brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) (07/27/89)
Is anybody keeping a repository of the different types of non-unix USENET links that have been created? How are people on VMS machines, IBM Mainframes and other systems getting, reading and forwarding their USENET info? I know on BITNET that many people just use mailing lists involving list servers -- is this the only way, or have some people put up full usenet type feeders and readers? I know that many VMS users are actually also serviced by things like arpanet mailing lists. What else are they doing? I know of one project that has put UUCP onto VMS -- are people using this, or other transport mechanisms. And there has been recent discussion of the various packages that link of MS-DOS, Macs and other PCs to the net. So what I'm looking for is a file that answers the question, "How do I hook up an X to the net?" If there isn't such a file, I will collect responses and summarize to the net. The result could be a good regular posting or FTPable file for people who get asked this question. I suppose a detailed answer to the Unix question is also in order. We now have 3 main transport/database systems (B news, C news, NN and TMN coming soon.) I am told notes is on the decline. Plus we have NNTP and NNTPxmit. On the reader side with have readnews, vnews, rn (rrn), nn, gnus, notes, TMN coming, plus others I have heard marginally of. Then there's filter software like NewsClip and the "secretary" program. I would prefer response from those directly involved with packages to make this list, otherwise I might get swamped! An example: Program: B news Type: News database with readers Operating System: Unix Transport Mechanisms Used: uucp, nntp, others Where to get it: ftp from uunet.uu.net and countless other sites Maintained by: rick@uunet.uu.net Licencing: freeware Comments: Most commonly used basic news system -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
GA.JRG@forsythe.stanford.edu (June Genis) (07/27/89)
In article <3705@looking.on.ca>, brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) writes: >I know on BITNET that many people just use mailing lists involving >list servers -- is this the only way, or have some people put up >full usenet type feeders and readers? There are two USENET type programs available for IBM VM systems. One from Irwin Tillman (IRWIN@PUCC.BITNET) at Princeton and the other from Bill Verity at Penn State (WHV@PSUVM.BITNET). I believe that both have the ability to feed things back into USENET as well as to pick up and display information from it, but as we're not a VM shop I don't have any direct experience. What we've done here in our homebrew WYLBUR environment is to build a WYLBUR front-end to replace RN. The actual files though are sitting out on an attached UNIX system. Although we have a good set of basic navigation tools, including the ability to mail yourself a copy and manage the heck out of your own copy, we don't have all the bells and whistles of RN but we haven't had requests to add most of them either. The think the two most common requests for additional features are to be able to track a subject thread and for KILL capability. /June
flee@shire.cs.psu.edu (Felix Lee) (07/27/89)
In <4062@lindy.Stanford.EDU>, June Genis <GA.JRG@forsythe.stanford.edu> writes: > There are two USENET type programs available for IBM VM systems. > One from Irwin Tillman (IRWIN@PUCC.BITNET) at Princeton and the > other from Bill Verity at Penn State (WHV@PSUVM.BITNET). I'm on the Unix end (psuvax1.cs.psu.edu) of a feed to PSUVM.BITNET. We send news batches back and forth over a RSCS link with only minor fuss. (For those interested, the PSUVM NetNews software has just recently undergone a major revision.) The minor fuss is, 1) PSUVM doesn't get byte counts in news batches correct (yet), so I use a terribly inefficient filter that splits on "#! rnews" lines; 2) RSCS truncates long (>132 char) lines, unless you pack things in NetData format, PSUVM sends NetData to me fine, I'm not quite set up to do that yet; 3) who knows what happens to your tabs and trailing blank characters. -- Felix Lee flee@shire.cs.psu.edu *!psuvax1!flee
flee@shire.cs.psu.edu (Felix Lee) (07/27/89)
In <3705@looking.on.ca>, Brad Templeton <brad@looking.on.ca> writes: > I know on BITNET that many people just use mailing lists involving > list servers -- is this the only way, or have some people put up > full usenet type feeders and readers? The news software developed on PSUVM.BITNET gateways Bitnet LISTSERVs. E.g., the VIRUS-L list gets transmitted to us as bit.listserv.virus-l. "us" is psuvax1.cs.psu.edu, which is a Sun 4/280 running C News. The bit.listserv groups have very limited distribution; as far as I know, only here at Penn State University, and elsewhere at University of Kentucky. (But the LISTSERVs themselves are accessible anywhere on Bitnet.) -- Felix Lee flee@shire.cs.psu.edu *!psuvax1!flee
ckd@bucsb.UUCP (Christopher Davis) (07/29/89)
In article <FLEE.89Jul27101433@shire.cs.psu.edu> flee@shire.cs.psu.edu (Felix Lee) writes: -In <3705@looking.on.ca>, - Brad Templeton <brad@looking.on.ca> writes: -> I know on BITNET that many people just use mailing lists involving -> list servers -- is this the only way, or have some people put up -> full usenet type feeders and readers? - -The news software developed on PSUVM.BITNET gateways Bitnet LISTSERVs. -E.g., the VIRUS-L list gets transmitted to us as bit.listserv.virus-l. -"us" is psuvax1.cs.psu.edu, which is a Sun 4/280 running C News. - -The bit.listserv groups have very limited distribution; as far as I -know, only here at Penn State University, and elsewhere at University -of Kentucky. (But the LISTSERVs themselves are accessible anywhere on -Bitnet.) We get 'em at Boston U, and I think Harvard carries them, too. (I have an account on the BITNET machine, BUACCA, but rn beats the mail-reading "software" (ha!) we have on the mainframe... -Felix Lee flee@shire.cs.psu.edu *!psuvax1!flee -- /\ | / |\ @bu-pub.bu.edu <preferred> | Christopher K. Davis, BU SMG '90 / |/ | \ %bu-pub.bu.edu@bu-it.bu.edu | uses standardDisclaimer; \ |\ | / <for stupid sendmails> | BITNET: smghy6c@buacca \/ | \ |/ @bucsb.UUCP <last resort> or ...!bu-cs!bucsb!ckd if you gotta. --"Ignore the man behind the curtain and the address in the header." --ckd--