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From: lichter@maui.cs.ucla.edu (Michael I. Lichter)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: RN Question
Message-ID: <36553@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 27 Jun 90 19:06:37 GMT
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Distribution: usa
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
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The following is the composite of the gripes of a couple local users.
My question is whether any of the compile-time options of rn addresses
their needs, or if anybody knows where the appropriate piece of code to
change is (I couldn't find it in a quick scan of the source).  Thanks.


Whenever "rn" asks me, at the beginning of a session, if I want to
subscribe to a newly created newsgroup and I answer no, that newsgroup
is added to my .newsrc file but marked un-subscribed.  This is
annoying.  Is there a way to make "rn" NOT to put that newsgroup in 
my .newsrc?

This particular behavior (appending the group as unsubscribed) is quite
new; rn did not behave like this in the past.  It is hard to believe
that something that could easily double the size of an average .newsrc
over some reasonable time period is not either user- or administrator-
controllable by some switch.  Those who know about the strange new
behavior can periodically edit their .newsrc (I do this also), but
others may have their .newsrc files swollen without their knowledge.

It is a matter of principle; I guess I don't like to have something
uncontrolled by me happening to a file of mine even if it is just a dot
file (unless the action is essential, like the updating of .newsrc
number limits or the updating of .rnlast and .rnsoft, for the groups
*I* have chosen).  If every strange group gets appended (even if it is
with a ! ), the file does grow significantly, and for example if you do
a "L" while in rn (e.g., to check the status of the groups your own
list), you see the lump of garbage appended and scrolling by your
screen annoyingly.