! [This help file was written by Bill Thompson, <thomson@umbc1.umd.edu>
!   Edit the file to match your local configuration]

1 NEWS

  NEWS is an electronic bulletin board utility. It offers users a
  means to read information on topics of interest to the user,  as well
  as post information or questions about specific topics. Normally NEWS
  is configured into a larger network of systems (typically with links
  into the USENET), so that the user can interact with a global bulletin
  board spanning thousands of systems.

  NEWS is invoked by the user by simply typing  NEWS  at the  DCL prompt.
  The  user  interface  is based around a simple menu system. See
  Basic_Commands for help in getting started with NEWS.


2 Basic_Commands

  There are a number of basic concepts and commands which the user should
  understand before using NEWS.  In the context of the NEWS utility, a
  topic is referred to as a NEWSGROUP.

  On first entering NEWS, the user is presented with a screen showing the
  topics (or NEWSGROUPS) which are currently available.

  To read the titles of the notes which have been sent to NEWS for a given
  NEWSGROUP, position the cursor next to the NEWSGROUP and type a RETURN.
  The screen will then display a directory of all current items held in
  the selected newsgroup.

  To read the text of a note with has been sent to NEWS, position the
  cursor next to the item and type another RETURN.  Once the item has been
  displayed, typing another RETURN will display in a sequential fashion
  each of the notes received under the NEWSGROUP or typing the command
  "DIR/NEWS" will again display the list of all NEWSGROUPs. Exiting
  completely from NEWS is accomplished by typing a Control Z or by typing
  the command "EXIT".

  Other commands which the user should understand are:

    Command          Meaning
   =============  ================================================
    HELP           The command which provides information on the various
                       functions available in NEWS.
    POST           The command used to send notes to NEWS.
    REPLY          The command used to provide a private response to
                       a question POSTED by another NEWS user. This
                       sends MAIL to the originator of the note. The REPLY
                       will not appear anywhere in NEWS.
    FOLLOWUP       The command used to provide a public response to a
                       question POSTed by another NEWS user.


  Additional HELP on these functions is available in this HELP tree.

2 FOLLOWUP

  FOLLOWUP is used to post a public reply to a NEWS item.

  The command, which must be given with the cursor indicating the original
  note being replied to, is "FOLLOWUP".  The system will startup a text
  editor and copy the text of the original note into the buffer.  The user
  may then delete any portions of the original note which is unneeded for
  the reply.  The user adds the comments to be made and then exits from
  the text editor using a Control Z followed by an "EXIT".  The system
  then prompts for the title of the reply using "Re: the original topic"
  as the default topic. (The user may change the title of the note if
  desired.)   The system then prompts for the NEWSGROUP to which the reply
  should be POSTed using the current NEWSGROUP as the default. (The user
  may add other NEWSGROUPS if needed or change the NEWSGROUP.)

2 HELP

  This command opens the utility information file for NEWS to allow the
  user to learn the various capabilities of NEWS and the syntax for each
  of the valid commands and their qualifiers.

2 POST

  POST is used to post news items into the local NEWS database.

  The command is "POST".  The system then prompts for the NEWSGROUP to
  which the reply should be POSTed using the current NEWSGROUP as the
  default. (The user may add other NEWSGROUPS if needed or change the
  NEWSGROUP.) The system will startup a text editor to allow the user to
  build the note to be POSTed.  The user created the note and then exits
  from the text editor using a Control Z followed by an "EXIT".  The
  system then prompts for the subject line for the note.

  If the note to be posted is already in a text file, the user should use
  the command "POST filename.ext /NOEDIT" instead of merely "POST".   The
  system will still prompt the user for the NEWSGROUP and title prior to
  POSTing the note.

2 REPLY

  REPLY  posts  a  MAIL reply directly to the sender of a news item. This
  is used to respond directly to the poster of an item without the item
  appearing on the net.

  The command, which must be given with the cursor indicating the original
  note being replied to, is "FOLLOWUP".  The system then prompts for the
  subject to be used with the mail message using "Re: the original topic"
  as the default topic.  (The user may change the title of the note if
  desired.)   The system then prompts for the addressee to which the mail
  is to be sent using the originator of the original note as the default.
  (The user may add other addressees if needed.)


  The system will startup a text editor and copy the text of the original
  note into the buffer.  The user may then delete any portions of the
  original note which is unneeded for the reply.  The user adds the
  comments to be made and then exits from the text editor using a Control
  Z followed by an "EXIT".  Exiting from the text editor with a Control Z
  followed by a "QUIT" will cause the mail to NOT be sent to the user.

  On a normal exit from the editor the item is posted via VMS Mail to the
  sender.

2 Topics

  As topics expand and newer, more  specific  sub-topics evolve, more
  newsgroups  - areas within NEWS dedicated to specific topics of interest
  -  can  easily  be  added.   Your local NEWS manager has setup a number
  of newsgroups on your local node, some of which are specific to your
  node or organisation, and some of which are connected to regional,
  national or global NEWS networks. For more detailed listings of the
  catagories of newsgroups supported on this node, your local NEWS
  manager will have probably supplied a list of which newsgroups are
  carried on this system, and where the newsgroups are fed to.
