GNKSA Evaluation Form 2.04
Product Name : InterNews
Product Version : 2.0.2
Tested on platform : Mac OS 8
Available for platforms: Mac OS 7, 8
Evaluation date : 01/28/98
Evaluated by : J. B. Moreno <planb@newsreaders.com>
Conclusion
==========
InterNews 2.0.2 fails to satisfy some basic GNKSA requirement(s),
hence does NOT qualify for the Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval.
Summary
=======
Pass Fail Total Pass/Fail%
MUSTs 30 9 39 77%/23%
SHOULDs 13 14 27 48%/52%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 77%M
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 48%S
[GNKSA Score-O-Meter]
Details
=======
Regarding the strict GNKSA requirements (MUSTs), InterNews 2.0.2
FAILS on the following points:
1c Does not show the groups the article was posted to (Newsgroups)
1d Fails to show where to followup to (Followup-To)
1e Does not show where to reply to (Reply-To)
2a Does not provide a clear, separate command for posting a new article
2b There's no clear, separate command for posting a followup article
2c There's no clear, separate command for replying by email
12a May not provide a syntactically correct From-address
12b Fails to refuse to post messages with syntactically incorrect From:
16c Does not warn when posting quoted text only
InterNews 2.0.2 violates `soft' GNKSA requirements (SHOULDs)
in the following way:
2d Fails to use standard terminology
2e Uses ambiguous terminology
3c Fails to encourage setting a Followup-To on large crossposts
7d Does not keep as many references as possible
7e Fails to omit `broken' Message-IDs.
10d Does not omit (proper) signatures from quoted text
12c Can use a bogus e-mail address
13b Does not enable users to supersede their own articles
14a May cause posting mangled articles
14b Fails to warn for excessively long lines
14d Does not support rewrapping quoted text correctly
15a Does not use or support standard signature delimiter
15b Does not warn on, or refuse, excessive signatures
16d Does not refuse to post quoted text only
InterNews 2.0.2 offers the following nice net-keeping
features unmentioned by the GNKSA:
Can do server authentation of the users id.
Has a welcome subscription to news.announce.newusers and
news.newusers.questions.
Showing the complete headers can be done with a simple mouse click.
Additional Comments:
1a - Only the Real Name not the address
1c - Doesn't show newsgroups by default - can show
1d - Doesn't show followup by default - can show
1e - Dosen't show reply-to by default - can show
2a - Single Menu creates window with radio buttons
2b - Same as 2a
2c - Same as 2a
2d - Menu command is nonstandard, radio button names are standard.
2e - Menu command is ambiguous, radio buttons are clear
3c - Doesn't mention possibility of setting followups
7d - Trims references before 998 - can break references when doing so
7e - Doesn't delete broken references
9cd - Can NOT both post and mail, hence passes
10a - Doesn't quote by default, but can quote
10d - Doesn't omit delimited sigs
12a - Can be set to a syntactically in valid address
12b - Post with said invalid address
12c - Can use any address (see 12a&b)
13b - Doesn't allow superseding
14a - Inserts line breaks
14b - No warning about long lines
14d - No rewrapping of quoted text
15a - Doesn't use standard sig delim
15b - Doesn't warn on long sigs
16c - Doesn't warn about quoted only articles
16d - Doesn't refuse quoted only articles
A copy of this review has been sent to the author.
Checklist
========= (M)UST /
(S)HOULD
1) Displays all essential header information
Software clearly displays:
[Y] a) Article's author (From) M
[Y] b) Article's Subject M
[N] c) List of groups posted to (Newsgroups) M
[N] d) Where (and how) to direct followups (Followup-To) M
[N] e) Where to reply to if not the From-address (Reply-To) M
[N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
2) Provides clear, separate commands for new posting, followup, and
e-mail reply
[N] a) for posting a new article M
[N] b) for posting a followup article M
[N] c) for replying by e-mail M
[N] d) Uses standard terminology S
[N] e) Avoids ambiguous terminology S
[N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
3) Provides cross-posting functionality
[Y] a) Allows specifying multiple groups M
[Y] b) Warns about, or prevents, posting to large numbers of groups S
[N] c) Strongly encourages setting Followup-To: on large crossposts S
(`Y' if large crosspostings are disallowed)
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
4) Allows users to change essential headers
[Y] a) Allows editing Subject at all times during composition M
[Y] b) Allows specifying new Subject of at least 70 characters M
[Y] c) Allows setting "Followup-To: poster" M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
5) Ensures followups and e-mail replies contain a correct Subject
[Y] a) Prepends "Re: " if (and only if) not already present M
[Y] b) Preserves entire original Subject (modulo minor repairs) M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
6) Directs followups to the correct newsgroups
[Y] a) Initiates e-mail reply rather than a followup posting on
"Followup-To: poster", clearly informing the user M
[Y] b) Posts to groups in Followup-To if present M
[Y] c) Posts to groups in Newsgroups otherwise M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
7) Make sure followups contain valid References
[Y] a) Creates References header with Message-ID of original article
as the last element M
[Y] b) Includes last three References from original M
[Y] c) Ensures References will fit in 998 characters M
[N] d) Keep as many References from original as fit S
[N] e) Does not propagate broken Message-IDs in original References S
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
8) Direct e-mail replies to the correct address
[Y] a) Uses Reply-To if present M
[Y] b) Uses From address otherwise M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
9) Allow the user to change her mind about whether to post or mail (or
do both) and behave if doing both
[Y] a) Allows users to change their mind and mail rather than
post after having initiated a followup message S
[Y] b) Allows users to change their mind and post rather than
mail after having initiated a reply message S
[Y] c) Does not offer both posting and mailing as default behaviour M
[Y] d) Inserts a notification that the message was posted as well
as mailed in the e-mail copy when both posting and mailing
a followup article S
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
10) Provide adequate quotation and attribution facilities
[Y] a) Allows including quoted original M
[Y] b) Clearly distinguishes quoted material M
[Y] c) Prefixes quoted material with `>'/`> ' S
[N] d) Omits correctly delimited signatures from quoted material S
[Y] e) Provides a means of indicating which part(s) to followup to S
[Y] f) Attribution line containing original author precedes quotes M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
11) Provide a user-specified "Subject: " header
[Y] a) Requires non-empty, user-specified Subject for new articles M
[Y] b) Refuses posting articles without, or with an empty, Subject M
[Y] c) Does not provide default Subject if user did not set one M
[Y] d) Allows changing the Subject at any time while editing M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
12) Provide a valid "From: " header
[N] a) Sets "From: " header to syntactically valid e-mail address M
[N] b) Refuses posting articles without a syntactically valid
"From: " header M
[N] c) Uses correct e-mail addresses (valid and belonging to the
user) only, as far as it can possibly know S
[N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
13) Allow users to both cancel and supersede their own articles (and
_no_ others!)
[Y] a) Allows cancelling articles S
[N] b) Allows superseding articles S
[Y] c) As far as possible, does not allow cancelling or superseding
other peoples' articles M
[Y] d) Uses standard terminology S
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
14) Try to respect the 80-character line-length convention
[N] a) Articles are posted as edited, with linebreaking intact S
[N] b) Warns about lines over 80 characters S
[Y] c) Does not refuse to post articles containing long lines S
[N] d) Allows rewrapping quoted text S
[Y] e) Enforces formatting requirements on article after external
editing (`Y' if there is no support for external editors) S
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
15) Separate signatures correctly, and don't use excessive ones
[N] a) Uses (and enforces) standard signature delimiter S
[N] b) Warns against or refuses to use excessive signatures S
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
16) Try to prevent obvious user errors
[Y] a) Warns when attempting to post empty articles M
[Y] b) Refuses posting empty articles S
[N] c) Warns when post articles containing quoted material only M
[N] d) Refuses posting quoted-text-only articles S
[Y] e) Warns against posting multiple copies (`Y' if impossible) M
[Y] f) Prevents multiple posting entirely S
[N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
17) Post human-readable articles unless ordered otherwise
[Y] Does not (and can not) encode or encrypt articles unless
on explicit user demand M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
18) Provide self-protection
[Y] Allows filtering out annoying articles (killing) S
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
19) Be kind to servers, leave room for others
[Y] a) Does not unnecessarily open multiple connections M
[Y] b) Does not generate excessive server load otherwise M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M