NEWSGATE FAQ - 22/02/97

Q: First of all, why v0.8g and not directly v1.0?

A: Simple: because it works yet now. I'm using NewsGate since a month, with no
   troubles. There's no reason to wait a more "nice" release. Next changes
   will be mainly exteticals.
   Also, there might be troubles with other providers I've not experienced. I
   and the beta team has tested this with their ISP, but we don't know if
   there will be troubles with other providers...

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Q: Known bugs?

A: Maybe there are some bugs in incoming messages date handling with oldest
   date formats. But it's a really secondary thing.
   Also if you break the program with CTRL-C while it's still polling, a
   not-complete message will be left in the .IN file, so you'll have to delete
   it manually.

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Q: There will be an OS/2 version?

A: Dunno. If the program will be found interesting...

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Q: I don't have my own domain! How can I do?

A: Simple. For Message-ID, use something as .yourname@your.nntp.server, and
    for your users use the standard name.surname@p#.f#.n#.z#.fidonet.org.
    Or you can get a domain from a company selling UUCP via TCP connection for
    a really low price (use FXUUCICO32 + GIGO to make the conversion). My
    UUCP provider (paul@egate.net) sells no-profit, 1MB/day UUCP for 6
    Canadian dollars/month: i think it's really affordable for everyone!

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Q: Why my tosser creates the area RECHUM~1 and not rec.humor.funny?

A: Because NewsGate retrieves the area name from the file name. Probably
    you've copied the files with an old command shell and you haven't kept the
    Win95 long name. Just rename RECHUM~1.CTL/OUT/IN in the work directory to
    rec.humor.funny.CTL/OUT/IN and you'll fix the trouble.

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Q: NewsGate is slow! What can I do to speed it up?

A: The only thing to do is to set the Idle Sensitivity in the Misc section of
    the Property windows of the shell you're running NewsGate from to the
    minimum value. But NNTP is thought as an Internet protocol done for full
    time connections, and it hasn't the property to be fast. Let's think that
    getting 15 articles LOCALLY (with the news server and the client on the
    same machine) takes about 3-4 seconds, both with NewsGate and FreeAgent...
    Also the missing of a progress indicator in the 0.8g makes the sensation
    that NewsGate is loosing time.

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Q: Strange things happens! I post an article and I don't find it polling one
    minute later. I've seen an article on another server and NewsGate didn't
    get it. [or some other strange things]

A: Keep in mind that NNTP servers are quite strange, and they don't have a so
    predictable algorithm as a FidoNet mailer can have. I've seen servers
    getting an article today and sending it back tomorrow. I've seen articles
    "lost" on the way. The only thing I can tell you is to use NewsGate
    regularly for 3-4 days and you'll discover that you haven't lost an
    article. :)

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Q: Have you abandoned the project of a NewsGate own window? What news for the
    future?

A: No, I haven't abandoned that. If my program will be really used, I'll make
    it more interesting. Here you are my plans for the future, if things will
    go right:

     - make the commandline release as stable as possible, so I can spend all
        of my time in the windowed version (It's necessary to remake the poll
        section with an event-driven algorythm and this will take some time)
     - [compile it under OS/2 ? :-?]
     - split NewsGate into NEWSGATE - poll utility commandline driven, but
        with a full windowed output (not because window output is really
        necessary, but because in Windows you can't open a Message Port
        without opening a window!) - and GATEWAY (the actual /g option), that
        will remain in text mode
     - Adding a MAILGATE with SMTP/POP3 protocols, to gate Email into FidoNet
        NetMail!!!
     - Finally, build an utility to swap FidoNet mail via Email.

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Q: How many dupes!

A: This is due to the fact that a lot of servers, if you ask news since a
    certain time and a certain hour send you messages sent some time before to
    avoid message losses. Raise your dupeboard and you'll see the trouble
    disappearing.
