On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:51:09 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-11-20 16:48:14 -0500, Justin C said:

UI technology may have improved some software, but my newsreader is
still great, $DEITY knows how long after it was first created, there is
no need for a point an click GUI, it's not possible to make it easier to
use with a mouse.

I like having a variety of options. About all I use are the mouse and a
scroll-wheel. Programmed the keys so the left thumb is back, right
finger forward. No need to reach for function keys, etc.

People who are in a hurry know that the less they use the mouse and
the more they use the keys, the faster they get around. Mouse is
certainly easier, but it is also a lot SLOWER.

wrote:
On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:51:09 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:


On 2008-11-20 16:48:14 -0500, Justin C said:


UI technology may have improved some software, but my newsreader is
still great, $DEITY knows how long after it was first created, there is
no need for a point an click GUI, it's not possible to make it easier to
use with a mouse.

I like having a variety of options. About all I use are the mouse and a
scroll-wheel. Programmed the keys so the left thumb is back, right
finger forward. No need to reach for function keys, etc.


People who are in a hurry know that the less they use the mouse and
the more they use the keys, the faster they get around. Mouse is
certainly easier, but it is also a lot SLOWER.

Keyboard shortcuts are quickest for repeated complicated tasks, but for
something simple like browsing a newsgroup, a multi-button mouse with
some of those shortcuts programmed on the extra buttons on a per
application basis is actually *quicker*. I used to read this group
using a joystick interface gamepad with *lots* of extra buttons, but it
died amd I now have to settle for a five button mouse :-(

wrote:

Your problem is that you are further handicapped by a poor newsreader.
Real, dedicated newsreaders are blazing fast and easy to navigate with
keystrokes.

Thats as may be. I'm used to its quirks though. I dont see that a
dedicated reader is going to be much better with the s/n ratio where its
at at the moment in most groups. If you hang out in groups where 90% of
the threads are due to spammers, lusers, mutating sockpuppets and other
wastes of bandwidth, how do you quickly select the threads you want from
the keyboard? Once I've found something worth reading, I'm effectively
in keyboard navigation mode till the end of the good stuff. Here's
hoping things improve next spring post-inaugeration, because I'm in
danger of wearing out my K key.

In article , IanM wrote:
wrote:

Your problem is that you are further handicapped by a poor newsreader.
Real, dedicated newsreaders are blazing fast and easy to navigate with
keystrokes.

Thats as may be. I'm used to its quirks though. I dont see that a
dedicated reader is going to be much better with the s/n ratio where its
at at the moment in most groups. If you hang out in groups where 90% of
the threads are due to spammers, lusers, mutating sockpuppets and other
wastes of bandwidth, how do you quickly select the threads you want from
the keyboard? Once I've found something worth reading, I'm effectively
in keyboard navigation mode till the end of the good stuff. Here's
hoping things improve next spring post-inaugeration, because I'm in
danger of wearing out my K key.

Ah, now there's the hidden benefit of a "real" newsreader: a proper
kill-file (aka scorefile). I don't what you are complaining of, all
cross-posts are automatically killed. I only see Wilbur when someone
quotes what he says. I can kill be subject, author, or any other header.
I can kill threads started by someone who's in the kill-file so that I
don't see all the OT stuff where people reply to the troll.

A good score file (to use the proper name for a change), allows me to
score certain keywords regularly used in subject lines, or certain
authors, so, for example, if I'm very interested in what Skip is up to I
just give him a score above zero and he's automatically at the top of
the list (Wilbur and cross-posters don't even show up). Also, if I'm
interested in fuel polishing, but not, for example when Roger comments
on the subject (sorry Roger, just an example), I can score fuel
polishing highly, but Roger in conjuction with fuel polishing gets a
negative score. OK, I very *very* rearely go to these extremes, but a
few minutes with a text editor can make a high-traffic group so much
easier to follow. Normally it's just "K-A-A-enter" and I never see
another post from that author again.

My newsreader starts up with the groups sorted in the usual order I like
ot read them, space-bar twice opens the first article in the first
group, I can then read the whole rest of all news by just hitting the
space bar with the occasional 'n' to skip something I don't want to
read.

This has really gone off topic, I'm sorry. I've been an enjoyer of
usenet for about thirteen years and I'm very passionate about it as a
medium - probably because I hate the alternative so much.

Justin.

--
Justin C, by the sea, who also prefers IRC to other "instant messenger"
type programs, and was happy with a text-based email program until he
got a Mac ... actually, I can't see much advantage of a GUI for that
either.
Yeah, go on, call me a luddite.