tp@mccall.uucp (10/28/89)
Just a couple of things I think I've noticed, and would like to see what other users thing. We've been running ANU news for about 3 weeks, and have just upgraded from v5.7 to v5.9A (Thanks to Bob Sloane, who was kind enough to provide it). It's great, we love it here (all 2 of us :-). There are a few things that do annoy me, however, and I'd like to see if anyone else thinks these things should be changed. 1) I just noticed that when I REPLY to an article, I do not get a copy of my mail, even though I have copy_self set in my mail profile. Is it possible to sense this from the callable interface? If not, could it be made part of the NEWS profile? 2) I don't have all the newsgroups prioritized (see a previous suggestion :-). I often select a group to read out of the middle of the list. I like to use READ/FOLLOWUP/NEW to read things. This works great, except that when you have read all the new postings in a news group, it then goes to the first unread posting in the newsgroup that is alphabetically first in the highest priority group that has new mail. Is this really the behavior that others prefer? Does everyone else have all their newsgroups prioritized, or read everything in whatever order is presented? I'd like it to simply pop to the newsgroup directory screen or something like that. I always have to type UNREAD, and then either SELECT or page down to the next group I want to read. What do others think? I can see this as being debatable. Perhaps an entry in the profile could determine whether a particular use wants /NEW to cross newsgroup boundaries? 3) Somewhat related to 2 above. If I do realize I'm on the last item of the group, I don't hit READ/FOLLOWUP/NEW, I just do a DIR/NEW, OOPS, I'm back at the top of the list, because the group I was just reading is no longer on that list. What I have to do (when I remember) is to do a DIR/REG, move the cursor to a group that has new stuff, and then do a DIR/NEW. Again, I ask others, is this behavior desirable to you? What I would prefer here would be for the cursor to go to the nearest group after or before the current group that still has new postings. In other words, it will keep in in about the same location on the DIR/NEW screen that I was on before I read all of that group. Again, opinions? 4) In the context of the newsgroup directory screen, /NEW implies /REG. I like that. However, this is also true in the news item directory screen. I sometimes like to read groups that I don't have registered. In such a group, doing any read command with /NEW will immediately go to the aforementioned first group on the list, rather than reading the next new article in my current group. Currently, what I do (usually after making this mistake once) is to register the group so I can read it, and then try to remember to deregister it. Opinions? Please don't see me as just a complainer, I am trying to make constructive criticisms. I do appreciate all the work that has gone into this software (and the very favorable price :-). I'm just trying to see if there is a consensus on what I consider to be ease-of-use issues. -- Terry Poot (800)255-2762, in Kansas (913)776-3683 The McCall Pattern Company, 615 McCall Rd., Manhattan, KS 66502, USA UUCP: rutgers!ksuvax1!mccall!tp Internet: tp%mccall@ksuvax1.cis.ksu.edu