Contents

(Translated by babelfish - have fun. An regular translation is under construction)

1. Introduction

1.1 function range of the program
1.2 Program installation

2. Basic concepts of the program

2.1 contents-referred assortment
2.2 cooperative assortment
2.3 data security
2.4 data protection
2.5 damaged files

3. Description of the individual program functions

3.1 allocation of the main mask
3.2 the menu "File"
3.3 the menu "Groups"
3.4 the menu "Messages"
3.5 the menu "Write"
3.6 the menu "Killfile"
3.7 the menu "Profiles"
3.8 the menu "Cooperative groups"


1. Introduction

1.1 function range of the program

The program NewsSIEVE enables to you to fall back when reading UseNet messages to high performance filter techniques with which the messages interesting for you are extracted. For pre-sorting the messages NewsSIEVE offers two basic methodologies to you:

  1. On the page the messages can be sorted contents-referred automatically. In this case you give some examples of interesting to the program or. uninteresting messages on. From these messages generate NewsSIEVE a retrieval query, which is analysed by our central server.

  2. On the other page you can administer common reading recommendations also in a group of Gleichgesinnter, i.e. each member of the group marks the messages, which could be interesting for the others.

Additionally to these filter techniques the program does contain the functionality necessary for the "normal" reading of not filtered messages, including the facility tosuppress certain messages over a "Killfile". In contrast to many other programs you can read the individual groups problem-free from different News servers, whereby you can include also such groups, which are not available on the server of your Internetproviders. A further auxiliary function of the NewsSIEVE program consists of, the message writing by eMail into the message boards - this function you can use e.g. then, if you read groups of a server, on which it you are not permitted to write own contributions.

1.2 Program installation

The installation of the program is very easy: Extract the program archive into a again created directory. The file "NewsSIEVE.jar" you can call directly. Under Windows it goes for this, the file with one doubleclicks to open, otherwise you input to the following instruction on the instruction line: "java -jar NewsSIEVE.jar". For the use of the program a Java-2-Runtime is necessary, if this is not installed on your computer, can you the run time system of the Internet servers of the company SUN (http://java.sun.com) download. The current runtime can be downloaded at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/.

NewsSIEVE enables the user guide in German and English language. If the program should not automatically use the "correct" language on the basis the land adjustments of your computer, then you can modify the adjustment as follows:

  1. Create in the program directory with a text editor a file "locale.txt"

  2. Into the first line of this file you write the language code: "de" for German or "EN" for English.

  3. Into the second line you write the laendercode: "DE" for Germany, "US" for the USA. This specification is used for example for the output by dates.

Subsequently, NewsSIEVE with the appropriate adjustments starts.

For the line-up of the program the following work procedures are necessary:

  1. Select the menu option "file / personal information" and fill out you the display screen mask completely (the inclusive specification on the other tabs).

  2. Select the menu option "file / Register"

  3. The specification needed for the protection of data communication with the server is calculated by this function.

  4. Make a connection to the Internet and select you afterwards the menu option "file / online"

  5. Select the menu option "file / NNTP-hosts"

  6. Enter here the message servers, from which you would like to read messages. The first entry in the list should be the local server of your internet provider.

After these four steps the log-on took place, afterwards can use you all program functions, in order to receive the messages interesting for you.

2. Basic concepts of the program

In the following paragraph some basic concepts of the program are described, the specification of the individual menu options effected in the following main section.

2.1 contents-referred assortment

The contents-referred assortment is based on a monitoring system, which you process either over the menu option "profiles / edit rules" define or over the menu option "profiles / generate rules" from the program calculate let can.

The calculation of a monitoring system is only then possible if you marked some interesting and some uninteresting messages. Important it is here that also uninteresting "Examples to show the opposite" should be marked, so that the automatic calculation leads to a good result. As appoximate value you should mark at least 10 texts for the start.

Until the first calculation is possible, have basically two possibilities of pre-sorting the messages:

  1. They indicate some selection rules

  2. They read not filtered groups at the start, in which you expect interesting message and useful opposite examples.

Since version 1) of the use of conventional News programs, is prospective this hardly deviates the more favorable methodology.

The exclusive use of the contents-referred assortment can lead on a long-term basis into a dead end, if the retrieval query becomes increasingly more specialized by additional examples. This leads on the one hand to the fact that the filter outputs ever fewer message, which resembles for it ever more strongly the examples. On the other hand you possibly miss different discussion topics, which are likewise interesting for you. In order to avoid this problems, you should examine the not filtered groups of messages additionally to the contents-referred assortment also occasionally, in order to look for new topics.

The training examples marked for the calculation are stored into particularly for this created groups. Over these groups you can at any time again see the examples. As soon as an example does not correspond no more to its interests, you should provide it either with another evaluation or remove the evaluation. With the calculation of new selection rules only in each case the current evaluations are then used.

2.2 cooperative assortment

The basic idea of the cooperative evaluation is that a group from several readers with common interests unites and exchanges reading recommendations. So that new prospective customers can find the groups already created, the groups are provided with a description. Over the menu option "Cooperative groups / search group" can you up for these descriptions look.

Problems that only the groups already created can be determined, remains it cannot this way not be determined whether perhaps there are prospective customers, who would go through at a certain group. NewsSIEVE cannot lightsee, it can you in addition, here support. In order to make potential prospective customers attentive on the groups, when creating a new group a message is created in each case, which is analysed by the contents-referred assortment. Thus all users are informed, for whom the description of the again created group sounds interesting.

If you do not find a suitable group to a certain topic, you therefore should open one. Indicate for the description of the group as exactly as possible, which contents are to have the group. The specification of key words, which are to be treated in the group, is likewise useful, so that the proclamation is transmitted to the correct users.

2.3 data protection

During the use of the program naturally information about the user results, about whose protection should be thought. For this reason communication with the server is handled encoded, an unauthorized use of the information by hearing the lines is not thus not possible. The data stored on the server are likewise secured against unauthorized access.

The risk of the data spying on the computer of the users is relatively small, therefore NewsSIEVE does not designate a password query with the program start. You know the program - if necessarily - nevertheless against unauthorized access to protect, by guaranteeing on the level of the operating system that the files can be read by no other user.

To the use of the resulting data by the server operator the following regulations apply:

  1. If you gave permission with the address input, the postal address may be passed on for advertising purposes (e.g. for a letter advertisement). Of course here all data security-legal regulations are kept

  2. The Mailadresse for electronic post office is not released for advertising purposes, they are used exclusively for technical handling.

  3. The remaining information resulting in operation user profiles e.g. the selection rules transmitted to the server become not on third passed on.

2.4 data backup

NewsSIEVE stores all data in the subdirectory "data". Backup these files regularly, with it to you their acces data, descriptions of group etc. are lost.

2.5 damaged files

System-crashs while the software is running might result in defective files preventing the software to start. In this case you have to repair the database. To do so please execute the file "repair.bat".

3. Description of the individual program functions

In the following section the program functions are described on the basis of the menu options of the main mask.

3.1 allocation of the main mask

The main display consists of the following areas:

3.2 the menu "file"

Register

This menu option creates the information necessary for the log-on with the main server. Before the log-on you must modify your address by "Personal information" to indicate. After the call of this menu option you select "online", in order to transmit the registration to the server.

Personal information

By means of this menu option you achieve the input area for your address and further global program options. The input area is divided into the following tabs:

  1. Name
    On this page you indicateyour name. You should leaf blank the field "company", if you operate on your private-PC, which appropriate specification entered as "organization" into the messages written by you.

  2. electronic mail
    On this page you indicate the information needed for the handling of the electronic post office.

    In the field "eMail" the address of your electronic mailbox is indicated, this specification appears automatically as senders in all of you written message. If you do not indicate Mailadresse correct, you cannot write a message.

    In the field "Mail2News" can enter you an appropriate gate, which gate used for dispatching those public messages, which could be delivered at none of the other NNTP servers. If you do not have to use a gate, release this field.

    In the input field "SMTP-Host" you can indicate the server, which receives your electronic mail, this specification receive you from your Internetprovider.

    Over the switch "No-Archive" can you let NewsSIEVE insert into its message an invisible marking, by which the UseNet files e.g. DejaNews are requested not to store your message.

    With the input field to "NNTP-port" the NNTP server integrated in the NewsSIEVE Client can be activated. You need this function only then, if you liked to read the message still with a further program. If this is not the case, input to 0 here, in order to switch the server off. Otherwise you input the Protnummer, under which the server should be attainable, normally the port number 119 are used.

    In the input field "Text-limit" indicate you, how large text bodies are to be loaded automatically. As soon as a message exceeds the indicated number of lines, the heading is only read in automatically, which actual text must is then later loaded.

    Over the switch "use HTTP-Proxy" can you indicate whether the HTTP queries are to be executed from your computer over a Proxy server. If you switch this option on, you must indicate the port number of the Proxys which can be used to the server names in the fields "HTTP-Proxy" and "Proxy-Port" and. Both information receives you from your Internetprovider or network administrator.  

  3. Message-Details
    On this page you find some switches, with which you can determine, which specification from the message header or in the outline list to be displayed are - always all specification is needed.

Delete old messages

With this menu option old messages are deleted. The occupied storage area is available afterwards for new messages again. You should call this function regularly.

Compact database

With this menu option no more did not need data areas of the message file of the program approved. You should call this function zumindestens if over the menu option " old persons messages delete " many messages were deleted.

Online

About this menu option you indicate to the program whether an Internet connection exists or not. The call of the menu option is displayed by the placed in front hook. The menu option should be concerning ATS only if a connection to the Internet exists.

Data exchange

This menu option starts data exchange with the server. Tested on the one hand the main server will become for new messages, on the other hand the subscribed not filtered groups of messages thereupon it examines whether new messages are available.

NNTP-Hosts

Over this menu option you indicate, by which NNTP servers the messages can be gotten. To each server the following is indicated:

The creation and modifying NNTP servers are made by the Buttons "New", "Save" and "Delete". Make sure that all modifications must be stored explicitly over the Button "Save". With the Button "Read grouplist" can you a current group list Servers request, in the field "number of groups" can you following see, how many groups on the server are available.

Exit

With this menu option the program is terminated.

3.3 the menu "groups"

Subscribe to group

With this menu option you subscribe the group, whose name is selected in the group selection list. With next data exchange the program will ask automatically for new messages in this group.

Unsubscribe from group

This menu option removes a subscription of the group entered before. With data exchange then no more is not looked up for new messages for this group. For cancelling the program asks you whether the messages stored in the group are to be deleted.

Display

Over this menu you determine, what is to be displayed to the individual groups:

Properties

Over this menu you determine, how long the messages are to be kept and when the full texts to be loaded to be supposed.

Purge after determines when the messages are deleted with the next "Delete old messages" run.

If load bodies is switched off, for the new messages of the group first only the headings are loaded, the respective message text receive you then only on separate request. Automatic loading should be switched off for the groups, in which you can really read only very few messages and already detect this by the concern. If only the headings are loaded, the texts can load " message/text " later over the menu option to be gotten.

Over the menu option "Message pointer" you can reset you the reading pointer of a group. You need this function, if to a again subscribed group old messages are to be read by the server. According to standard the reading pointer is adjusted in such a way that no messages are read, which were written before the last updating of the group list. Resetting is pre-allocated in such a way that all at the server available messages are read. By the input of a smaller value you can reduce the amount of that to reading messages.

Group selection

Over this menu option you determine, which groups are to be displayed. They can select here between the display of all offered groups, the display of all subscribed groups, the display of new groups and the display of certain groups. With the latter you input a search word, it all the groups are then displayed, whose name contains the search word. This display version is suitable well for the search for certain groups. According to standard only the subscribed groups are displayed, since these are the groups, which need you most frequently.

Mark as "read"

With this menu option you can mark all message of the respective group collected as " read ". If you are finished with the examination of a group, you can achieve by means of this menu option fast that the messages not opened by you are continued to emphasize not as " again ".

3.4 the menu "Messages"

In this menu you find the functions for the handling of the individual messages:

3.5 the menu "Write"

In this menu you find the functions, which need you for writing own messages or for the answer of the messages read by you:

If you call one of the menu options to the writing of a message, the dialog box opens "message writes". Within the window you find the following input fields:

You write their response best under the quoted text, to which you refer. If you answer to several sections of the message, your message consists alternating of quoted text and your response to it.
Occasionally it will occur that one does not find passages, which can be deleted meaningfully from the quoted text. In this case it - if it around a longer text concerns itself - is not meaningful to take over the complete origin message as quotation. Shorten in this case the quotation on a short glossary word, which you indicate in square brackets. The comprehensibility of your response does not suffer from since the other readers can likewise read the original message.
Make sure altogether that your response should containing more own than quoted text.

Under the input fields are the instruction switches:

3.6 the menu "Killfile"

In this menu you find the program functions approximately around the "Killfile". The "Killfile" offers a simple, local mechanism to you, in order to segregate from the not filtered groups of messages determined messages. Contrary to the global filtering over the main server in the Killfile is indicated, what is not to be displayed.

The first three menu options serve to mark unwanted without large expenditure:

edit killfile

By means of this menu option you achieve the input dialog "suppress messages". Here you can make entries, with which from the otherwise not filtered groups unwanted messages can be segregated. The analysis of these rules takes place whenever with data exchange for new messages for the individual groups one looks up. The messages segregated over these rules are rerouted into a special file < " > killed ", there can see you the messages, in order to control your exclusion rules.

The upper input field "Threshold" indicates, starting from which evaluation a message is to be suppressed. In the lower part of the input mask you find a selection list, in which the exclusion rules already input are specified. At the lower edge of the display screen mask you find to Buttons to the creation, memory and deletion of exclusion rules. The detail specification to the selected exclusion rule is displayed in the input fields within the upper mask area and can be modified there:

If the switch"regular expression" is active, any regular patterns as defined for the program the Perl5 can be used. The search printouts are formed according to the following pattern:

Example:

"((.* .*))|(<.* .*>)" searches for two words (".*"), which are separated ba blank and in parentheses with either pointed brackets or round brackets.

Over the switch "kill replys" can you determine the fact that responses to messages, which were already deleted and moved into the the folder "<killed>", should be also deleted.

3.7 the menu "Profiles"

Categories

Over this menu option you define the evaluation categories, which are to be used during processing of the messages at the central server.

In the top of the window a selection list is, with the Buttons in the lower section can you the list modify:

For the evaluations defined here in the group list groups for the file of the messages evaluated by the server and the texts evaluated by you for the generation of the selection rules are produced. As minimum you should create the two categories "interesting" and "uninteresting". If you create more than one category for interesting messages, you should the category "uninteresting" in any case maintained.

Generate rules

With this menu option you start the analysis of the evaluated messages. After termination of the calculation you can process the new selection rules over the menu option "Edit rules" to see. For the calculation of the selection rules you should collect at least 10 examples of each of the categories.

Edit rules

By means of this menu option you achieve the display screen mask for the input and modification of the selection rules. Above on the mask is a selection box, in which you can select the monitoring systems on the basis their point of creation time. Under the selection box it is displayed whether the rules were already transmitted to the server.

In the input field "Threshold" you can indicate a threshold value, which evaluation must achieve a message, so that the server transmits a message to you. Within the lower area of the display screen mask the Buttons is to creates new entries, for storing more modified and does not delete not far necessary selection rules as well as for closing this input mask.

In the middle area of the display screen mask you indicate the selection rules. The creation of the selection rules takes place after the following sample:

Examples:

10 computers Amiga

This rule assigns an evaluation of 10 at messages, in which both "computer" and "Amiga" are indicated.

5 computers ~unix

This rule assigns an evaluation of 5 to the messages, which contain the word "computer", in which the word "unix" however does not occur.
The selection mechanism can be described by the following example:

interesting:

5 Amiga

10 NNTP

uninteresting:

10 money fast

10 money make

These rules assign the following evaluations:

A message "Make Money with your fast Amiga" obtains the evaluations interesting/5 and uninteresting/10 corresponding. Since the evaluation for "uninteresting" is larger, the message is sorted into this group - we assume that for the sake of simplicity that the threshold value is smaller than 10 here, otherwise no evaluation for this message is assigned.

3.8 the menu "Cooperative Groups"

In this menu you find all functions, which you need for the administration of cooperative appraisal teams.

search group

By means of this menu option you achieve the dialog mask "Search for cooperative scoring-groups". In the selection box at the top margin you can select the retrieval queries executed so far. Under the selection box is the input field for the search words. Under this input field - if it is already present - the search result displayed. In the left section the headings of the determined groups are displayed, in the right section appear in each case the full description to on the left of selected group. At the lower edge of the mask Buttons, with which you create a new retrieval query, are an existing for handling to the server transmit, a group from the result list to subscribe or to a group the description of full text to request can.

In the input field for the retrieval query you indicate the search words, which could be relevant for the looked up topic. The words are indicated simply consecutively or in individual lines. The sequence of the words is not important here.

During the mechanism of new groups the descriptions of group are compared automatically with the interest profiles. For the groups, whose descriptions for you are interesting, you will receive a notification. The in such a way determined groups are entered directly into the group list. With the "croup administration" menu item you can subscribe these groups directly.

Group administration

Over this menu option you can administer the cooperative appraisal teams subscribed created by you or.

With the selection box at the top margin of the display window you can select the group. The group characteristics are indicated in the following input fields:

Under the input fields for the group characteristics you find the input field for the description of the group. For your own groups you can modify this value. Additionally to a textuellen description you should indicate also the most important keywords fitting the group here.

At the lower edge of the display screen mask you find to Buttons for the creation, renaming, memory and deletion of groups.

Over the Button "Update group-description" you can reload the data from the server, so that you can see e.g. modifications of the description text.

User administration

Over this menu option you can administer the users writeentitled in your groups. At the top margin of the display screen mask is a selection box, with which you can change between the individual lists. Under the selection box the users of the list are specified. In this list also the users are listed, who requested a write authorization, if the authorization is already given, the entry with one "+" marked.

At the lower edge you find to Buttons for the assignment of the write authorizations:

Cleanup grouplist

With this menu option you delete the information to the not subscribed groups. They should call the menu option regularly, if by the group search a larger number were loaded at descriptions of group.