GNUS is a relatively new GNU/Emacs news reader. I think it's worth mentioning because it has some easy to use features (basically just hitting SPACE and/or n will get you thru a session.) It also has its own Emacs INFO node (that is, on-line help manual available within emacs.)
Something I like a lot is that it puts all the groups in one window and messages in others. This lets you easily skip around and choose the group you want to read. Most other newsreaders are very weak on this point, it's awkward to just peruse some groups. Here you just move the cursor over the group you want and hit SPACE to enter it.
Another advantage of using a news reader in Emacs is that once you get familiar with Emacs you can just stay in there for editing postings, reading your mail, walking the dog, doing the dishes, etc. There's probably an emacs command for all those things, you just have to figure out what it's called.
To use GNUS just run emacs and type:
ESC-x
(two keystrokes, escape and "x") and when emacs prompts on the bottom line say:
gnus
followed by RETURN (ENTER.) Hitting ? thereafter gives help, to quit out of GNUS use "q" and to quit out of emacs use CONTROL-X CONTROL-C (two keystrokes.)
Your terminal has to be set-up properly. If you have problems (like a messed up screen or things like [1;12 coming out randomly on the screen) then shout (mail staff), we'll try to figure it out for/with you.
Some GNUS Hints 1. If you end up in the wrong buffer or your buffers messed up (like the subjects coming out down on the bottom) here's the keystrokes to get back on track (this is all while reading a particular group):
(note: ^X means CONTROL-X, hold down CONTROL like a SHIFT and hit X, <ENTER> means hit RETURN or ENTER or even ^M)
keystrokes explanation
^Xb*Subject*<ENTER> switch to the *Subject* buffer
^X1 (CONTROL-x ONE) make it fill the screen
Now your cursor will be on the next article to read and hitting SPACE will put everything back to normal.
2. If you save your state occasionally then a modem hanging up won't be disasterous. While in the screen with all the groups in it just hit s (ess, "s", as in save.)
3. To read rotated or rot-13 articles hit ^C^R (two keystrokes.) Note that these articles have been encrypted FOR A REASON, they're usually offensive.
4. When saving an article to a file, using ^O will clean up the file a little making it smaller (you don't need what it cleans out.)
5. You can move groups around by moving to the group name on the screen, hitting ^K (kill) to remove it, and then moving to where you want it and typing ^Y ("yank" from kill buffer.)
Have fun, if other things have mystified you about GNUS just send the questions to staff.
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