482@mccc.UUCP>, pjh@mccc.UUCP (Pete Holsberg) wrote: >It seems to me that what you would like is a program running on your PC >that will call into your news machine and download everything from >selected newsgroups. I believe that you can do this with UUPC. Yes, UUPC will move the news articles into your machine, however, you still need a news-reader on the PC to read them. Now, my question is, does anyone have a functional news-reader for the PC yet? If not, would some people like to get together and write/port one? -- Samuel Lam {alberta,watmath,uw-beaver,cs.ubc.ca}!ubc-cs!van-bc!skl
thaler@speedy.cs.wisc.edu (Maurice Thaler) (12/09/88)
I could be wrong, but I think what this person is looking for is a
program that is INTERACTIVE with news. Something like the QUICKMAIL
program that has been created for PC_BOARD. Sorry to lower the level of
this group to the lowly BBS world. The way QUICKMAIL works is to collect
all un-read mail, ARC it, send it to you, then you read it with their
mailer, respond to it offline, and then use the QUICKMAIL door to upload
your responses later.
The idea is more practical with the more limited message base of a
PC_BOARD. With NewsNet, the sheer bulk would make this pretty gross.
I do have a small (and not very well written) shell script that will
download a particular newsgroup to a file, ZOO it, and than send it to
me via ZMODEM. It serves nicely for the one or two newsgroups that I
want to read offline at a more leisurely pace.
Maurice Thaler SYSOP Audio Projects BBS (608) 836-9473
SYSOP Power Board BBS (608) 222-8842 pozar@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Pozar) (12/10/88)
In article <2005@van-bc.UUCP> skl@van-bc.UUCP (Samuel Lam) writes: >In article <482@mccc.UUCP>, pjh@mccc.UUCP (Pete Holsberg) wrote: >>It seems to me that what you would like is a program running on your PC >>that will call into your news machine and download everything from >>selected newsgroups. I believe that you can do this with UUPC. > >Yes, UUPC will move the news articles into your machine, however, >you still need a news-reader on the PC to read them. > >Now, my question is, does anyone have a functional news-reader for >the PC yet? If not, would some people like to get together and >write/port one? UFGATE is a package that just went into full 1.0 release about one-month ago. It and a standard fido mailer (msg, msged, opus, fido, rover, ect.) can turn your PC into a full UUCP/USENET leaf or host site. The cost of the software is: 1] FREE to unsupported, non-commercial users. 2] $35 for supported, non-commercial users. 3] $195 for commercial users (includes support). For more info, drop me a line, or give me a call M-F 10a-5p Pacific at +1 415 788 2022 330x. Tim users. $195 for supported, commercial users. -- ...sun!hoptoad!\ Tim Pozar >fidogate!pozar Fido: 1:125/406 ...lll-winken!/ PaBell: (415) 788-3904 USNail: KKSF / 77 Maiden Lane / San Francisco CA 94108
jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay C. Bowden) (12/14/88)
In article <239d4b73@ralf> Ralf.Brown@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU writes: To paraphrase his thoughts: Why buy something when you can build it yourself? Because your TIME is worth something (well, mine is, anyway :-). >In article <1880@loral.UUCP>, jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay C. Bowden) writes: >}In article <KPETERSEN.12452025035.BABYL@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL> dmocsny@UCENG.UC.EDU (daniel mocsny) writes: >}>.....assists PC-based CompuServe subscribers. ..... >}>... The TAPCIS user tells TAPCIS to get the article titles >}>in the ``forum'' (CompuSpeak for newsgroup) of interest. TAPCIS logs into >}>the CompuServe host, grabs the titles, and then logs off. >} >}Now, all you need for for complete automation is a device that turns >}your PC on every day at 3AM, gets this list, and prints it for your >}perusal the next morning. Real Electronic Newspaper! >} >}(Ref: LATER-ON, $139.95, from >} Kenmore Computer Technologies >} 30 Suncrest Drive >} Rochester, New York 14609 (716) 654-7356 > >Why spend $140 when a ten-dollar appliance timer and two-three dollar >three-plug cube (or five-ten dollar cube with spike protection) will do just >as well? ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ So I lose the grounding on my computer because I need the 3 prong adapters to use the appliance timer. My PC then comes on once a day, same time every day. Even weekends. That's not so bad, I suppose. But how do I turn the PC on when I am sitting in front of it? Just reach down and turn the squirly little knob on the timer, right? > Then put in a timed ask program in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, so that it ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Do you write this, or buy it? If it is bought, where and how much? >will branch to the routine to get the news if there is no keypress within a >certain amount of time. That's the setup I use here to get Netnews on my >PC. > >I'm afraid my package is a terrible kludge, though it does work about 97% of >the time It is a hell of a clever kludge, and I'm sure it serves you well. And maybe for people with as much savvy and spare time as you have, it is the most effective approach, even considering the limitations. It seems to be human nature to say "why should I buy [a clean, well thought out, professional, supported, hardware-software system] to do what I can do with an "appliance timer". Then, they start out down the timer route, maybe even buy one, but become dissatisfied with the limitations, and the time they have to invest to make it work right, and the inconvenience it causes to "normal" use of the PC, and end up doing nothing. Silly humans! > >-- >UUCP: {ucbvax,harvard}!cs.cmu.edu!ralf -=-=-=- Voice: (412) 268-3053 (school) >ARPA: ralf@cs.cmu.edu BIT: ralf%cs.cmu.edu@CMUCCVMA FIDO: Ralf Brown 1:129/31 >Disclaimer? I |Ducharm's Axiom: If you view your problem closely enough >claimed something?| you will recognize yourself as part of the problem. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You said it, not me! :-) So if you had it to do over again, wouldn't ya buy the gadget? Please? Oh and it comes with the (external) modem power-on section, too, if you want to call IN to your PC! - Jay ------------------------------------------------------------------ Jay Bowden, EE/Consultant; see also Bowden Engineering Currently contracted at Loral Instrumentation, San Diego {ucbvax, ittvax!dcdwest, akgua, decvax, ihnp4}!ucsd!loral!jcb
ralf@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Ralf Brown) (12/15/88)
In article <1884@loral.UUCP> jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay C. Bowden) writes: }In article <239d4b73@ralf> Ralf.Brown@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU writes: } }To paraphrase his thoughts: Why buy something when you can build it }yourself? Because your TIME is worth something (well, mine is, }anyway :-). } }>In article <1880@loral.UUCP>, jcb@loral.UUCP (Jay C. Bowden) writes: }>}In article <KPETERSEN.12452025035.BABYL@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL> dmocsny@UCENG.UC.EDU (daniel mocsny) writes: }>}>.....assists PC-based CompuServe subscribers. ..... }>}>... The TAPCIS user tells TAPCIS to get the article titles }>}>in the ``forum'' (CompuSpeak for newsgroup) of interest. TAPCIS logs into }>}>the CompuServe host, grabs the titles, and then logs off. }>} }>}Now, all you need for for complete automation is a device that turns }>}your PC on every day at 3AM, gets this list, and prints it for your }>}perusal the next morning. Real Electronic Newspaper! }>} }>}(Ref: LATER-ON, $139.95, from }>} Kenmore Computer Technologies }>} 30 Suncrest Drive }>} Rochester, New York 14609 } (716) 654-7356 }> }>Why spend $140 when a ten-dollar appliance timer and two-three dollar }>three-plug cube (or five-ten dollar cube with spike protection) will do just }>as well? ^^^^^^^^^^^^ } ^^^^^^^^ } So I lose the grounding on my computer because I need the 3 prong } adapters to use the appliance timer. So you buy a 3-prong timer and adapter, like I did. } But how do I turn the PC on when I am sitting in front of it? Just } reach down and turn the squirly little knob on the timer, right? My timer has a nice big flat plate on the front that I can press on to turn the computer on/off. Admittedly, the timer was $20, but I didn't exactly shop around, and it uses a digital LCD clock (which doesn't make for a rock- bottom price). }> Then put in a timed ask program in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, so that it } ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ } Do you write this, or buy it? If it is bought, where and how much? It's public domain, on SIMTEL20 in PD1:<MSDOS.SYSUTL>BATUTL2.ARC, if I remember correctly. }>I'm afraid my package is a terrible kludge, though it does work about 97% of }>the time } } It is a hell of a clever kludge, and I'm sure it serves you well. The kludge part is the news download, not the dialup or even the automatic power-up. The news download works by running a program which creates two pipes to RN and controls RN, saving everything to files. It usually hangs when there's something unusual happening, such as no new news (when netnews goes down). Lately it has actually been better than 97%. } So if you had it to do over again, wouldn't ya buy the gadget? Please? } Oh and it comes with the (external) modem power-on section, too, if you } want to call IN to your PC! If I had need to call IN to my PC, probably. But I don't, and I would still have to spend most of the time setting up everything else, not just the automatic power-up (which took less than half an hour to set up, including the AUTOEXEC.BAT mods).... -- {harvard,uunet,ucbvax}!b.gp.cs.cmu.edu!ralf -=-=- AT&T: (412)268-3053 (school) ARPA: RALF@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU |"Tolerance means excusing the mistakes others make. FIDO: Ralf Brown at 129/31 | Tact means not noticing them." --Arthur Schnitzler BITnet: RALF%B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU@CMUCCVMA -=-=- DISCLAIMER? I claimed something? --