OT: Usenet reader/posting software?

[Al]

Howdy all,

When I first frequented the Usenet, decades ago, I think 'Forte Free Agent' was my software of choice for reading and posting. Then it stopped being f ree, if I remember correctly. After that, I don't recall what I used. I kno w Outlook Express could do the job after a fashion, but I never liked it, compared to Free Agent. Can anyone recommend a well designed free programme that's available today?

I can't say I'm too eager to use Google's online posting system, because of the way it defaults to using my registered email addy in the headers when I post. (Great for attracting email spam, etc.) A program that doesn't requ ire subscription to a Usenet provider would be nice.

Many thanks, Al

[Andy Burns]

Thunderbird, not perfect but good enough

If you ISP doesn't provide an nntp server (true for talktalk I think?) news.individual.net is cheap, or eternal september is free.

[Another Dave]

I use Thunderbird.

Although it's plugged as an e-mail client it has some good usenet facilities as well.

Another Dave

[S Viemeister]

Thunderbird is free, and works well. Much better than using google...

[Simon Mason]

t' was my software of choice for reading and posting. Then it stopped being free, if I remember correctly. After that, I don't recall what I used. I k now Outlook Express could do the job after a fashion, but I never liked it , compared to Free Agent. Can anyone recommend a well designed free program me that's available today?

of the way it defaults to using my registered email addy in the headers whe n I post. (Great for attracting email spam, etc.) A program that doesn't re quire subscription to a Usenet provider would be nice.

[Dan S. MacAbre]

Seamonkey mail is working okay for me.

[Hankat]

Works fine when it?s a gmail address, the gmail spam filter works perfectly.

But the user interface is f***ed and it doesn?t quote properly either.

Not possible.

[The Other John]

I use Pan. Apparently it's similar to Agent and it's free.

[Nick Odell]

I'm writing this on the portable version of Thunderbird (search for Thunderbird Portable to download the latest version). It runs from a memory stick which I simply plug into whichever windows computer I'm using at the time. This way my usenet reading is always up to date. I'm logged in to Eternal September - which is a free (though not always desperately reliable) news server.

Nick

[Bob Eager]

Yes, used it for years. But not on Windows.

Or Linux!

[Davey]

Clawsmail.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I have both ES and AIOE here - both free. My newsreader downloads from both in sequence. Mainly because not all of the groups I use are on both. But my reader doesn't download duplicates - even if the same group(s) is selected on both. So if one is down, the other still works.

[The Natural Philosopher]

as is albasani. But you have to ask for a login

[Brian Gaff]

I'm still using a hacked version of Outlook Express on windows 7 and 10. as long as you do not use the preview pane all seems fine. I believe you can still get live mail to work too, though I do not like the way the whole thing uses a huge tree of folders myself. Brian

[Davey]

Live Mail is an abortion, as it totally mistreats quotations, making the result very hard to untangle.

[AnthonyL]

I'm still using it - v1.21/32. For me just lacks Ignore poster but otherwise I have never felt inclined to get involved in all the filtering complications that later software seems to wish to impose - and I do all reading off-line.

I suppose one day I'll be forced to change as will the XP system I'm on. Just a question of steeling myself for the transition to Linux.

[Lobster]

On 07 Nov 2016, Another Dave grunted:

I used to use that (it was OK), but gave up when I started using it for email.... as many people on this ng can attest, it's a Bad Idea using the same client for news and email as it's far too easy to muddle them up with potentially embarrassing consequences.

I now use Xnews, which is "OK"-ish; very 'legacy'.

does a fine job for me as a free news server

[ChrisK]

Nearly made the same bad mistake as well. Now use TB for EMail and SeaMonkey for news. They are essentially the same but with no danger of accidently posting something private to a newsgroup.

CK

[Andrew]

+1

[rick]

I used TRN for years (long time before web browsing was an option.)

I swapped my email client a good few years back to Mozilla Thunderbird.....which has kept pace and works across all devices - and is free.

Thunderbird includes a newsreader program built in ..... otherwise loads of usenet apps out there. I just like having usenet & email in one app.