README FILE
SCCS-Version : 1.7
Release version 1.3

What is SLNR ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The SLNR package is an off-line usenet news reader : it is intended for users
who want to connect to a host, download a packet with new messages, read
them on their home machine and upload the replies later.

Slnr stands for "Simple Local News Reader" and is one of the packages that
can read and write packet using the emerging Simple Offline Usenet Packet
(SOUP) standard.

The slnr package contains the following files

- getnews.c : This program runs on your unix machine and get all unread 
articles in all subscribed newsgroups as well as your new mail and creates a 
packet (.zip, .arc, .zoo) that you can download and view with slnr.

- getnews.doc: Explaining how to compile getnews on your machine and how to
configure it using the .getnewsrc file

- slnr.c : The offline news reader which runs on your local machine and let 
you view and reply to messages. So far there is a Unix, Dos and Atari 
version.

- postreply.c : Like getnews this program runs on unix machine and post mail
and news articles from the reply packet.

- colour.h : needed in slnr.c

- sig.txt  : optional signature to be appended at the end of your messages

- soup12.doc : The packet format

- slnr.doc : First try at a documentation

- Makefile : A makefile for unix (needed for getnews and NNTP)



Where to go from there ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   
   - Compile and test the product on your machine 

   On the unix machine : compile getnews.c and postreply.c. You may have to
   modify them for your system. Read the getnews.doc documentation and
   create a .getnewsrc config file to suit your needs.

   On the dos/atari/etc... machine : Compile slnr.c, maybe create a "batch"
   program to extract the files from the packet.

   REMEMBER: The SOUP format specifies that filenames are to be in
   uppercase. Under DOS it is not a problem but under Unix, if you are
   using "zip" or "unzip" for compressing the packets you should use the
   "unzip -U" option to uncompress properly.

   - Send comments or bug report to me <pgoujard@infocom.co.uk>. Please try
   to give me the sccs version of the files or at least the release version
   of thge package so I will know to which one you are referring.

   - If you are interested in SLNR and other off-line news reader, 
   read the usenet newsgroup : alt.usenet.offline-reader


Changes since the previous issue
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- SLNR: Remove most of exit() calls and try to carry on when a problem
occurs.

- SLNR: Added check for "Followup-To:" line when posting a followup.

- SLNR: Better check of "Re:" in the subject line.

- GETNEWS

. BIN_ZIP and BIN_RM defined
. (idea) "echo /bin/tar -cvf $* > BIN_ZIP"
. add parse of cmd line option (-marknews -savemail -index -Debug ...)
. add NNTP support


Thanks to
~~~~~~~~~
       - Bob Rusbasan <rrusbassa@nyx.cs.du.edu> for carrying on intensive 
       tests on the DOS version of SLNR and for his overall support.

       - Dick Grady <grady@world.std.com> for helping with getnews.c

       - Stephen B Parker <sbparker@infocom.co.uk> for the Atari version of
       SLNR

       - Jean-Claude Michot <jcmichot@teaser.com> for the NNTP support in
       getnews.