NEWSGROUP ACCESS - ISP vs MS XP Help

[Len Dolby]

Hitherto (what a good word for a freezing Friday P.M. !!) I've accessed this
ng via Outlook Express and my ISP ng server.
Having enabled the "Help" function on Start menu (thanks to advice from you
good people) - I just followed the thread to access this ng via the Web.

Not a good experience. MS Web page takes forever to load, but much more
serious is that messages and threads go missing in large numbers ("sorry
this thread not available - try later") despite them being fully functional
via OE/ISP server.

The Web page is an excellent idea - sorting queries by type - but the
limited functionality lets it down.
It's not my set-up - cable access, and I've just paid a couple of bills via
secure server, so know the Web is running fine.

Disadvantage of OE/ISP access is thousands of messages, (10,594 right now in
this ng) no "sort" except date - but right now it functions far better than
accessing via XP help/the Web, since all messages headers are visible and
downloadable.
Second disadvantage is (unless you remember switch OE between On- and
Off-line) that bloody SPAM keeps getting in, despite Mailwasher.

This is not a complaint, but constructive "user" comment. Perhaps MS can do
something about it ?

Sincerely, Len

 

[Gordon]

Disadvantage of OE/ISP access is thousands of messages, (10,594 right now in
this ng) no "sort" except date -

You can sort by any of the column headings. You can also delete headers you
don't want - either by selecting and deleting, or through the purging
function in Tools-Options-Maintenance.

 

[Len Dolby]

Gordon - there's no comparison between the Alpha sort in OE, and the
pre-edited groups on the Web.

I wasn't aware of the "delete" function (it isn't a "right-click menu
option, where it usually is) but I've found it now, in Edit" menu on
toolbar. Very useful info - Thanks !

 

[Sharon F]

no "sort" except date

Check Tools> Options> Read and check off the box to group posts by
conversation. That should help to make more sense of all those messages.

Many folks like to download all headers -- one of many ways to set up the
news reader. When I use OE (have been using a different product for a while
now), I set it to download 1000 headers and use CatchUp to clear up the
other 9,000+ or however many are in that group. From that point on, only
new headers and posts are added.

 

[Len Dolby]

Sorry Sharon, Tools>Options>Read tab in my XP Home doesn't have this option.
Len

 

[Sharon F]

Sorry Sharon, Tools>Options>Read tab in my XP Home doesn't have this option.
Len

Same version of OE in Pro and Home. And if using Outlook, it uses OE as it
newsreader. Here... Let me fire up Outlook Express to find the exact
location of that setting -- Sorry! It's not in Settings. My mistake. Look
here instead:

Select a newsgroup so that you have message headers visible. Then click on
View> Current View> and click to place dot next to "Group messages by
conversation."

 

[Len Dolby]

Sharon, I'm already set up this way. All this does is group messages by
(single) subject line.

The difference I was pointing up (OE ng vs MS ng access via Web) was that
the Ms Web list has a "left-side" list of subjects (sound, whatever) and
messages (and their threads) are grouped under that subject listing, making
it simpler to navigate postings of similar subject interest, There's any
number of threads with same core subject, different slant, running at any
one time.
..
On the Website, someone must "moderate" all messages, and edit them into
these subject groups.

Which is good, except the actual "usability" (access by users) is poor via
the MS web-site.
So, unless something better is available, I'll have to stick with OE. (So,
what's the tool YOU use to access ng's ? I noticed yr reference to it ...)
Sincerely, Len

 

[Gordon]

Sharon, I'm already set up this way. All this does is group messages by
(single) subject line.

The difference I was pointing up (OE ng vs MS ng access via Web) was that
the Ms Web list has a "left-side" list of subjects (sound, whatever)

those are the NEWSGROUPS. if you subscribe to various newsgroups in OE you
will see a similar list on the left hand side pane of OE!

 

[Sharon F]

Sharon, I'm already set up this way. All this does is group messages by
(single) subject line.

The difference I was pointing up (OE ng vs MS ng access via Web) was that
the Ms Web list has a "left-side" list of subjects (sound, whatever) and
messages (and their threads) are grouped under that subject listing, making
it simpler to navigate postings of similar subject interest, There's any
number of threads with same core subject, different slant, running at any
one time.
.
On the Website, someone must "moderate" all messages, and edit them into
these subject groups.

Which is good, except the actual "usability" (access by users) is poor via
the MS web-site.
So, unless something better is available, I'll have to stick with OE. (So,
what's the tool YOU use to access ng's ? I noticed yr reference to it ...)
Sincerely, Len

Hi, Len.
Sorry. Guess I misunderstood your original question completely! The
subjects in the left column of the web interface tie in with the NNTP
newsgroups on the MS news server. There's no moderator there to place
subjects - they end up in whatever group the person posts to.

A big plus in using a dedicated news reader is that you can drag and drop
copies of messages into user folders and save them for later reference.
It's also much easier to follow threads that you are interested in by
marking them as "watched."

I use a news reader called Dialog (http://www.40tude.com/dialog/). In my
opinion, it's a cross between OE and Agent (another popular news reader). I
had used OE for years and liked it very much but got the itch to try
something new.