Copyright: Copyright ©1995 Dvorak Development


A new parent message with replies


Completely new threads that you've never seen before.


CompuServe Dialer

If you don't already have

CompuServe's Dialer, you

can download it for free via

GO NETLAUNCHER.


 Contents

Off-line Usenet Interface

OUI is Dvorak's new Windows and Windows 95 compatible Usenet Newsgroup off-line navigator.  Like Dvorak's well known CompuServe product, NavCIS, OUI is a second generation navigation tool specifically designed to work with the Usenet portion of the Internet.

OUI makes working with Newsgroups simple.  Subscribe to your favorite Newsgroups using OUI's built in Newsgroup index list (it even updates itself for you) with a simple point and click.  Then go online.  OUI supports SLIP, PPP and any valid TCP/IP Winsock compliant connection.  That means you can use your favorite dialer.

Major features:	  € OUI Order form

  € OUI supports e-mail.

  € Automatic UUencoding and decoding

  € Automatic "part finding"	  .€ Requirements

  € Full MIME support.

  € Rot-13 support.

  € Informative online task interface.

  € Built in spell checker

  € Split Read / Reply window

  € True graphical thread support

  € Header activity organization

  € Twit filtration

  € Watch bin

Show Me:

  � The main interface

  � How to subscribe to a newsgroup

  � What do I see when I'm online?

  � Alternative newsgroup formats


Current Reading List banner.  Threads below this section are current and active meaning you have read all or part of them
Current Reading List banner.  Threads below this section are current and active meaning you have read all or part of them before.


Dialers

OUI works with:

   CompuServe Dialer

   Trumpet

   Windows 95

   Internet in a Box

   Any Winsock compliant dialer or network

   that supports SLIP, PPP or TCP/IP.


Disconnect from Internet


Downloading & decoding a file task

from alt.binaries.sounds.tv


E-mail

OUI supports POP-3 and SMTP compatible e-mail servers.  Currently, OUI cannot handle CompuServe e-mail since CompuServe does not provide direct e-mail server access.  It is rumored that they will in the future.  But you can use OUI's e-mail with your Internet e-mail servers if you have such available to you.


Fetching headers from TEST
Fetching headers from newsgroup

alt.test


Finding file parts

Ever wanted to download a file, only to find that locating all the message parts was practically impossible?  OUI does it for you.  Just click on any part of a multi-part message, and OUI will find the other parts.  If the first part you find is 8 of 8, OUI will find parts 0/8, 1/8, 2/8... 7/8.


Graphical threading

OUI displays true graphical threading... even before you download any messages.  This is very handy since you can see where in the life of a conversation a message is, before you download it.   OUI's threading is very complex and will even show you "missing" messages in order to keep the completeness and "truthfulness" of the thread as high as possible.  Messages may be missing from a thread because they have not yet arrived at a server, or because they have been erased by the poster or receiver.  For a screen shot of OUI's threading, click here.


Header activity

OUI organizes headers into three categories:

1. New message threads, completely new threads that have appeared in the Newsgroup since your last visit.

2. Current reading list, threads you have read before (either in part or whole), and new replies that have been posted since your last visit are boldened.

3. Old threads you are ignoring, you've seen these threads before and never downloaded any part of the thread.

To see a screen shot of this type of header organization, click here.


Headers downloaded


Ignored thread titles
Ignored thread titles are listed here.  Notice that some of them are bold.  Even though you've never read any part of these threads previously, OUI still updates the threads as new replies are posted with them.  The new replies appear as bold.


List look for newsgroups

Besides a list newsgroup as displayed here, OUI can be set to use small newsgroup icons, or large newsgroup icons.


MDI Interface

OUI uses an MDI Interface so you can have multiple windows open at the same time.  For instance, you might have a Services window open with the alt.wildlife.cougar newsgroup, a Compose message window, the address book open, and another service window displaying a different newsgroup.  This makes it very easy to compose a message that quotes message snippets from different newsgroups using OUI's automatic cut, paste & quote feature.


MIME support

MIME stands for Multi-purpose, Internet Mail Extensions.  MIME is the current defacto standard for mail servers and provides advanced functionality such as multimedia extensions.


NavCIS,
NavCIS

In case you haven't heard of NavCIS it's our second generation navigation tool for forums on CompuServe.  NavCIS allows you to dramatically increase your information flow to and from forums, while substantially reducing your CompuServe charges.  NavCIS is an off-line navigator for Windows and Windows 95 and this means you do most of your work off-line, while disconnected from CompuServe.  Work like composing e-mail messages, forum messages, selecting which files to download, reading conversation threads, etc.  NavCIS only goes online when you have given it some specific tasks to do: such as fetch this file, post my e-mail messages, check these 8 forums for any messages to me, and grab these forum conversations.  To learn more about NavCIS download the file NAVLIT.EXE from LIB 1 of the DVORAK forum.  Or you can try out a free 30 day trial version called NavCIS TE for Windows. It is in LIB 1, and the file name is WPROTE.EXE.  NavCIS includes a built in spell checker, and support for fonts just like OUI.  As a matter of fact, you can send fonted messages from NavCIS to OUI and back again.


New message threads that you've never seen before because they are completely new.
All messages under this banner are new message threads that you've never seen before. They are completely new.


Newsgroup action buttons

These buttons work with the active newsgroup (in this

example the active newsgroup is Satellite) to handle

task actions... show me Messages, show me headers,

show me Outgoing tasks, etc.


Newsgroups
What is a Newsgroup?

A newsgroup is a special interest message group.  In other words, a bunch of people who have a common interest about old cars might start a newsgroup called alt.automobiles.antique.   Then, a subset of those folks might decide they need their own newsgroup, and so they create alt.automobiles.antique.fords.   Because newsgroups are flexible in their naming structure, and because they are relatively easy to create, there are thousands of them... some estimates run as high as 18,000 newsgroups.


Old Threads You are Ignoring banner.
Old Threads You are Ignoring banner.  All thread titles under this banner have been ignored previously.  You have never read any part of any thread in this group.


Order form
OUI Order form

Dvorak Development, 385 S. Pierce Ave., Louisville, CO  80027

Phone (303) 661-0345   FAX  (303) 661-0635

Ship To:
Name:
E-mail address:
Company:
Address:
City/State/Zip:
Phone:	(      )
FAX:	(      )
	Quantity	Unit Price*	Total
OUI (Off-line Usenet Interface)		$39.00*
Colorado residents add 4% sales tax
Boulder County residents also add 1.05% sales tax
Shipping and Handling**
Total
48 States	US First Class Mail, $3.50

Alaska, Hawaii	US First Class Mail, $3.50

Canada, Mexico	US Air Mail $3.50

International	US Priority Air Mail, $5.50

Method of Payment

	Visa	Full Name on Card:
	MasterCard
	AmEx/Discover	Card Number:
		Expiration date:	_______________
	Check		mm / yy

OUI Upgrade policy

Upgrades are FREE within a version series.  However we do not provide upgrades on diskette, only via download.  Upgrades can be downloaded from  our CompuServe forum (GO DVORAK), or from our soon to be enabled Web site and FTP site (http://dvorak.com and ftp.dvorak.com).

NavCIS Pro upgrade policy

If you already own NavCIS Pro, you can purchase OUI for a special price, just $19.00 plus shipping.  Enter your NavCIS serial number here __________.

Sending your order to Dvorak Development

Thank you for your order.  Orders may be e-mailed to mikec@dvorak.com, or via CompuServe to 71333,12, or via Prodigy e-mail to NYBW87D.  We do not recommend using mikec@dvorak.com since that routing goes through the Internet and may not be secure.  If you are concerned about security, please use fax, US Snail Mail, CompuServe or Prodigy e-mail.  Orders may also be placed over the phone to 303-661-0345.

We accept personal and company checks.  All orders are shipped with an invoice enclosed.


Posting a message in alt.test newsgroup


Read / Reply
Read / Reply window

OUI supports a powerful split screen capability.  You can view up to 3 windows at once: the message window, the reply window, and the thread window.  You can choose how you want the windows laid out:  message on left, reply on right, thread on bottom,  or thread on left, message center, and reply on right, or thread on top, message in the middle, and reply on bottom.  Of course, all three windows do not need to all be open at the same time.  You may not want the thread view window to show for instance, in which case the message and reply windows will follow the rules for the scheme you chose (side by side or top and bottom).  Click here for a screen shot sample.


Replies to the parent "How to answer...". Notice the "x" in the checkbox... that indicates the messages indicated by these head
Replies to the parent "How to answer how do you know".  Notice the "x" in the checkbox... that indicates the messages indicated by these headers will be downloaded with the next New or Action pass.


Requirements

Windows: OUI is a 16-bit Windows application.  It

works with Windows 3.1, Windows NT, and Windows 95.

Hardware: we recommend a 386/33 or faster CPU with

a minimum of 4mb of RAM.  You should also have 6mb

of available hard disk space.  OUI requires VGA (640x480)

or higher resolution monitor. A mouse is recommended

but not required.

Connection:  Must have a Winsock running and using  a

SLIP, PPP or TCP/IP direct connection.


  Rot-13

Rot-13 is a simplistic encryption routine that rotates the English 26 character set by 13 places... so "A" becomes "M", "B" becomes "N", "Z" becomes "L" and so forth.  Why is this done?  Some jokes, stories, etc. are so lewd, bawdy, or otherwise offensive that authors of such material kept getting flamed every time they posted such stuff.  Rot-13 was developed as a way to "hide" the offensive material.  Anyone with  a simple decoder or even a blank piece of paper could decode the message, but in so doing, the reader was acknowledging the he or she understood the potential offensiveness of the message.  A sure way to get seriously flamed in Newsgroups is to flame someone for the content of a Rot-13 encoded message.  The feeling is, if you pressed the button to decode it, you acknowledged that it may be offensive in nature.


Satellite newsgroup threads.  Since "Satellite" is the active newsgroup, its headers are displayed inn this window.
Satellite newsgroup threads.  Since "Satellite" is the active newsgroup, and because the "Headers" button is pressed, its headers are displayed in this window.


Screen shot of OUI's threading

To learn more about this rather busy screen, click on an item you wish to know more about:


Sending (uploading) a file task
Sending (uploading) a file via e-mail task


Sending message task
Sending message via e-mail task


Small newsgroup icons

Besides small newsgroup icons as shown below left, OUI can be set up to display a list box view, or a large icon view.


Split screen

This screen shows the original message in the left hand pane, the reply in the right hand pane, and the relevant thread in the bottom pane.  Notice that the reply utilizes fonts.  Other OUI users, as well as NavCIS and NavStar (using e-mail) users will see your messages with the fonts you chose.  The size of the individual panes can be reset at any time, so you can easily make the Reply pane larger for instance.  OUI "remembers" how you sized the individual panes from session to session. Click here to return to Contents.


Subscribe to a newsgroup

OUI comes with an index of more than eleven thousand newsgroups.  You can easily

select a certain type of newsgroup by clicking on the appropriate radio button and OUI

will only display that type.  You can also search for a key word by simply typing it in.  In

the example below, the the key word "clinton" yielded 4 newsgroups:


Task Window Screen

This window appears when you go online. As tasks are completed, they switch from black to gray.  Also, check marks are placed on the graphic to indicate the item is finished.  Progress bars are used to indicate the progress of large messages such as UUencoded files.

Click on the screen to learn more about specific aspects:


Task interface

Ever wondered what Internet navigation tools like browser were doing while online?  OUI shows you with a clear task window of all activity happening while it is connected.  Click here to see a screen shot.


The menu bar


The number of lines in the message


The title and ID of the message author


The tool bar


This is the currently highlighted thread title, and the menu actions relate to it.


This thread is "watched" by an agent.  The agent places cool sunglasses next to the thread title to bring it to your attention.


Three messages downloaded
Three messages downloaded from

news.newusers.questions newsgroup


Twit filtration

If you've ever visited Usenet, you know how important this feature can be.  OUI lets you ignore messages based on user ID, or on subject title content... for example, you can ignore all thread titles or message titles with the word "massacre" in them.


UUdecoding and encoding

OUI will automatically collate and decode incoming UUencoded messages.  For instance, if you download a 5 part file, OUI will collate the different message parts into a whole file, then decode it.  If a part is missing (say OUI was able to download parts 1, 2, 3, and 4, but not 5 because your daughter picked up the phone while you were online), OUI will automatically fetch part 5 on the next online run, and then finish the collate / uudecode process.

Uploading a file used to be a royal PITA, but using OUI, it is as simple as identifying the file, and OUI will UUencode it, break it into parts (if it needs it), and title each part appropriately (example: MOUNTAIN.ZIP part 2/5).  OUI makes file uploading and downloading easy.  You'll marvel at the number of files available in Usenet Newsgroups.


Uploading a file to TEST Newsgroup
Uploading a file to alt.test

newsgroup


Watch bin
Watch agent

The watch agent lets you watch for specific IDs, key words, and phrases in message headers and message titles.  If matches occur, you can highlight the item (grab your attention), mark the item for next pass task, or automatically download the item.  A great tool for watching threads that interest you.


ain interface
 Main interface

OUI allows you to select a newsgroup with a single click.  In the screen shot below, the newsgroup "Satellite" is active.  The view on the right is Satellite's current thread list.  You can easily change the newsgroup icons if you would prefer. OUI offers both a small icon look, and a list look.


alt.software.readers newsgroup
news.software.readers newsgroup


menu
Header actions menu

This menu lets you assign different tasks to the currently

highlighted thread title or titles.

Mark selected headers to download will place an "x" in the

left hand check box of all currently highlighted headers which will

cause those messages to be downloaded with your next online pass.

Unmark selected headers will remove the download "x".

UUdecode selected files will cause OUI to find all parts of a file

that are missing, and will mark each with a solid gray box.  Those

messages will be downloaded, collated and decoded on the next

online pass.

Cancel UUdecode for selected files will unmark the highlighted

message parts that are marked.

Delete selected headers will remove all highlighted headers from

your thread header list.

Recall selected headers will undo the action described above.

Sort brings up the sort menu.  You can sort thread headers by subject,

 date, and sender ID.

Help brings up detailed help.


off-line navigator
What is an Off-line navigator?

A second generation navigator is a tool that allows you to dramatically increase your information flow to and from newsgroups, while substantially reducing your connect time charges.  This means you do most of your work off-line, while disconnected from the Internet.  Work like composing e-mail messages, newsgroup messages, selecting which files to download, and reading conversation threads.  Off-line navigators only go online when you have provided specific tasks to do, such as fetch this file, post the e-mail message, check these 18 Newsgroups for any messages to me.  Grab these newsgroup conversations, and much more.


Spell checker

Identical to the spell checker in NavCIS, it supports different languages including American English, British English, Short German and Long German.  The spell checker also has a easy to use private dictionary capability to which you can add your own words.  And OUI comes with a custom dictionary called INET.DIC which contains a wide assortment of common Internet terms and acronyms, so you don't have to "train" the spell checker.