Newsbin Version 6 Status - Dec 21, 2010

[dexter]

It has come far enough along that I'm posting a couple of screenshots so you can see the direction we're taking for the GUI. The Post, Search, and Download tabs are set up so you can now expand items right in the tab. This means Compact view is unnecessary (and will be gone).

In this one, I minimized the groups tab.



This one has the Groups tab open. Still does pictures too:



Still no ETA for public Beta. It's getting close though.

[Quade]

He has every windows you can have open, open. All those windows can be closed or make to auto-hide.

I was able to load and display 850 days of "Boneless" in under 30 seconds today.

[IdontexistM8]

I like the overall look, will the fore and background base colours be configurable and will there be a larger icons option?

[Quade]

The toolbars icons have a small and large version. The colors are configurable within a range. The background color is currently fixed but, you can disable it and let windows set the background color too.

[Semel]

I was able to load and display 850 days of "Boneless" in under 30 seconds today.

Whats your specs?

Are there any plans on some improvements done to built-in search?
Search for author, search within a certain age range, manual input of any group u want to make a search in(not like now when you have to have them subscribed) etc etc.

I was able to load and display 850 days of "Boneless" in under 30 seconds today.

How many Mb does NB store on a drive for 850 days boneless i wonder )

[richy99]

yes changes are always being implenmented to the search, whether or not they will meet your specific criteria one cannot say

[Quade]

How many Mb does NB store on a drive for 850 days boneless i wonder

About 30 gigs.

[dexter]

Are there any plans on some improvements done to built-in search?
Search for author, search within a certain age range, manual input of any group u want to make a search in(not like now when you have to have them subscribed) etc etc.

I've got hooks in to search on Poster, not sure when it'll show up in Newsbin. I don't think we'll be doing age range but I've improved the way the date limit is applied in the test database. You can already specify a group or groups to limit the scope of the search. The Search in Groups dropdown allows you to pick one of the Group of Groups folders from the Groups tab. I am considering allowing you to search a specific group by entering it in the search field like "GROUP:alt.binaries.blah searchterm" like Google allows you to target a specific website with the "SITE:" tag.

These changes are independent of V6 (except search on poster). If you want to continue discussion about search, you can start a separate thread. This thread is intended for V6 discussion.

[Edward]

To be honest, I can't wait for version 6 to launch!
Looks good.

And when it's time, please inform me for the translations...

[x0r]

WOW! the compact view look superb! best thing ever happened on newsbin other than hydrogen bomb lol , looks great and professional.

[wissertje]

Wow, looks really great. Can't wait till the first bèta.

Great job guys.

[Abraham]

I love what I see Thank you for all the hard work

[oscardt]

I'm looking forward to check out the core of v6 (downloading & extracting). Thanks for all the hard work.

[Quade]

While I think the core downloading stuff is a huge win. I think the speed of loading headers is even better. With compressed headers off Giganews, I'm seeing 400 Mbps header downloads and I can load all of boneless in 30 seconds.

What I'm doing right now, is making it more reliable. Regular downloads work nearly 100% of the time but, weird stuff is problematic sometimes.

[oscardt]

Well, that is great news for most users, but I don't download headers, I use NZB's. So the developments on header downloading goes past me. Al though I do realise that I'm in a minority group ( viewtopic.php?f=43&t=27320 ) my interest lies with the core development.

[DThor]

One thing you may find is that the fast load speeds(and they are very fast) make you reconsider spool usage. Make something easier/faster, it becomes a possible option where previously it wasn't. I use a mix of both. Nzb's are great, but you're obviously relying on someone/thing to index them. For some groups, it's nice to either use inet search or store locally. Anyway, just a thought, you might want to experiment a bit with it when it gets released.

But no question, for me the download list features are the most in-your-face cool new thang.

DT

[IdontexistM8]

While I think the core downloading stuff is a huge win. I think the speed of loading headers is even better. With compressed headers off Giganews, I'm seeing 400 Mbps header downloads and I can load all of boneless in 30 seconds.

Are we likely to see similar performance with for e.g. Astraweb?

[richy99]

they use header compression so yes

[IdontexistM8]

I was wondering if they use a similar compression process to Giganews, but then I guess there's unlikely to be much of a difference whatever.

[dexter]

They use the exact same header compression technique as Giganews. They implement it under the new XFeatures NNTP command.

[Quade]

Astraweb had header compression first. It worked great. Then Giganews suggested their own implementation of the same thing (XFeatures). Instead of having multiple header compression schemes, XFeatures became the defacto standard and Astra supports it to0.

[syshog]

Looks great! Sounds to me like memory management has been improved big time I have a question though, Are you guys planning on ( or has it already been done?) changing the way group headers are stored?

When can I help beta test? trying ot load boneless is a pain now a days

[DThor]

Yup, the spool format has changed again to allow for super fast loading and yes, significantly less memory usage. Groups like boneless are being used as testbeds, so you should see significant perks there!

DT

[kamakazi downloader]

Like the new look and as always, waiting with bated breath for release always D/L newest upgrades as they come available and becoming accustomed to using NbPro has been a learning curve for me. Still lots of features I don't use, but I'm sure I'll get there eventually. I've signed up for beta before and if v6(beta) is available, would love to give it a run.

[Quade]

I'm holding 6 out of beta longer than 5 because, typically 5 was "Beta" when it was really in Alpha shape. It caused people to be disappointed. It's looking pretty solid now and I'm working through the todo list. The first beta won't be feature complete but, will be better than 5.59 in every way.

[Semel]

The first beta won't be feature complete but, will be better than 5.59 in every way.

the words "features" and "to do list" sound promising

let us have custom auto group update settings improved\extended (from 1 min to xx, at least in INI files settings)@ *wildly dancing and waving hands,trying to put a spell*

when it was really in Alpha shape

it wasnt that bad as far as i remember

[KilJaden]

let us have custom auto group update settings improved\extended (from 1 min to xx, at least in INI files settings)@ *wildly dancing and waving hands,trying to put a spell*

As far as i remember itimpi's NBSCHEDULE http://homepage.ntlworld.com/itimpi/new ... NBSCHEDULE does allow you to set a schedule for x minutes for downloading header's of a group/group of groups , just create a schedule for updating headers every x minutes .

[richy99]

The first beta won't be feature complete but, will be better than 5.59 in every way.

the words "features" and "to do list" sound promising

let us have custom auto group update settings improved\extended (from 1 min to xx, at least in INI files settings)@ *wildly dancing and waving hands,trying to put a spell*

when it was really in Alpha shape

it wasnt that bad as far as i remember

v5 was alot of alpha in the beta stage

i doubt it will go 1 min, there purely is no need unless you are part of some scene that uses the nzb or compltete files to get points within the scene

[Semel]

i doubt it will go 1 min, there purely is no need unless you are part of some scene that uses the nzb or compltete files to get points within the scene

Scene? So? Shouldnt the product aim to perfection?Especially if it doesnt hurt anyone?

i still have to hear some reasonable answers on why it shouldnt be done

U call it custom - let us set custom range. Not limit to 1h(sic!)

I once wrote it and i repeat it:

Its only the small ammount of headers get downloaded every 1 min(since its often) besides the load on NNTP providers side is minimum compared to usual downloads(DVDs,games,blurays, hundreds and hundreds Gigs of information each day) so i dont see how getting a small ammount of compressed headers(being already conencted to nntp provider) makes its life harder

I can press as monkey this button every 1 min or let newsbin pro do the job right without "harming" anyone.
1 min is a reasonable interval in my opinion.

Besides i would understand if it required lots of changes in the code. it doesnt.Simply move limit to 1 min, thats all.Unless the code is really screwed up and this limitation is intertwined heavily with something else which i seriously doubt

Now i just have to use to usenet explorer since it sticks to reason not superstition

Compared to some requested changes which are taken into consideration mine is so insignificant i dont really understand all the fuss about, really
Judging by the reaction its like im asking to make nbpro sh!itting gold bricks, pardon my french .

As far as i remember itimpi's NBSCHEDULE

Thank you. Ill certainly look into it

PS ive just tested this NBSCHEDULE
Its really good.
It should be implemented into NBpro v6

PPS

Though i must say ive found one reason against 1 min min update rate.. BUT its not reasonable since it has something to do with a bit buggy NBPro's processing of headers.

Sometimes NBpro shows at the end that some files are incomplete if u update headers during the process of upload.
And when the upload is finished NBPro still shows that its incomplete though headers are downloaded again after the time the upload was finished.
usenet explorer doent have this issue.
By the way i remember several people complaining about it back in the days and its still there.

Fix it in NBpro v 6, please.

PPS it would be nice to have the option to activate autoassembling of incompeltes btw

[hettich]

I, also, have always downloaded beta versions and can't wait to get my hands on V6. Currently running 5.59 and am having to fully designate one computer to NewsBin as most of the groups I'm looking at seem to have upwards of 200 million headers (giganews) and even at 50Mbps it takes an AGE to just download headers and another age to sort them once downloaded. The 50Mbps is as measured by 5.59 - Resource Monitor is telling me around 10Mbps - not sure which one is correct.

One small request for V6, if it's not already been requested and/or incorporated - something to tell me that NewsBin is doing something and not hung when it's doing a search on a large group - so that I don't have to keep using extra resources to run Resource Monitor.

Joachim

[itimpi]

The 50Mbps is as measured by 5.59 - Resource Monitor is telling me around 10Mbps - not sure which one is correct.

In a sense both are correct! The 10Mbps will be the actual network traffic. The 50Mbps is the uncompressed data traffic (headers are being sent compressed).

One small request for V6, if it's not already been requested and/or incorporated - something to tell me that NewsBin is doing something and not hung when it's doing a search on a large group - so that I don't have to keep using extra resources to run Resource Monitor.

There are dramtic speed improvements in this area so it should be less of an issue.

[hettich]

Thank you itimpi

So it's just a waiting game now

[JS_racer]

my question is; will this be a friendly release for us nzb only downloaders? i only use nzb with auto folder, auto par, super easy and have not downloaded headers in a very long time thanks to easynews web interface.

thanks for the work and effort over the years,
Joel

[DThor]

Oh, absolutely, nothing is being sacrificed on the nzb front whatsoever. The spool features are to help those who tend to use them, not to try and change the way you use Newsbin.

I use them all the time, and the new features make them a real joy. The download queue is much more readable and flexible. As long as nzb files are out there, I can't imagine Newsbin neglecting them.

DT

[dogbertz]

This is awesome news.

Were you able to scratch the "Download to folder without bypassing dupe detection" option off your list?

[Quade]

It's still on my todo to make it optional.

[kamakazi downloader]

All this talk has me salivating like a hungry dog with a big juicy steak just out of reach!! any idea on the 'ETA'? I keep checking daily in hopes...
(no rush, mind you...just curious) the wait/suspense is killing me!!

[KilJaden]

Quade said the goal for the first public release is this month , so as long as nothing "major" shows up until then you could expect the first open beta until the end of this month.

[dexter]

Of course that's what I said last month but, sometimes these things are a moving target. I'm putting a new alpha up today. Marks 5 months since the first V6 Alpha almost to the day.

[oscardt]

I'm putting a new alpha up today.

Does that mean that there is a public alpha? Or just that there is a new alpha for the current alpha testers?

[KilJaden]

Does that mean that there is a public alpha? Or just that there is a new alpha for the current alpha testers?

It's still for the alpha testers . What i can say is that NewsBin is getting closer and closer to a beta stage , so it shouldn't be long .

[richy99]

my only fear is that people wil be expecting tooo much

[Semel]

oh well as for me i dont realy expect wonders=) i just believe it will be a solid piece of software=)
just gief me update group interval from 1 min and ill be happy as the March Hare
see, not very demanding at all
maybe a bit hung up on 1 min but what can i say.. im a sucker for customizable update intervals

[richy99]

oh well as for me i dont realy expect wonders=) i just believe it will be a solid piece of software=)
just gief me update group interval from 1 min and ill be happy as the March Hare
see, not very demanding at all
maybe a bit hung up on 1 min but what can i say.. im a sucker for customizable update intervals

not available

[kamakazi downloader]

As Semel said, I'm not expecting miracles/wonders either... its just that in the years I've been here there has been a trend established, in that with each new version it only gets better. Also, with the many features and such mentioned as to being incorporated into this newest version, it seems to be a continuing/ongoing trend in that it still just gets better every time
Thanks for the quoted ETA, KilJaden, I missed that from Quade along the way I guess.

[Semel]

not available

Yeah i know. Reason is not available here.Instead of doing it properly what we have is stupid bias based on no reason and driving paying customers to use third party tools like nbschedule

[niasyn]

Look'n sexy!

[richy99]

just a heads up incase anyone is running windows 2000 professional, it wont work on it

[Kraut2003]

Hi Newsbin Team

dont want to be pushy but is there any timeframe on the first V6 Beta

thx

Thomas

[DThor]

The hope is to squeeze out a beta before the end of January. Seems to be in the cards. If not, then very close to that.

DT