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Topic: Newsgroup trouble again ;( (Read 114122 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #50 –
For the record, I cannot access by 2:25 AM GMT + 2:00

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #51 –
To Franklin:

Actually, ezusa.net has been more stable and reliable than the previous service we had, believe it or not. This current bout of illness and ill-temper is highly unusual.

As to why it's happening -- see Sue Morton's post in Reply 41 above. Now isn't that just the height of irony! It's down because of bugs in the patch that's supposed to protect against Code Red. The quintessential microsoft joke...

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #52 –
It seems that the ng resurrects at the day time (GMT) up to evening and dies at night.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #53 –
Well it was down from last night through most of today (GMT) for me. There was only a small window this evening.

Rich

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #54 –
Well - I had downloaded the latest 84 messages earlier, and just thought I would collect any others quickly before reading through them, - connected to the site, clicked on "synchronise newsgroup" and zap - all the messages in my folder disappeared. This is about the 4th time it's happened. I'm really confused. How do I get them back? Why does it happen? (using Outlook Extinguisher)

Totally perplexed,
Ann

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #55 –
By 1:30 AM (GMT + 2:00), the group is back alive for another unpredictable period of time.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #56 –
...False alarm.

I tried to post something. Didn^t post, didn't deny either. Silent as dead.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #57 –
To interject a bit of good news into an otherwise gloomy thread: Netscape 6.1 has officially been released! It's gorgeous... they really should have waited for this rather than release the silly (and buggy) 6.0/6.01 nonsense. Also got rid of some rather glaring bugs in the beta.

Netscape 6.1 info

Don't want to register after installing? Just click Cancel.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #58 –
I would upgrade to the latest Netscape but am afraid to because everytime I do I cannot hear MIDI files. It says something about octet stream and there is no plug in available. I download Crescendo and get the same message and still cannot hear MIDI files. No point in me upgrading if I can't hear them since that is what my website focuses on, so I stick with Communicator 4.77 and have no problems hearing MIDI files. If I could find out what I need to hear MIDI files with Netscape 6 family I would upgrade.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #59 –
The newsgroup administrator probably installed the patch incorrectly, from what I read there were some important steps to go through to make sure it worked and if you didn't install the patch properly the cure could be worse than the disease. This is probably what happened. If they didn't install the patch correctly the worm could still have gotten in from an infected user who didn't know they were infected, and then they could have tried to remove the worm which ALSO has a few steps you must pay attention to and do so that it can be effectively quarantined and gotten rid of. In any case they are probably going to need to call in an expert to get whatever they messed up fixed again.

Here are two URLs about the Sircam worm for instance, notice the steps you have to go through and if you don't go through all those steps properly it won't work:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/pf/w32.sircam.worm@mm.html

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sircam.worm@mm.removal.tool.html

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #60 –
Jill wrote: "... I would upgrade to the latest Netscape but am afraid to because everytime I do I cannot hear MIDI files. It says something about octet stream and there is no plug in available."

I assume you had trouble with 6.0 or 6.01. You and everyone else, because the "helper applications" thingie didn't work right. This has been fixed in 6.1 and you can assign mime types and file extensions as desired. I associated midis with Vanbasco, works fine.

Also, since it's so different from 4.x, it installs in a completely different directory and puts its profiles in a different place also. You can have both versions on your system with no interaction between them (I do). It initially imports your 4.x profile, but from then on the two versions are independent and cohabitate very peacefully.

Fred

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #61 –
Ok Fred, sounds good, will download 6.1 and see how it goes.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #62 –
Still not working, can't hear MIDI files with Netscape 6.1.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #63 –
For the posterity:

The newsgroup is dead by 1:00 AM GMT + 2:00

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #64 –
Does Netscape 6.1:
1. Take up more or less space than 4.7?
2. Support Style sheats?
3. Support XML?
4. Take even long to do things than 4.7?
5. Contain Netscape composer?

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #65 –
I'm acessing everyday from Brazil and haven't got a problem on this forum, is this a local problem?
anyhow, can't you stop saying each time you can't connect here? I'm getting tired of more and more replies that says the time of your problems, get over yourselves, find something useful to do with the internet other than noting down each time you can't connect!

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #66 –
People are useing the forum to talk about the newsgroup that they can't connect to.

No one has a proble connecting to the forum.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #67 –
Was out of town for a couple of days last week and when i came back, I was able to download from the NG. However over the weekend the group quit downloading anything new and on Monday(?) all the entries in the NG's folder on my PC vanished. Now I've gotted two emails that i suspect to be Sicam bugs. I wonder if it got my email address for the NG?

I'm being patient.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #68 –
>>> No one has a proble connecting to the forum.

Maybe, but try posting an NWC file here.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #69 –
It could either be Sircam or Code Red, those are the two hot potatoes right now.

About a week ago I was really bombarded with Sircam emails on an email account I use for online purposes; they come with large attachments, but I never open them. I run Norton every day, which checks for Sircam. Even though it takes longer to send and receive mail, it is worth it to set up your anti-virus program to scan all email. And I have one email address I never ever use online for any reason, and it never gets spam or sircam emails.

Newsgroup is different from the forum Arthur, I for one like to know when others who post in the newsgroup can't get in, so I don't think it's on my end somehow.

As for Netscape 6.1 I spent a good part of the afternoon trying to get it to work with Crescendo, now it is working but it only plays parts of the MIDI files. I don't have that problem with 4.77 Communicator so will stick with that for web browsing. Will be using 6.1's Composer though, that program is alot better for creating web pages.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #70 –
FranMan asked:
Does Netscape 6.1:
1. Take up more or less space than 4.7?

Less. But with the qualification that if you count the Sun Java 2 runtime engine, then it takes up a bit more. The base download (without java) is just under 10 megs.

2. Support Style sheats?

Yes.

3. Support XML?

Yes.

4. Take even long to do things than 4.7?

No. The beta and the (what I call) alphas 6.0 and 6.01 were horribly sluggish but the 6.1 release seems to render webpages a lot faster then 4.7x

5. Contain Netscape composer?

Yes.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #71 –
About Crescendo -- just to see if it's gotten any better I downloaded the 5.1 version. As Jill reported, it would not properly play some midi files (Netscape 6.1). So I removed it, and reinstalled into Netscape 4.78; it was marginally better, but still didn't play all tracks of some midis (notably my "The Bridge" midi on my website).

I suspect it's a system resources issue; if you have a dense midi (as The Bridge, with all its pitch bends) you need a screaming fast computer to keep up with it all -- especially under Netscape 6 which does require more system resources.

Crescendo? Bah. Uninstall, dit, done. Back to my native soundcard and VanBasco midi player as browser plugin, which hasn't failed me yet.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #72 –
Ho hum - yawn

I guess I'll have to get round to using NoteWorthy if I can't use the forum ;-(

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #73 –
Did you spot the deliberate mistake ?

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #74 –
Yes, feel free to use the forum...

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #75 –
For the record:

By 21:39 GMT, the ng is dead.

PS: Those who feel tired of reading such kind of reports are free just NOT to read them.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #76 –
Fred,
Thanks for responding to my questions about Nescape 6.1. You said that with java, it takes up a bit more than 4.7. Is that with a java enabled 4.7 or a base 4.7? Sorry about all this specific size question, but I have a small hard drive...

BTW, as long as Netscape is a little off the topic as far as NWC, does anyone know of a good forum for general tech support. I realize I should as this in a tech forum, but that's the problem... and besides this can relate to MIDI which relates to NWC...

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #77 –
I guess there's no other way to communicate than through this forum. It's good to see the familiar names here, as well as new ones.

Is there any way to share NWC music files, unless the newsgroup comes back to life?

Best wishes to all,

Joe Roberts

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #78 –
Yes, actually, there is a way. First get a free web site. You can go to www.20m.com or www.geocities.com to get one. Then upload your files unto the server in --I think-- binary format. Finally, make a line that says, you can download my master piece by clicking here.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #79 –
FranMan said "...You said that with java, it takes up a bit more than 4.7. Is that with a java enabled 4.7 or a base 4.7?"

Hmm.. not sure, having never downloaded a base 4.7. The base 6.1 download is just under 10 megs, and the version of the java runtime engine that I have is just under 5 megs, if that gives any indication. Actual space taken once installed will of course be larger, and will ultimately depend on how large you let your cache grow, and size of imported bookmarks, newsgroups, mail and all that. In other words, YMMV.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #80 –
Francis,

> ...or www.geocities.com...

You cannot upload nwc files there. That's why I had cancelled my site. Most of those "free" servers restrict either the file type itself, or executing it. And -probably- all of them disallow direct linking to files except htmls.

So, you'll need to make an HTML page for each nwc.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #81 –
Went to visit my daughter over the weekend. Tried to check NG on Thursday evening. Unable to connect to NG server. Come home this evening (Sunday), still unable to connect to NG. Does anyone know what is happening?

Geoff

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #82 –
> ...or www.geocities.com...

>You cannot upload nwc files there. That's why I had cancelled my site. Most of those "free" servers restrict either the file type itself, or executing it. And -probably- all of them disallow direct linking to files except htmls.

I am using geocities and you can link to MIDI's OK, but they restrict the filetypes you can post. One possible workaround is to put your nwc file in a zip file and post that. I have found that the free ISP's I have tried all accept zip files.

Geoff

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #84 –
How about an alternative to the newsgroup?
Perhaps a moderated newsgroup on usenet, which the users themselves can moderate (a few chosen ones),
or a forum (WWW board) with attachment uploading option (if anyone owns/knows someone who owns a server and can host it) maybe even on ntworthy.com?

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #85 –
"At http://www.subnet.dk you can have nwc-files and link directly to them."

Useful if you speak German perhaps, but most don't. (Though I confess I do know that "Klik Her" doesn't mean to click a lady on the head).

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #86 –
Yah, I blew that idea, but what about the scripto server maybe Rich would let us upload files there...

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #87 –
Thanks for the complement but the Scripto server is nothing to do with me apart from the fact that I put alot of files on it, and most of the time, like everyone else, I rely on Andrew or Fred to do it for me.

The Scripto Server is owned by the VADU group and is based (
I think) in England. Matt Johnson is the web master there (or perhaps one of a group of web masters) and it is through is kind efforts that we have a Scripto on this server. Mat agreed to host the Scripto after we were unable to continue with the previous Scripto server.

We already are very lucky that Matt and his colleagues allow us web space, and it is quite another thing to request further use particularly since it is quite a different set of rules required to host a newsgroup.

My own opinion is that the good folks at Ezusa are working full out to cure this problem, which is not of their own making, and we give them a bit longer to sort it all out. (Remember that they are probably loosing money while this is going on).If Jill's (was it Jill?) hypothesis is correct, then they will have much to do before all is OKn again.

Rich

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #88 –
Daily report for the record:

The news server is dead by 1:40 AM GMT.

PS: What about a moderated Yahoo group?

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #89 –
Reply 85 offered by: Jill on 12-Aug-2001

"At http://www.subnet.dk you can have nwc-files and link directly to them."

"Useful if you speak German perhaps, but most don't. (Though I confess I do know that "Klik Her" doesn't mean to click a lady on the head)."

Danish, actually. dk-Denmark, de-Germany (Deutschland). In German it would be "Klicken sie hier". Germans have a way of taking 50% more words to say a given thing, which is why they talk so fast. (Being a dual citizen I can say things like that and get away with it) ;-)

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #90 –
Well so much for my scripto idea, BUT geocities does work - so of. It does allow for direct link, but not for NWC files, so what do you do? Easy, just change .nwc to .zip and presto, you have a "harmless" zip file. The person on the other end, just has to add .nwc to the end before double clicking. As an example, I used Moon Lite Sonata Movement 2 from the scripto server. Click Here!

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #91 –
Yipes, they seemed to get a little mad at me, so I deleted the file, but if you want to try this, it worked until I tried to change the file name back to .nwc...

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #92 –
The newsgroup is up and running!!! 23:44 (GMT + 1)

But for how long? :-)

-- Andreas

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #93 –
Not for very long.
It's down again. (23:48 GMT+1)

-- Andreas

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #94 –
To Jill,

If you make your MIDI's into low-fi MP3's they are of no use to (virtually) anybody. Does require more file space and hosting bandwidth though. HTH.

To Group,

I've just e-mailed Matt again, asking for another status update. I hope he's still "speaking" to me. :> Update on NG server soon to follow (I hope).

Sue

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #95 –
Sue, this is a medley of the major tunes of show, that is why it took me two weeks to sequence. It's not just the waltz. So if I converted to mp3 it would be absolutely huge.

I have seen somewhere some trick for preventing a MIDI file from being saved, but I cannot remember where I found that info now that I need it. Plus not sure if it would be effective for someone who could just go into their browser cache to find it once it was downloaded to be heard.

Possible to add a "request" to have some kind of "no save" option embedded into NWC so that people couldn't save the resulting MIDI file? Probably not, probably just a pipe dream.

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #96 –
Yes, I'm replyer 100. Anyway, these copyright issues are kind of scary. About making the NOSAVE option in your web page, you can click here to go to a Question and Answer Board that goes with the book HTML 4 for the World Wide Web Fourth Edition, but that anyone is free to use. Yes, I am transfering you from a forum to a forum. Good luck.
 

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #97 –
Re: Idea of hosting ng on yahoo/egroups/whatever. Please don't! (Or not just yet). Apart from the restriction/ownership problems with attachments, it means people have to be "live" on the net to read news, and with the number of posts going through the newsgroup, that means a fair bit of conenct time (not to mention that web-based newsgroups are not keyboard-friendly, and normally insist on using the mouse to navigate).

Hopefully ezusa will get their act together soon (maybe change the server so it's not running a Microsoft system?!?). It is a shame they are having trouble, but then so are many other large servers, and hotmail and AOL have had their share of disasters in the past, too.

I'd be interested in what response Sue gets this time! It's been five days since I've been able to connect to the news server. I hope Eric is getting a refund ;-)

A

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #98 –
Jill wrote:
"Can anyone advise me on how to incorporate a NOSAVE command in html so that people can only listen to a MIDI file, and not be able to save it? I want to incorporate it on the Merry Widow page before I allow another single person in to hear it."

Won't help much, I'm afraid. Someone who really wants to will find it very simple to save your midi. Even if player/plugins like VanBasco didn't have the save function, you could capture the midi in real-time using a multi-midi client.

However, you can take steps to make your midi a lot more difficult to disassemble into any semblance of a usable score. The simplest such is to precede each staff with a rest, example double-dotted 16th rest. Yes, there's a way around that too, but I think less people will be able to deal with that, than with a simple NOSAVE parameter in html. You can get even fancier by splitting staves, jumping around from staff to staff, stuff like that. Try disassembling some of my guitar midis some day! (And no fair cheating and looking at the NWC) ;-) An example would be Sor-Study in Eb

Fred

Re: Newsgroup trouble again ;(

Reply #99 –
PS - also have a look at MidiCrypt, a midi encryption utility that scrambles a midi beyond recognition by employing pitch-bends and other tricks. The result is a perfectly playable midi that's absolutely useless for importation into scoring sequencers.