UsenetServer Glossary | Usenet Explained

UsenetServer’s glossary introduces terms that are part of everyday Usenet use. Each entry provides a plain-language explanation to support better understanding.

• Article – Another name for a Message. Articles are the individual Usenet posts users submit to newsgroups.

• Article Retention – The length of time UsenetServer maintains articles on its servers. High article retention enables better access to archived discussions.

• Auto Headers – A function in NewsBin (Version 5) that regularly updates group headers automatically.

• Automatic Download – A feature in NewsBin (Version 4) that fetches all attachments from selected newsgroups. Works with filters and Recycle Servers for continuous operation.

• Automatic Shutdown – Tells NewsBin (Version 4) to close once the last article in the last selected group is processed.

• Automatic Startup – In NewsBin (Version 4), begins header downloads when the software launches.

• Bandwidth – The data capacity of your Internet connection. UsenetServer supports multiple connections to maximize usable bandwidth.

• Bandwidth Limiter – Used in NewsBin to cap data usage, freeing bandwidth for other tasks. Set by bits per second.

• Beta – A pre-release version of software distributed for testing by early adopters.

• Cache Chunks – Allows NewsBin to keep article parts in memory to speed up assembly and reduce disk access.

• Chunk – A part of a larger article split across multiple Usenet messages. Chunks are assembled once all parts are received.

• Compact View – A feature in NewsBin that displays one line per multi-part post in the Post List to reduce visual clutter.

• Connection – An active link to a Usenet server. UsenetServer permits multiple simultaneous connections.

• Connection Limit – Restricts how many active connections can be made to a server. NewsBin allows up to 100.

• Crash – An unexpected shutdown of NewsBin or the operating system.

• Display Age – Defines how far back (in days) NewsBin will display headers when opening a group.

• Download Age – Controls how far back headers are fetched. The default is 30 days but can be changed.

• Download Limit – A restriction on how much data can be retrieved during a specified time.

• Download Path – The location where NewsBin saves retrieved articles. Customizable per group or globally.

• Enabled – A setting is currently active and functioning.

• Fill – A repost made to complete an incomplete post. A Fill Server activates only when the main servers lack the article.

• Filters – Settings in NewsBin used to exclude or include posts based on conditions like size or poster name.

• Freeze – See Stall.

• FTR – First Time Records, now deprecated. Replaced by Display Age.

• GIF – Image format limited to 256 colors. Often replaced by PNG.

• Groups – See Newsgroups.

• Hang – See Stall.

• Header – The metadata of an article: subject, poster, date. Used for indexing, filtering, and display.

• Indexer – A searchable directory of Usenet articles. Indexers build NZBs from headers.

• JPEG – Common image format with excellent compression. Uses .jpg extension.

• Lock Up – A state where the system or application becomes unresponsive.

• Master Splitter – Splits large data into numbered parts. NewsBin can reassemble using Combine Posts.

• Message – The primary data unit on Usenet. Each contains a header and body.

• Message ID – A unique identifier for each Usenet message, used to create NZBs.

• MP3 – Audio format based on MPEG compression.

• MPA – See Max Post Age.

• MPG – Compressed video format using MPEG encoding.

• Multi-part Post – A single post split into many parts due to size. NewsBin merges them for final access.

• Multi-threaded – Refers to software or systems that can handle multiple tasks in parallel.

• New – Indicates posts not previously seen or marked read. In NewsBin v5, “new” applies until all parts are read.

• NewsBin – A high-performance Usenet reader supporting efficient header processing, filtering, and automation.

• Newsgroup – A Usenet forum for specific topics. Managed via subscriptions.

• NZB – An XML-based reference file that contains message IDs for locating specific Usenet articles.

• Part – A component of a multi-part article or a unit in a RAR archive.

• PNG – Image format offering lossless compression without licensing restrictions.

• POS – Informal term for unreliable software or hardware.

• Post – A single Usenet article or the act of submitting one.

• Post ID – See Message ID.

• Poster – The user who submitted an article. Identified in the header.

• Post List – Displays all articles for a selected group or search in NewsBin.

• Quade – Developer behind NewsBin.

• RAR – Archive format frequently used on Usenet for compressing multi-part posts.

• Record Number – Unique number assigned to each message by a specific server.

• Recycle Servers – A NewsBin (Version 4) setting that loops through selected groups after a defined delay.

• Restart Delay – The time Recycle Servers waits before repeating header retrieval.

• Robot – A tool that automates repeated tasks, such as searching or retrieving articles.

• Sequential – Describes tasks occurring in a set order.

• Signature Cache – Database used by NewsBin to identify duplicate items based on digital signatures.

• Simultaneous – Actions or threads that run at the same time.

• Size – Total data volume associated with a post or article.

• Spool – Where NewsBin stores header data for each subscribed group.

• SSL – A security protocol encrypting data between NewsBin and the UsenetServer.

• Stackable – All filters must match for an article to pass. No filter has override precedence.

• Stall – A temporary lockup of the application. May clear without intervention.

• Storage Age – Defines how long headers are stored locally in NewsBin. Adjustable globally.

• Subject – The descriptive text in a header, usually naming the post or included material.

• Usenet – A distributed network of servers enabling global article exchange across newsgroups. Originated in 1979.

• UUEncode – Early method for encoding binary as ASCII for transmission via Usenet. Now largely replaced.

• Virus – Malicious code that replicates and disrupts systems.

• yEnc – A compact encoding format that replaced UUEncode on Usenet. Only ~3% overhead compared to 30% for UUEncode.