**** The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ****
**** Computation Center ****
News Bulletin #21
11-July-1991
Today's topics:
- New NEWS system installed.
o New NEWS system: A new NEWS system has been installed. The old
system (VNEWS) continues to exist, but it uses a different server.
The new system is called ANU-NEWS and resembles the VMS/MAIL system
in its user's interface. It is a powerful tool (its book is over
180 pages long) so only the basic working principles of it will be
described here (you can learn more by using the HELP command inside
ANU-NEWS or borrow the book from us). Users are advised to switch
from VNEWS to this system although VNEWS continues to co-exist with
it.
When you enter ANU-NEWS for the first time a list of all
newsgroups shown. The newsgroups you are subscribed to (none at the
first time) are highlighted, while the number of them is highlighted
only if there are messages unread by the user. Similarly, when the
list of items inside a newsgroup is shown the message numbers of
unseen messages are highlighted.
Reading messages is done like inside VMS/MAIL - <CR> advances
you to the next screen of the message, or if at the end of a message
the next message is displayed. The NEXT or BACK commands can be
used in a middle of a message to view the next or previous message.
In order to select a newsgroup or an item simply scroll the screen
using the up/down arrows or <NEXT-SCREEN> and <PREVIOUS-SCREEN> keys
of the VT220 terminal.
Bellow you'll find a short description of how to use this
system; described are only the very basic commands.
To enter ANU-NEWS hit the command:
$ ANUNEWS
The commands are:
- CLOSE - This command closes the current context (mail item,
newsgroup list, etc) and returns you to one level above.
- TOP and BOTTOM - move you to the beginning or end of the current
list.
- <SELECT> or <CR> - hitting either of these keys goes down one
level (to the one pointed by the cursor). For example, if the
list of newsgroups is displayed and you hit the <SELECT> key then
you enter the specified group and the list of items will be
displayed. Note that the list starts from the first unread
message and you can use the scrolling keys to see the messages
later in the list.
- SELECT - The Select command accompanied with a group name searches
for the given group name and places you inside it.
- <INSERT> or REGISTER command - subscribes you to the newsgroup
pointed by the cursor.
- <REMOVE> or DEREGISTER - unsubscribes you from the newsgroup
pointed by the cursor.
- NEWSGROUPS - moves you to the upper level and displays the list of
newsgroups.
- DIR - Displays the list of newsgroups or items (depending on the
current context).
- DIR/NEW - displays the list of newsgroups you are subscribed to
which have articles you haven't read yet.
- NEXT - displays the next message (used while reading a news item
and you want to skip to the next one).
- NEXT UNSEEN - Advances you to the next message which you haven't
read yet. Note that this command works only for groups you have
subscribed to, and the initial status of all groups is
desubscribed.
- BACK - Displays the previous message in the current newsgroup.
- SEARCH - Searches all newsgroups or items in a specified newsgroup
(according to an optional command switches) for the given string.
- KILL - Kills (marked as seen) all articles with the same subject
as the current article (or a specified subject).
- SKIP - Marks the current article as read. if you hit this command
at the newsgroups directory, all articles in the pointed newsgroup
are marked as seen (like VNEWS catch command).
- ANSWER - Reply to the current message. The reply is posted back
to the newsgroup. You can use the /EXTRACT switch in order to be
placed inside an editor with the text of the current message
inside.
- POST - Send a message to a specified newsgroup (default is the
current one). You are placed inside an editor in order to compose
the message.
- EXTRACT filename - Extracts the current message into the named
file. You can add the switches /ALL to extract all items of the
current group, /APPEND to append to an existing file and not
create a new version, and /SEEN to mark all saved messages as
seen.
- PRINT - Sends the current news item to the printer. Similarly to
VMS/MAIL, the message is printed only when you exit ANU-NEWS.
- SEND - call VMS/MAIL to send a mail message. You are placed
inside the editor to compose your message. Note that VMS/MAIL is
called, thus you must use the BITNET% thing.
- REPLY - Reply personally to the sender of the message via Email.
ANU-NEWS takes care of all the mail and addressing stuff.
- FORWARD - Use VMS/MAIL to forward the current message via Email.
Note that here again VMS/MAIL is used thus you have to use the
BITNET% exit.
- EXIT or ^Z - Exits the ANU-NEWS system and updating your
SYS$LOGIN:NEWSRC. file. Next time you enter ANU-NEWS you will be
placed at the same place you left it.
- QUIT - Exits ANU-NEWS without updating any file; hence, this
session is lost and next time you enter ANU-NEWS you'll be placed
at the position of the last time you exited it with EXIT.
EDITOR NOTE: ANU-NEWS uses by default the TPU editor. If you
want to use the EDT editor then define the following logical name:
$ DEFINE NEWS_EDIT CALLABLE_EDT
LOCAL lists: There are a few lists whose name start with the
LOCAL path. These lists are either ones local to our university
or newsgroups fed from BITnet lists; the latter are ones that
currently available with the old NEWS command (not VNEWS) which
will be phased out soon.
All news items are saved for one week; however, if disk space
becomes scarce the retention period might be shorten for some
lists.
A final note: remember that when you invoke ANUNEWS for the
first time you are not subscribed to any list although you can
access all lists. It is advised that you will subscribe to the
newsgroups that interests you (and then be able to use the
NEXT UNSEEN command). Users are advised to use the BOTTOM command
once in a while when the newsgroups directory is shown in order to
see the new newsgroups available.
__Yehavi:
