GNKSA Evaluation Form 2.04 Product Name : YA-NewsWatcher Product Version : 2.4.0 Tested on platform : Mac OS Available for platforms: Mac OS Evaluation date : 2/16/98 Evaluated by : J. B. Moreno Conclusion ========== YA-NewsWatcher 2.4.0 fails to satisfy some basic GNKSA requirement(s), hence does NOT qualify for the Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval. Summary ======= Pass Fail Total Pass/Fail% MUSTs 33 6 39 85%/15% SHOULDs 17 10 27 63%/37% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 85%M %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 63%S [GNKSA Score-O-Meter] Details ======= Regarding the strict GNKSA requirements (MUSTs), YA-NewsWatcher 2.4.0 FAILS on the following points: 2b There's no clear, separate command for posting a followup article 2c There's no clear, separate command for replying by email 7c Does not restrict references sensibly 9c Can both post as well as mail followups by default 12a May not provide a syntactically correct From-address 12b Fails to refuse to post messages with syntactically incorrect From: YA-NewsWatcher 2.4.0 violates `soft' GNKSA requirements (SHOULDs) in the following way: 2d Fails to use standard terminology 2e Uses ambiguous terminology 7e Fails to omit `broken' Message-IDs. 10d Does not omit (proper) signatures from quoted text 12c Can use a bogus e-mail address 13b Does not enable users to supersede their own articles 14a May cause posting mangled articles 14b Fails to warn for excessively long lines 14d Does not support rewrapping quoted text correctly 15b Does not warn on, or refuse, excessive signatures YA-NewsWatcher 2.4.0 offers the following nice net-keeping features unmentioned by the GNKSA: YA-NewsWatcher goes beyond basic filtering or kill files by offering scoring, making excellent use of coloring to allow the user to easily tell why the message should be read. Has commands to get FAQ and group description. Allows quick and easily switching between different news servers. Allows viewing downloaded images. Allows downloading just part of binary files so you can see what comments and name the file has. Allows easy posting of binary files. Allows working easily with anonymous remailers. Allows getting the information about your server - its name and what server software is being used as well as what commands it supports. Has excellent online help, which is available in the program at all times. Additional Comments: 2bcde - It uses icons which are easy to see and understand - once you know about them. 3bc - Warns when following up and when dragged into list, not when typed or pasted. 7c - Doesn't restrict referneces to under limit. 9c - Does not do both by default but can be configured to do so. A copy of this review has been sent to the author. Checklist ========= (M)UST / (S)HOULD 1) Displays all essential header information Software clearly displays: [Y] a) Article's author (From) M [Y] b) Article's Subject M [Y] c) List of groups posted to (Newsgroups) M [Y] d) Where (and how) to direct followups (Followup-To) M [Y] e) Where to reply to if not the From-address (Reply-To) M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 2) Provides clear, separate commands for new posting, followup, and e-mail reply [Y] a) for posting a new article M [N] b) for posting a followup article M [N] c) for replying by e-mail M [N] d) Uses standard terminology S [N] e) Avoids ambiguous terminology S [N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 3) Provides cross-posting functionality [Y] a) Allows specifying multiple groups M [Y] b) Warns about, or prevents, posting to large numbers of groups S [Y] c) Strongly encourages setting Followup-To: on large crossposts S (`Y' if large crosspostings are disallowed) [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 4) Allows users to change essential headers [Y] a) Allows editing Subject at all times during composition M [Y] b) Allows specifying new Subject of at least 70 characters M [Y] c) Allows setting "Followup-To: poster" M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 5) Ensures followups and e-mail replies contain a correct Subject [Y] a) Prepends "Re: " if (and only if) not already present M [Y] b) Preserves entire original Subject (modulo minor repairs) M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 6) Directs followups to the correct newsgroups [Y] a) Initiates e-mail reply rather than a followup posting on "Followup-To: poster", clearly informing the user M [Y] b) Posts to groups in Followup-To if present M [Y] c) Posts to groups in Newsgroups otherwise M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 7) Make sure followups contain valid References [Y] a) Creates References header with Message-ID of original article as the last element M [Y] b) Includes last three References from original M [N] c) Ensures References will fit in 998 characters M [Y] d) Keep as many References from original as fit S [N] e) Does not propagate broken Message-IDs in original References S [N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 8) Direct e-mail replies to the correct address [Y] a) Uses Reply-To if present M [Y] b) Uses From address otherwise M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 9) Allow the user to change her mind about whether to post or mail (or do both) and behave if doing both [Y] a) Allows users to change their mind and mail rather than post after having initiated a followup message S [Y] b) Allows users to change their mind and post rather than mail after having initiated a reply message S [N] c) Does not offer both posting and mailing as default behaviour M [Y] d) Inserts a notification that the message was posted as well as mailed in the e-mail copy when both posting and mailing a followup article S [N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 10) Provide adequate quotation and attribution facilities [Y] a) Allows including quoted original M [Y] b) Clearly distinguishes quoted material M [Y] c) Prefixes quoted material with `>'/`> ' S [N] d) Omits correctly delimited signatures from quoted material S [Y] e) Provides a means of indicating which part(s) to followup to S [Y] f) Attribution line containing original author precedes quotes M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 11) Provide a user-specified "Subject: " header [Y] a) Requires non-empty, user-specified Subject for new articles M [Y] b) Refuses posting articles without, or with an empty, Subject M [Y] c) Does not provide default Subject if user did not set one M [Y] d) Allows changing the Subject at any time while editing M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 12) Provide a valid "From: " header [N] a) Sets "From: " header to syntactically valid e-mail address M [N] b) Refuses posting articles without a syntactically valid "From: " header M [N] c) Uses correct e-mail addresses (valid and belonging to the user) only, as far as it can possibly know S [N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 13) Allow users to both cancel and supersede their own articles (and _no_ others!) [Y] a) Allows cancelling articles S [N] b) Allows superseding articles S [Y] c) As far as possible, does not allow cancelling or superseding other peoples' articles M [Y] d) Uses standard terminology S [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 14) Try to respect the 80-character line-length convention [N] a) Articles are posted as edited, with linebreaking intact S [N] b) Warns about lines over 80 characters S [Y] c) Does not refuse to post articles containing long lines S [N] d) Allows rewrapping quoted text S [Y] e) Enforces formatting requirements on article after external editing (`Y' if there is no support for external editors) S [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 15) Separate signatures correctly, and don't use excessive ones [Y] a) Uses (and enforces) standard signature delimiter S [N] b) Warns against or refuses to use excessive signatures S [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 16) Try to prevent obvious user errors [Y] a) Warns when attempting to post empty articles M [Y] b) Refuses posting empty articles S [Y] c) Warns when post articles containing quoted material only M [Y] d) Refuses posting quoted-text-only articles S [Y] e) Warns against posting multiple copies (`Y' if impossible) M [Y] f) Prevents multiple posting entirely S [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 17) Post human-readable articles unless ordered otherwise [Y] Does not (and can not) encode or encrypt articles unless on explicit user demand M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 18) Provide self-protection [Y] Allows filtering out annoying articles (killing) S [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M 19) Be kind to servers, leave room for others [Y] a) Does not unnecessarily open multiple connections M [Y] b) Does not generate excessive server load otherwise M [Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M