Date: 2024-10-10
Last update: 2024-11-19

Usenet gameplay on Plan 9
-------------------------

One would not expect that the whole process can be done within Plan 9
operating system. Here we go with all the necessary steps to reach
Gopher Usenet newsgroup.

Register on the web to get free access to text-only Usenet News.

; abaco http://www.eternal-september.org/RegisterNewsAccount.php

Fill in some name, email and userID. You will receive your password
in your email. Now you have access to Usenet.
If you wish to change your password or email, just log in there:

; abaco http://www.eternal-september.org/userfunctions.php

Change it however you wish.
That's all HTTP traveling. Let's reach lovely Usenet from your
gorgeous Plan 9 system. Run command in the rc window:

; echo 'key proto=pass service=nntp server=news.eternal-september.org\
user=USERID !password=PASSWORD' >/mnt/factotum/ctl

USERID is UserID and PASSWORD is your password in Eternal September
you registered above. This command will add your credentials
to the factotum.

Run nntpfs service and connect to Eternal September:

; nntpfs -a news.eternal-september.org

Nothing will happen. Maybe just factotum will ask for your username
and password.
You are now connected to Usenet. It is mounted in /mnt/news
hierarchically. All newsgroups and articles are there. That is not
so friendly for browsing and posting your articles. Open Acme.
Anywhere in acme type:

News comp.infosystems.gopher

Select it with the mouse and middle-click.

Boom you now browse Usenet Gopher Newsgroup email style in Acme Usenet
client. You right-click on a number and the article will open for you.
If you wish to reply to that post, you hit middle-click Reply.
Remember to add the first line above Subject:

From: your@email.adr (name)

Obviously your email and name in the format above.

If you wish to browse or search all newsgroups, you can do it
manually with any tool you like in /mnt/news  or even in
Eternal September website:

; abaco http://www.eternal-september.org/hierarchies.php

comp.infosystems.gopher is in /mnt/news/comp/infosystems/gopher/

If you would like to check any other newsgroup, just type in acme
News your.newsgroup.thing and middle click on it.

If you are first time there, I recommend going and test things in
the testing newsgroup of Eternal September

News eternal-september.test

Remember about namespacing in Plan 9. All the above works only
in the window you initialized commands. It means you have to open
acme in the rio window you previously started nntpfs. That command
mounted Usenet to /mnt/news in the current window.

Happy useneting. Don't forget to first check things a bit before you
start sending your broken spam to regular newsgroups ;/

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The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it
.