NEW YANOFF VERSION 2.0 USENET NEWSREADER FOR PALM OS NOW AVAILABLE
June 26, 2004
SonLight Software today officially released New Yanoff version 2.0,
the premiere portable news reader for Palm OS.
New Yanoff is an online/offline Usenet NNTP news reader for palmOne and
Palm OS-compatible PDA's. New Yanoff is offered in two versions:
Yanoff- and Yanoff+.
Yanoff- is the freeware version which features:
* Full compatability with OS4 and OS5 (Garnet)
* Multiple download methods (e.g. Batch-Header with Body-on-Demand)
* Outgoing spport for news (NNTP) and simple email (SMTP)
* Context-sensitive, user-definable buttons
* Multiple-server support
* Essential MIME support
* Event (e.g. error) and port logging (allows for uninterrupted polling)
* Global Find support
* Audible feedback/alerts
Yanoff+ is the advanced commercial version which contains everything found
in Yanoff- plus much more, including:
* Authenticated login support for SMTP
* Killfile and other Anti-SPAM functions
* Thread caching for radical speed increases in article threading
* Progress dialogs and cancel/defer/resume ability for long operations
* ROT13 and ReverseText
* Multiple fonts
* SentBox option
Yanoff+ can be operated in trialware mode for 15 days after which it
locks down to the Yanoff- feature set. Users can purchase an unlock key
for $24.00 (US) via SonLight Software's online store which restores the
locked features of expired Yanoff+.
New Yanoff version 2.0.0 for Palm OS can be downloaded at the following URL:
http://www.PalmYanoff.com
Minimum Requirements:
* palmOne or Palm OS-compatible PDA running Palm OS version 3.5 or later
* internet connectivity.
Copyright (Š) 2004 SonLight Software. All rights reserved.
Updated June 26, 2004
> NEW YANOFF VERSION 2.0 USENET NEWSREADER FOR PALM OS NOW AVAILABLE
Will it work with Linux? That is, given that I don't have a network
card or modem in my Tungsten T3, will I be able to download and reply
to news (and secondarily only, mail) using my Debian Sarge box?
Thanks.
--
Carl Fink ca...@fink.to
Jabootu's Minister of Proofreading
http://www.jabootu.com
We regret the typo in this press release misquoting the price of a license.
The web page and app itself correctly report the actual cost which is $27.
There is only one way it might work on Linux and it is a pretty major hassle
(but hey, you are a Linux user so hassle is your middle name!)
1: Download the emulator from www.palmos.com (as I recall, there is a Linux
emulator but if not, stop now).
2: Open an emulator session and install New Yanoff and configure it on your
emulated device.
3: Set the "Settings/Properties/Redirect_NetLib_calls_to_host_TC/IP"
checkbox on the emulator.
4: Poll as you normally would.
5: Uset the "Export Database" emulator function to transfer all the "News*"
files to files on your computer.
6: Transfer the files to your PDA.
> There is only one way it might work on Linux and it is a pretty major hassle
> (but hey, you are a Linux user so hassle is your middle name!)
Um, no. That was true five years ago, though.
At this point it'd almost be easier to write my own slrn port to
PalmOS or something than follow the steps you list. I don't suppose
you'd publish the specs on the conduit necessary.
> At this point it'd almost be easier to write my own slrn port to PalmOS
> or something than follow the steps you list. I don't suppose you'd
> publish the specs on the conduit necessary.
Just download the source code to the GPL version of Yanoff, and
use that to figure out the database format being used on the .pdb side of
things.
I don't know anything about Palm for Linux. Is there a host-side PIM and a
Palm conduit (i.e. is there HotSync functionality for Linux)? If so then
there is great hope because I will be tackling the Java Conduit update next
and I'd like to get it to work wherever I can. The current conduit is open
source so you can take a look at it (I have not even downloaded it yet)...
> I don't know anything about Palm for Linux. Is there a host-side PIM and a
> Palm conduit (i.e. is there HotSync functionality for Linux)?
The answer is "several". I oscillate between jpilot and kpilot, but
there are others.
> If so then there is great hope because I will be tackling the Java
> Conduit update next and I'd like to get it to work wherever I can.
> The current conduit is open source so you can take a look at it (I
> have not even downloaded it yet)...
Thanks.
>> At this point it'd almost be easier to write my own slrn port to PalmOS
>> or something than follow the steps you list. I don't suppose you'd
>> publish the specs on the conduit necessary.
>
> Just download the source code to the GPL version of Yanoff, and use that
> to figure out the database format being used on the .pdb side of things.
It looks like we might have a slight GPL violation here, hopefully an
innocent mistake on Gregg Woodcock's part. The "GPL Yanoff" doesn't appear
to be available from the website, though it claims that one of the
versions there is "basically GPL Yanoff", but there is no COPYING file,
and no license or source code.
Gregg? When are you going to correct that mistake?
"Gregg Woodcock" <wood...@SonLightSoftware.com> wrote in message
news:4d087cf18cd4208d...@news.teranews.com...
> Copyright (©) 2004 SonLight Software. All rights reserved.
>
> Updated June 26, 2004
>
>
See the readme file. Gregg got the Yanoff code from the original
author under a separate licensing arrangement. He did not take the
code under the GPL, so he is not required to comply with the GPL.
Marc
--
Marc Field
nos...@mfield.mailshell.com (real address!)
What exactly do you mean by that? I'm part of the New Yanoff beta
group and have been using the new Yanoff for something like a year
now. Gregg has added a number of new features that make Yanoff a very
capable newsreader, very nice to work with. A few examples are the
new programmable on-screen buttons and the various functions you can
assign to them (my favorite is the "delete above" command that gets
rid of all the messages above the cursor, making it easy to quit
reading part-way through a group), SMTP authentication, and the
killfile features, which I use to avoid downloading spam (you can set
new Yanoff to skip articles crossposted to more than n groups, where n
is set separately for each newsgroup).
My point is this: Eamon, if you have specific criticisms, speak up.
Everyone else, I think Gregg added a lot of good stuff. Do give the
new Yanoff a try and see for yourself.
>I went to the web site - looked at the demo - it looks like a complete
>nightmare !
I thought that - the free version is filled with lots of horrible nags and
non-working buttons with strange characters - the thing's a complete mess. You
can now only poll using the drop-down menu.
Where're all the pretty colours shown on the website? Why no 320x480 support?
I wish I'd kept the original - I learned to live with all the error messages,
now it seems I have a new set.
Perhaps it ought to be remembered that some people would just like a newsreader
for their handheld, not a half-finished one suitable for programmers to hack.
It also asks me to register for a trial using my Palm ID as a RegCode and citing
a non-existent web page (www.PalmYanoff.com/order.htm). How do I register for
this trial? I might want to buy it but I need a fully functional trial before I
do.
JPG
The buttons on the 2 "deeper" screens do work and they have all the
funcionality that was originally available to them.
> You can now only poll using the drop-down menu.
I had forgotten that the NG List screen had a button originally, too; I
misremembered that I had added that. So far as I know, this is the ONLY
thing that was in GPL Yanoff that is not in Yanoff-...
> Where're all the pretty colours shown on the website? Why no 320x480
support?
Look at the disclaimer on the demo page. The emulator automatically does
this. I will add a link (if I can find one) to the technical reasons for
it.
> I wish I'd kept the original - I learned to live with all the error
messages,
> now it seems I have a new set.
You can go back; there's nothing stopping you except that any new articles
will be unreadible In fact, using the extra features of the NG Prefs
screen, you can set your "Next Article to Poll" pref backwards before
backgrading and repoll the articles in GPL Yanoff. If you do this, also
delete NewsHistory.pdb so that GPL Yanoff will not remember that you've
already downloaded the articles.
> Perhaps it ought to be remembered that some people would just like a
newsreader
> for their handheld, not a half-finished one suitable for programmers to
hack.
This does not make sense. You still have what you always have had; but now
you have 2 additional choices. You can go back any time you wish! You can
even add to GPL Yanoff to make it what you want! Perhaps we ought to
remember that an abundance of options is always better than having no
choice.
> It also asks me to register for a trial using my Palm ID as a RegCode and
citing
> a non-existent web page (www.PalmYanoff.com/order.htm). How do I register
for
> this trial? I might want to buy it but I need a fully functional trial
before I
> do.
GACK! I am really disappointed this slipped through. I added a link to the
web pages but when I grepped through the source code, I could not find
"order.htm" anywhere. Where did you see this?
How embarassing (but thank you for finding it so soon and bringing it to my
attention)!
Pressing "Register" brings up the Register: tap 'i' for help" dialogue.
My Palm ID is shown as a (presumably temporary) RegCode. The Text is then:
^- Use RegCode above at the URL below -v
The url is shown as www.PalmYanoff.com/order.htm
Hope this helps
>How embarassing (but thank you for finding it so soon and bringing it to my
>attention)!
>
Thanks for the reply, Gregg. I have been very churlish to complain about
software which has been provided for free. I really am looking for a commercial
and reasonably polished product and I was hoping that Yanoff+ would provide
this. I think I have misunderstood what has been done regarding provision of
the software and have yet to set it up properly.
I am not a software expert and all this development stuff leaves me cold.
Perhaps it is a case with me of RTFM but what is the "emulator" you mention
which would enable 320x240 and coloured screens?
JPG
> See the readme file. Gregg got the Yanoff code from the original author
> under a separate licensing arrangement. He did not take the code under
> the GPL, so he is not required to comply with the GPL.
I'm aware of how the licensing works, thanks. Good that you're letting
others who might be reading this thread know the details though.
However, if this has nothing whatsoever to do with the GPL version as his
website claims, then he needs to stop saying that it is "basically the GPL
version", and other similar comments. Look at the Release notes link on
the left: "Here are the changes new in release 2.0 (from GPL Yanoff)".
Either it is, or it is not a GPL version of Yanoff.
If this isn't based on any GPL code, then he needs to stop mentioning the
GPL all over the place on the site. I know the history of Yanoff, and I
know how the license was transferred, but many others might not.
Also, if this is not anything at all related to Yanoff, he should give it
a new name. He's confusing the users who are used to the GPL version.
Lastly, since the GPL Yanoff is still available, I can take that code,
update it, and release my own version, ALSO called Yanoff, if I so choose.
I don't see any mention on the website that the copyrights to the NAME or
any associated trademarks to the name were transferred.
In fact, I think I'll do just that.
Expect a GPL Yanoff to come out very soon, based on the 1.5.4 code from
the Sourceforge site. I'll call it Yanoff, and I'll make sure it skips the
versions Gregg is using now, so the users will not be any more confused.
Since Gregg has Yanoff+ and Yanoff-, calling my version Yanoff won't be a
problem at all. I'll sell it for 1/2 the price of this proprietary
version, and include the full source code to the modifications I make.
> Expect a GPL Yanoff to come out very soon, based on the 1.5.4 code from
> the Sourceforge site. I'll call it Yanoff, and I'll make sure it skips the
> versions Gregg is using now, so the users will not be any more confused.
> Since Gregg has Yanoff+ and Yanoff-, calling my version Yanoff won't be a
> problem at all. I'll sell it for 1/2 the price of this proprietary
> version, and include the full source code to the modifications I make.
So you plan to charge money for software that users can actually get for
free?
Regards
-Laurens
> So you plan to charge money for software that users can actually get for
> free?
My goal isn't to make a profit on it, but to make a cheaper replacement
for the proprietary, non-GPL version of Yanoff that Gregg is promoting. I
could certainly just give it away, but that defeats the purpose, and users
who wish to get a little more for their money, can certainly buy up for
support and other customizations. Welcome to one version of a business
model based on the GPL.
I don't mind you complaining AT ALL; I just want to get the details of the
complaint so that, if possible, I can address them. Besides anybody who
knows the proper use of the word 'churlish' and is man enough to use it
in public (in regards to himself even) is a man worthy of esteem!
> I really am looking for a commercial
> and reasonably polished product and I was hoping that Yanoff+ would
> provide this.
I think if you persist and setup your ButtonActions, you will find that this
is more than you were desiring. The only 3 buttons that don't work at all
(unless you register) are the first 3 we are discussing. But it is no big
deal because you can setup the HARD buttons on the first screen (calendar,
etc.) for the Poll function which you cannot do in GPL yanoff (and this is
actually better). So I have IMPROVED the number of buttons available on the
NG List screen AND I've made them programmable to boot. The on-screen ones,
obviously, are a perfect spot to advertise for registration. Even though
they'll always be set to the Register action, you can change their text to
whatever you like which surely is some consolation!
> I think I have misunderstood what has been done regarding provision of
> the software and have yet to set it up properly.
This is surely so but clearly I have been blinded by my own familiarity with
the features to the point of confusing newbies. This is also a flaw in such
an extended beta test period (my testers became experts and lost the
ablility to examine as a newbie would). This is all VERY EXCELLENT feedback
and I'll defintely be changing dox and the app to accomodate new users
better.
> I am not a software expert and all this development stuff leaves me cold.
This is our first software launch as well so we have much to learn and
appreciate you taking the time to give specific feedback.
> Perhaps it is a case with me of RTFM but what is the "emulator" you
> mention which would enable 320x240 and coloured screens?
That's what I was saying; I gave an explanation but as it is, it is bound to
prompt more questions (AKA confusion). I will update the demo (and FAQ)
with a pointer to the explanation about how/why the emulator colors the
screens. The emulator is a piece of software that can run on a PC/Mac and
is, in essence, a Palm PDA. It has a screen capture function which
developers use to create pictures.
--
My plan to save the world: more Jesus, less government!
This is GREAT!
This is exactly what I figured (and surely Matthias hoped) would happen.
As an entrepreneur, I thrive on competition and eagerly await the
challenge and benefits of such a competition
(and to the public will go the spoils)!
> I'll sell it for 1/2 the price of this proprietary
> version, and include the full source code to the modifications I make.
That may or may not be a sticking point for you (it does not involve me in
any way).
You'll have to work that all out...
> My goal isn't to make a profit on it, but to make a cheaper replacement
> for the proprietary, non-GPL version of Yanoff that Gregg is promoting. I
> could certainly just give it away, but that defeats the purpose, and users
> who wish to get a little more for their money, can certainly buy up for
> support and other customizations. Welcome to one version of a business
> model based on the GPL.
Yes, but the GPL requires that you make the source code for your
modifications public. So anyone savvy enough to compile and link a Palm
application can build and distribute the binary that you are charging
for. I'm not saying that there's absolutely no money to be made from a
GPL model, but as an end-user I would never pay for software that I can
get for free. If I want to support a particular OSS project, I make a
donation via PayPal.
995soft is doing the same thing, though.
Regards
-Laurens
Certainly they can, and I'm specifically hoping they do exactly that.
I'm not doing this to make a profit at all. I think you're missing the
whole point of the exercise. If there is one Yanoff out there, an old GPL
version, and a new one, proprietary and closed, there is no competition.
If I take the GPL version, update it, exceeding the capabilities of the
proprietary version, and offer it for download for $5.00/USD from my
website, people will buy it, take the source, and create their own
version. Maybe there'll be 10 new versions. Now we've just created a nice
healthy competitive market in the Palm newsreader application space. If it
was free to download, there would be no motivation to "beat the system" by
releasing a better version at no cost.
But you missed the subtleties of the GPL. I can charge for the right to
download the GPL application from my website. The user pays for the right
to download it, and is given the source at the same time. He can then do
whatever he wants with the code, as long as he respects my copyrighted
bits and those of Matthias. GPL code isn't freeware.
I can also charge to ship the software to them on CDROM or other hard
media, at my discretion. Just because it is GPL, doesn't mean it is free
to download.
> I'm not saying that there's absolutely no money to be made from a GPL
> model, but as an end-user I would never pay for software that I can get
> for free. If I want to support a particular OSS project, I make a
> donation via PayPal.
That is also another way. There are many distribution models based on GPL
software that render profit in the end. Many of us are making a nice
healthy income, solely on the development, customization, and distribution
of GPL software and solutions.
> 995soft is doing the same thing, though.
What they're doing is shady, and treading very thinly close to a GPL case.
Look closely at how they change the author names in the products they
redistribute, removing any references to the original product.
Glad I could help you clear up your confusion here.
> But you missed the subtleties of the GPL. I can charge for the right to
> download the GPL application from my website. The user pays for the right
> to download it, and is given the source at the same time. He can then do
> whatever he wants with the code, as long as he respects my copyrighted
> bits and those of Matthias. GPL code isn't freeware.
Well, the "problem" here is that I can demand the source code to your
modifications, since you are required to accompany the binary with a
"written offer" (as the GPL puts it) for the source code. Then I simply
rebuild the binary and distribute it for free. But then again, you're
not doing it for profit, so that may not be a concern to you.
Regards
-Laurens
And most people are not going to bother with finding a compiler,
installing it, and recompiling the program.
--
Jack Hamilton
j...@acm.org
Sacramento, CA
> Well, the "problem" here is that I can demand the source code to your
> modifications, since you are required to accompany the binary with a
> "written offer" (as the GPL puts it) for the source code.
You can only demand them if I have distributed them against the license,
which in this example, I have not. If I don't have publically-available
source or binaries, I don't have to give you the source.
Also, you can demand the source, and I can demand you pay for me to ship
it to you on hard media, such as a CDROM burned with the source code.
Making Yanoff fully VFS-aware will push it to new horizons.
Just a wishful thought, a thoughtful wish... whatever ;-)
Gruß
Uwe
>>Well, the "problem" here is that I can demand the source code to your
>>modifications, since you are required to accompany the binary with a
>>"written offer" (as the GPL puts it) for the source code. Then I simply
>>rebuild the binary and distribute it for free. But then again, you're
>>not doing it for profit, so that may not be a concern to you.
>
>And most people are not going to bother with finding a compiler,
>installing it, and recompiling the program.
All it takes is one to compile and distribute...
--
UNIX Sex
{look;find;talk;grep;touch;finger;find;flex;unzip;mount;workbone;
fsck;yes;gasp;fsck;yes;eject;umount;makeclean;zip;split;done;exit}
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
> NEW YANOFF VERSION 2.0 USENET NEWSREADER FOR PALM OS NOW AVAILABLE
-snip-
> Yanoff- is the freeware version which features:
>
> * Full compatability with OS4 and OS5 (Garnet)
-snip-
> * Essential MIME support
Hmn, does this include support for format=flowed? IMS there was a palm
newsreader that was supposed to start supporting it, but I can't
remember the details at the moment....
--
JBM
"Everything is futile." -- Marvin of Borg
--
_____________
Thank a veteran
This is on our list...
It is at the top of our list for 3.0.
It is crucial to Quoted-text colorizing (color support) which we want to
have in 3.0.
The original reporter of this problem has HW that has crashes even when
using some of the pack-in software so we suspect either a HW issue or
perhaps a hack conflict. We are investigating and will report the findings
when they are conclusive. Thank you very much for this followup!