GNKSA Evaluation Form 2.04
Product Name : tin
Product Version : pre-1.4 release 970202
Tested on platform : Linux, Solaris, Irix
Available for platforms: All Unices, Amiga, DOS
Evaluation date : 22.04.1998
Evaluated by : Jonas Luster <jonas@easynet.de>
Conclusion
==========
tin pre-1.4 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 38 1 39 97%/3%
SHOULDs 20 7 27 74%/26%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 97%M
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 74%S
[GNKSA Score-O-Meter]
Details
=======
Regarding the strict GNKSA requirements (MUSTs), tin pre-1.4
FAILS on the following points:
11a Does not require a non-empty, user-specified subject
tin pre-1.4 violates `soft' GNKSA requirements (SHOULDs)
in the following way:
9a Does not support mailing instead after following up
9b Does not support posting instead after replying
9d Mail message not preceded by notification when posted and mailed
10e Does not let the user indicate which part to followup to
14e Fails to check basic hygiene of output from external editor
16b Does not refuse posting an empty article
16f Does not try to prevent posting multiple copies entirely
Additional Comments:
Most of the features mentioned above have to be compiled in, when compiling
the binary. Most Newsmasters forget about this but they are to blame, not
the software. Netiquette enforcement is adjusteable as most features of the
reader are.
Cancelling articles from adresses other than the own has to be enabled
explicitely.
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
[Y] c) List of groups posted to (Newsgroups) M
[Y] d) Where (and how) to direct followups (Followup-To) M
[Y] e) Where to reply to if not the From-address (Reply-To) M
[Y] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
2) Provides clear, separate commands for new posting, followup, and
e-mail reply
[Y] a) for posting a new article M
[Y] b) for posting a followup article M
[Y] c) for replying by e-mail M
[Y] d) Uses standard terminology S
[Y] e) Avoids ambiguous terminology S
[Y] 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
[Y] 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
[Y] d) Keep as many References from original as fit S
[Y] 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
[N] a) Allows users to change their mind and mail rather than
post after having initiated a followup message S
[N] 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
[N] 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
[Y] d) Omits correctly delimited signatures from quoted material S
[N] 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
[N] 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
[N] PASS: Satisfies all MUSTs M
12) Provide a valid "From: " header
[Y] a) Sets "From: " header to syntactically valid e-mail address M
[Y] b) Refuses posting articles without a syntactically valid
"From: " header M
[Y] c) Uses correct e-mail addresses (valid and belonging to the
user) only, as far as it can possibly know S
[Y] 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
[Y] 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
[Y] a) Articles are posted as edited, with linebreaking intact S
[Y] b) Warns about lines over 80 characters S
[Y] c) Does not refuse to post articles containing long lines S
[Y] d) Allows rewrapping quoted text S
[N] 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
[Y] a) Uses (and enforces) standard signature delimiter S
[Y] 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
[N] b) Refuses posting empty articles S
[Y] c) Warns when post articles containing quoted material only M
[Y] d) Refuses posting quoted-text-only articles S
[Y] e) Warns against posting multiple copies (`Y' if impossible) M
[N] f) Prevents multiple posting entirely S
[Y] 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