Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

Still using, yes. Updating, no (V2 here), but did buy and install a
later version on a newer machine (W7) but never really used it on that
and when I went to install the same on a full replacement W10 box for
this XP / MacMini machine, the code didn't work so I really need to
get back on that one, get FA installed and working and wean onto the
'new' PC. ;-)

From memory though, I don't think I could get the new FA to work in
the same way as this FA in that *new* threads, threads with new
messages or new messages since the last time I looked are marked in
red. I get the 'read' status once read.

I pick and choose what I want to read (so I can ignore the trolls or
threads I'm not interested in).

Cheers, T i m

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 09:58:27 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

Still using, yes. Updating, no (V2 here), but did buy and install a
later version on a newer machine (W7) but never really used it on that
and when I went to install the same on a full replacement W10 box for
this XP / MacMini machine, the code didn't work so I really need to
get back on that one, get FA installed and working and wean onto the
'new' PC. ;-)

Yes, there's definitely something about this software and it's reviews
that weakens the will to update.

From memory though, I don't think I could get the new FA to work in
the same way as this FA in that *new* threads, threads with new
messages or new messages since the last time I looked are marked in
red. I get the 'read' status once read.

I kind of get that already, as I now have v.6. My memory ain't what
it was so I don't remember it being any other way.

I pick and choose what I want to read (so I can ignore the trolls or
threads I'm not interested in).

A very useful feature if not the most useful.
I'll check to see if the Forte Agent NG is still in operation.

Cheers, T i m
--

Mike

T i m wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.

Still using, yes. Updating, no (V2 here),

I paid for Agent v1.x and Trumpet winsock back in the days of Win3.1

did think about going from thunderbird to Agent 8.0 a few years back,
but found the Agent still looked the same as Win3.1 software did back
then ... just felt too old-hat.

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 13:50:51 +0100, Andy Burns
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.

Still using, yes. Updating, no (V2 here),

I paid for Agent v1.x and Trumpet winsock back in the days of Win3.1

did think about going from thunderbird to Agent 8.0 a few years back,
but found the Agent still looked the same as Win3.1 software did back
then ... just felt too old-hat.

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 13:50:51 +0100, Andy Burns
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.

Still using, yes. Updating, no (V2 here),

I paid for Agent v1.x and Trumpet winsock back in the days of Win3.1

did think about going from thunderbird to Agent 8.0 a few years back,
but found the Agent still looked the same as Win3.1 software did back
then ... just felt too old-hat.

Comfortably so, until now.
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:20:46 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 13:50:51 +0100, Andy Burns
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.

Still using, yes. Updating, no (V2 here),

I paid for Agent v1.x and Trumpet winsock back in the days of Win3.1

did think about going from thunderbird to Agent 8.0 a few years back,
but found the Agent still looked the same as Win3.1 software did back
then ... just felt too old-hat.

Comfortably so, until now.

And that's the thing isn't it, 'don't fix what's not broken'.

I have tried several newsreaders on various platforms, even the FA
clone 'Pan' in Linux and nothing is as good.

That may include the latest version of FA over my current version. ;-(

Cheers, T i m

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:48:32 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:20:46 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 13:50:51 +0100, Andy Burns
wrote:

T i m wrote:

Mike Halmarack wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.

Still using, yes. Updating, no (V2 here),

I paid for Agent v1.x and Trumpet winsock back in the days of Win3.1

did think about going from thunderbird to Agent 8.0 a few years back,
but found the Agent still looked the same as Win3.1 software did back
then ... just felt too old-hat.

Comfortably so, until now.

And that's the thing isn't it, 'don't fix what's not broken'.

I have tried several newsreaders on various platforms, even the FA
clone 'Pan' in Linux and nothing is as good.

That may include the latest version of FA over my current version. ;-(



Going by the posts in the FA newsgroup it surely does.

Cheers, T i m
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:


Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?


I am using version 1.7 and have no complaints.
--
Dave W

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:07:24 +0100, Dave W
wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I am using version 1.7 and have no complaints.
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:07:24 +0100, Dave W
wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I am using version 1.7 and have no complaints.

That's impressive but I'm not sure going back will solve my problem.
Maybe setting everything back to default and strarting from scratch
will help though.
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?
Using v7, originally on XP, then on W7, now on W10. Does what I need
so have stuck with it (paid for license).

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I use a licenced copy of Agent 8.00 on Windows 10. I last updated in
2015 and I don't think there have been any updates since then.

On 07/04/2021 08:43, Mike Halmarack wrote:
Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I suspect the lost posts are more to do with the server than your news
reader. I use Thunderbird and Eternal September and I occasionally see a
reply to a topic where I can't see the OP.

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 12:54:59 +0100, Fredxx wrote:

On 07/04/2021 08:43, Mike Halmarack wrote:
Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I suspect the lost posts are more to do with the server than your news
reader. I use Thunderbird and Eternal September and I occasionally see a
reply to a topic where I can't see the OP.

That may be true sometimes but I'm sure at least some threads were
there in Agent, then not.
--

Mike

On 07/04/2021 14:16, Mike Halmarack wrote:
On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 12:54:59 +0100, Fredxx wrote:

On 07/04/2021 08:43, Mike Halmarack wrote:
Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I suspect the lost posts are more to do with the server than your news
reader. I use Thunderbird and Eternal September and I occasionally see a
reply to a topic where I can't see the OP.

That may be true sometimes but I'm sure at least some threads were
there in Agent, then not.

Ah, once loaded they should be retained. I haven't used FA in years.

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 14:50:21 +0100, Fredxx wrote:


On 07/04/2021 14:16, Mike Halmarack wrote:

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 12:54:59 +0100, Fredxx wrote:


On 07/04/2021 08:43, Mike Halmarack wrote:
Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I suspect the lost posts are more to do with the server than your news
reader. I use Thunderbird and Eternal September and I occasionally see a
reply to a topic where I can't see the OP.


That may be true sometimes but I'm sure at least some threads were
there in Agent, then not.


Ah, once loaded they should be retained. I haven't used FA in years.


Agreed, but some threads to which I had contributed were missing some
posts recently. The only way I could get them back is by "get all
headers", and then wait for thousands of old ones to download before
getting to the recent ones, after which I could delete the thousands
of old ones.
--
Dave W

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 19:36:27 +0100, Dave W
wrote:

On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 14:50:21 +0100, Fredxx wrote:

On 07/04/2021 14:16, Mike Halmarack wrote:
On Wed, 7 Apr 2021 12:54:59 +0100, Fredxx wrote:

On 07/04/2021 08:43, Mike Halmarack wrote:
Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I suspect the lost posts are more to do with the server than your news
reader. I use Thunderbird and Eternal September and I occasionally see a
reply to a topic where I can't see the OP.

That may be true sometimes but I'm sure at least some threads were
there in Agent, then not.

Ah, once loaded they should be retained. I haven't used FA in years.

Agreed, but some threads to which I had contributed were missing some
posts recently. The only way I could get them back is by "get all
headers", and then wait for thousands of old ones to download before
getting to the recent ones, after which I could delete the thousands
of old ones.

Lots of fun things to do there then.
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

Using yes, updating no. Paid-for version 4.2 here.

I'm using it "on a stick" so I take the same messages and settings
from computer to computer and the conversations are always up to date.

The only problem I have is with Google Groups posters where my version
of Agent can't handle the lack of line breaks and displays paragraphs
as long, never-ending single lines.

I believe that I could solve that problem by upgrading to a more
recent version but - hey - I'm the standards-compliant one: why should
I be the one to pay to upgrade?

Nick

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I'm still using it but I don't think there are any updates. In fact,
I don't think it is supported anymore. The only obvjous problem is if
I killfile someone and set it to expire after x days the expiry does
not work (this is a known issue with a complicated work-around).

I believe one of the Tims in the group has kill-filed me :-)

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:17:45 +0100, Scott
wrote:

snip

I believe one of the Tims in the group has kill-filed me :-)

Not this one as I've never kill-filed anyone. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 07/04/2021 14:54, T i m wrote:
On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:17:45 +0100, Scott
wrote:

snip

I believe one of the Tims in the group has kill-filed me :-)

Not this one as I've never kill-filed anyone. ;-)

Really?

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list.

Check the view by clicking on the binoculars icon and see if you are
displaying all messages.

The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

As I understand it, upgrading is only worth doing if you are
downloading large multipart binaries. The latest version is v8 but it
is many years old and there is a bugin filter aging tht has not been
corrected by Forte.

The Agent newsgroupis still active.






--
Regards

John

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:26:03 +0100, John wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list.

Check the view by clicking on the binoculars icon and see if you are
displaying all messages.

The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

As I understand it, upgrading is only worth doing if you are
downloading large multipart binaries. The latest version is v8 but it
is many years old and there is a bugin filter aging tht has not been
corrected by Forte.

The Agent newsgroupis still active.

Thanks, I went there and it was suggested that the problem may be due
to a "Hash Collision"


https://groups.google.com/g/alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent/search?q=%22hash%20collision%22

Who'd have thought?
--

Mike

Mike Halmarack wrote:
On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:26:03 +0100, John wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list.
Check the view by clicking on the binoculars icon and see if you are
displaying all messages.

The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?
As I understand it, upgrading is only worth doing if you are
downloading large multipart binaries. The latest version is v8 but it
is many years old and there is a bugin filter aging tht has not been
corrected by Forte.

The Agent newsgroupis still active.

Thanks, I went there and it was suggested that the problem may be due
to a "Hash Collision"


https://groups.google.com/g/alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent/search?q=%22hash%20collision%22

Who'd have thought?

And you pay money for it. Interesting concept.

Paul

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:10:42 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I've been using 8 for a while, with no problems, although I only
follow a couple of newsgroups and only purge deleted posts (Trash)
older than 50 days on closing, and I have no problems with it. It does
all I want of a NG reader, but I'm not very demanding. Has something
got ticked under one of the Options that's causing the unexpected
purging?

Possibly so, there's a lot of options. Though I've turned off purging
all round as far as I can tell.
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:10:42 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 08:43:26 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

Been happily shuffling along with Forte Agent for years now.
Though I've got purging turned off completely, threads are
disappearing from my newsgroups. I only notice this when there's a
thread I'm interested in and all there is left is one single * post
at the top of the list. The rest of the thread has disappeared.
Is Forte Agent worth updating from version 6 to 8, or are there better
newsreaders these days?

I've been using 8 for a while, with no problems, although I only
follow a couple of newsgroups and only purge deleted posts (Trash)
older than 50 days on closing, and I have no problems with it. It does
all I want of a NG reader, but I'm not very demanding. Has something
got ticked under one of the Options that's causing the unexpected
purging?
Maybe I'm reaching some kind of maximum limit. I have been keeping
all posts for reference purposes. Perhaps I'll have to sacrifice some.
--

Mike

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:19:04 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

snip

Maybe I'm reaching some kind of maximum limit. I have been keeping
all posts for reference purposes. Perhaps I'll have to sacrifice some.

FWIW (in V2.0) I currently have 1692806 messages in my d-i-y group?

Opening FA is still (on this ancient clutter filled box with no free
disk space) pretty quick, as it is moving between groups or messages
etc.

It's even slightly longer delays that can impact the most (you feel
like you are going backwards, even if there may be *extra* features
you may or may not enjoy).

Cheers, T i m

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:52:38 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:19:04 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

snip

Maybe I'm reaching some kind of maximum limit. I have been keeping
all posts for reference purposes. Perhaps I'll have to sacrifice some.

FWIW (in V2.0) I currently have 1692806 messages in my d-i-y group?

Then I'm a long way from any maximum there may be.

Opening FA is still (on this ancient clutter filled box with no free
disk space) pretty quick, as it is moving between groups or messages
etc.

Yes I've got no complaints there

It's even slightly longer delays that can impact the most (you feel
like you are going backwards, even if there may be *extra* features
you may or may not enjoy).

Cheers, T i m

You've convinced me to stick with it. maybe I can even solve my
current problem. If not, it's too good an old friend to abandon now.

On Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:20:43 +0100, Mike Halmarack
wrote:

snip

You've convinced me to stick with it.

Hey, don't hold me responsible! ;-)

maybe I can even solve my
current problem.

Worth a try.

If not, it's too good an old friend to abandon now.

Quite. ;-)

FA is a very big part of why I haven't moved over to the new
(homebuilt ITX) PC yet.

Cheers, T i m