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News configuration: Netscape Navigator

A newsreader enables you to read, save, reply to, mail, forward, post and organise articles from groups you select. In Netscape Navigator version 3.x, open the Netscape Newsreader by selecting Netscape News from the Window menu.If you prefer to use different software, there are several other newsreaders available on the Internet. Be sure to check the home page of any piece of software to ensure you are aware of, and comply with, any licensing requirements.

Customers using version 3.x of our Dial-Up software will already have the required settings, customers using an earlier version of our Dial-Up software should read Setting up your newsreader to check that your news is ready to go. Please ensure that you are using the correct news server for your state or territory.

Selecting which newsgroups you wish to subscribe to
  1. Select Netscape News from the Windows menu to open Netscape News.
  2. Double click on your news server name in the News Server section on the left of the screen.
  3. From the options menu select Show All Newsgroups to display a full list of all newsgroups (this may take a little while).
  4. Browse through the newsgroups to find those that interest you.
  5. Subscribe to each of those newsgroups by clicking once in the box to the left of the newsgroup name so it is marked by a tick.
  6. From the Options menu, select Show Subscribed Newsgroups to list only those newsgroups you have ticked.

Using the Netscape News Toolbar

The Netscape News toolbar offers several options which become active or inactive depending on whether or not you are currently in a newsgroup or have an individual message open.

Reading the newsgroup messages

Each newsgroup you have subscribed to is listed on the left side of the Netscape News window. To the right of each newsgroup's name is the number of Unread messages in that newsgroup (message you haven't yet opened) and the total number of messages in that newsgroup.

To read newsgroup messages:

  1. Ensure you have selected Show Subscribed Newsgroups from the Options menu.
  2. Click on the name of the newsgroup you wish to read to display a list of messages in that group in the right half of the window. Notice that messages relating to the same topic are listed together. This is called a thread.
  3. Click on the first message in the list to open it in the bottom section of the window.
  4. Click on each successive message that you wish to read to display it.

previous button Read the Previous message in this newsgroup. 
next button Read the next message in this newsgroup. 
thread button Mark all the messages in this thread as read (effectively skips the current thread and goes to the next thread). 
group button Marks all the messages in this group as read.

Creating and replying to newsgroup messages

 After you've been reading and following a newsgroup for a while, you may wish to post a reply to a message or even send in your own message on a new topic.

Please do not post to a group until you have read the posting there for some time and have a feeling for the content and style of the newsgroup.

Use the appropriate option from the toolbar. The options are explained following:

Becomes active when you have selected a newsgroup. 
Sends a brand new message to the newsgroup. 
Opens the Message Composition window with the address of the current newsgroup entered automatically.
to mail button Is always active. 
Sends an email message directly to an individual. 
re mail button Becomes active only when a news message is open. 
Sends an email reply directly to the person who sent the news message currently displayed. 
Opens the Message Composition window with the email address, subject and a copy of the message text in the message body automatically.
re news button Becomes active only when a news message is open. 
Sends the whole newsgroup a reply to message currently displayed. 
Opens the Message Composition window with the newsgroup address, subject and a copy of the message text in the message body automatically.
re both button Becomes active only when a news message is open. 
Sends a reply to both the whole newsgroup and an email reply directly to the person who sent the news message currently displayed. 
Opens the Message Composition window with the email address, newsgroup address, subject and a copy of the message text in the message body automatically. 

The Message Composition window

 Whenever you send a new message or email or make a reply, you use the Netscape Message Composition Window. The order of the fields may vary depending on which option you selected but work the same way in each window.

The online Netscape Navigator Handbook

 For more information, see the Netscape Navigator Handbook on Netscape's web site. This is available from Netscape by selecting Handbook from the Help menu.

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