[Pan-devel] The Blue Sky Becomes Clear - part 02: Using the newsgroup - revision 00

[Bas Mevissen]

The central item in Pan is the newsgroup. A newsgroup contains two major 
items: its properties and the header file.

* Newsgroup properties: both profile-based and custom settings. The settings 
of a newsgroup can be set from the profile (as defined below) or custom for 
this newsgroup only. These custom settings should contain the same items as 
the profile.

* Header file: list of articles with the following items:
---- Article header (message ID, subject,...)
---- Originating news server
---- Body cache status

* Profile: a newsgroup is normally configured from it's profile. The profile 
contains the following items:
---- Retrieving server(s): a newsgroups headers and articles are read from 1 
or more news servers. The idea is to read all new article headers on all 
servers, conbine that to one tree and get the bodies when needed. The servers 
are identified from server profiles
---- Retrieve options: headers only or also the bodies. Used when you request 
to get all articles from subscribed newsgroups.
---- Posting server: normally (one of) the retrieving server(s), but can be a 
different one. Use is when you read from a server with a good feed, but have 
to post to the server of your provider.
---- Language (for spell checking)
---- Charset
---- Wrap lenght
---- Wrap type (on/off/continues/...)
---- Spelling (on/off)
---- Signature profile
---- Attachments allowed (make it part of GNKSA profile?)
---- GNKSA profile
---- Purging profile
---- Scoring profile
---- Mailhost profile
---- Filter profile
---- Default "view"  (as the settings in the filter menu of the current Pan)
Think of newsgroup profiles as "Text only, Dutch" (download all, language is 
Dutch, no attachments allowed) and "Binary, high traffic" (headers only, 
quick purge of attachments) etc. A good number should be build-in.

 * When posting/following up to a group, the groups default properties should 
be used, but a possibility must exist to override them all for that posting 
(non-saveable). The current implementation of an extra tab is a good 
candidate.


(more parts to come...)