[Coco] News gateways (was Test)

[Dennis Bathory-Kitsz]

At 03:13 PM 10/10/03 EDT, KnudsenMJ at aol.com wrote:
>Some of us have no idea how to "point" their "newsreader" (which is part of 
>the ISP package) at anything other than the magic wherever that the ISP uses.

Good point. I have a backup AOL subscription, but only use it as an
Internet gateway when I'm traveling.

AOL is now a functional ISP in that you don't need to use anything about it
except the dialup (or broadband) connection. Once you connect, you're free,
free, free, I tell ya!

Here's how I use news when logged onto AOL:

1. Get a copy of a free newsreader (I use the surprisingly versatile old
Netscape 3.04 from 1997 -- you can all all sorts of news servers to it).
2. Minimize the AOL 'console' (or whatever it's called).
3. Run the newsreader -- and voila! It will use AOL like any other old ISP!

Same goes for other Internet software. Sign on to AOL, minimize its
application interface, and run whatever else you like. They will connect
nicely.

You can't access AOL's internal services this way (such as mail), but
external mail will work, news will work, telnet will work, etc.

Dennis