Quoting Katie ([EMAIL PROTECTED]): > 1. [...katie]$tin > 2. this message flashed at the bottom of the screen > really quickly: > > copyright... > can't open /var/lib/news/active > try tin -r to read news via NNTP > > 3. [...katie]$
By default (absent anything on the command line or user environment space that says the contrary), tin assumes -- for lack of cues to the contrary -- that you must be at the command line of a news server host. /var/lib/news/active would be part of such a host's system-local news spool. (That situation is rare, these days.) In this case, you probably _intended_ to communicate with some particular real news server via the NNTP network protocol (the "-r" option, which stands for "remote"). The problem... > I tried the tin -r, got a "cannot connect to server" > message. ...is that you didn't specify _what_ news server. tin metaphorically scratched its head and gave up. You must first know the hostname of a news server to which you have access permission. This used to be a lot more common than it is, today. The size of Usenet feeds keeps growing at staggering rates -- much of it, sadly, spam -- and the expertise required to keep a news server running is becoming rare. So, it's tending to become either (1) flaky and unreliable, or (2) a specialised service from just a few providers, separately from one's basic connectivity (e.g., Newsguy, Supernews). But you might be one of the lucky ones, whose Internet connectivity provider still operates a functional news server with a good feed. Suppose the news server to which you have posting rights is news.example.com. Then, you could either add this to your user environment space: $ export NNTPSERVER=news.example.com [1] ...or specify it on the tin command line: $ tin -r -g news.example.com Please note: There's a program called leafnode that can maintain a mini-news spool on your system, batch-fetching articles from your upstream _real_ news server so you can read and follow-up to them at local speeds. Once you have that set up, you likewise talk to it via NNTP, only it's a, so to speak, local call: $ tin -r -g localhost If you have no idea where, if at all, you have authorised access to a Usenet news server, contact your Internet provider and cross your fingers. (Be aware that the answer may be "We don't provide one" or "We recommend that you post/browse using a Web browser via groups.google.com".) [1] Which obviously can/should be put into your account's .bashrc, or equivalent syntax & file for whatever shell you might prefer to Bash. -- Cheers, "Reality is not optional." Rick Moen -- Thomas Sowell [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ vox-tech mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.lugod.org/mailman/listinfo/vox-tech
