NewsBin -- While NewsBin is not a true newsreader per se, it does accomplish several tasks that newsreaders currently available do not. First and foremost, NewsBin is an automated NNTP downloader and decoder for Windows 95 and Windows NT, which means it will allow you to batch download binary files and news headers from USENET newsgroups. All you need to do is tell NewsBin which groups you want monitored and it will do the rest for you automatically, including decoding and placing all binary files in the directory of your choice for later use. For all those spending any amount of time manually downloading newsgroup binaries, the importance of NewsBin's capabilities should be readily apparent. For others, NewsBin might not seem so important now, but it's definitely a great app to have around when the need arises. At only $10 and less than 100 Kb in total size, its overall value is hard to second guess. Additional features include WinVN compatibility (allowing you to make use of the WinVN Newsrc for storing NewsBin Newsgroup information), automatic and manual modes for giving users greater control and flexibility in how NewsBin operates, multitasking (you can work on other things while NewsBin faithfully carries out its duties in the background), support for multiple News servers, the ability to obtain a complete listing of newsgroup for each server, compatibility with the SOCKS protocol, and support for up to fifty different newsgroups. NewsBin can also download as many binaries as you have RAM for, and it displays several status bars for keeping you posted on its progress. NewsBin may not be the app for everyone, but for anyone with more than a passing interest in news binaries, NewsBin is unquestionably a must have app. Pros: Automatically downloads USENET binaries and News headers, small and inexpensive Cons: Limited to downloading only News binaries and headers New: Auto start/stop, improved decoder, bug fixes and small enhancements Version Reviewed: 1.64 Date of Review: 5/31/96 Reviewer: Forrest Stroud apps conference Main Menu