- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98
- Date added: August 27, 2002
- Total Downloads: 1,716,902
- Downloads last week: 2,070
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 138 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
In the world of computer software, users will find an excess of complicated newsreader programs. Thankfully, Xnews is not among them. Featuring a small download, installation of the program is easily accomplished. Setup is virtually painless. Even novice users will be filtering newsgroups within moments of program installation. Capable of supporting multiple servers and identities, Xnews provides versatility and function. Computer experts will be pleased to find that the program contains a score file for more advanced filtering. This outstanding freeware program does a phenomenal job of managing both multiple news servers and binary downloads.Publisher's description
From Clarion :Xnews is fashioned after NewsXpress, a program no longer in development. Xnews features a quick filter, a score file for more advanced filtering, support for multiple servers and identities, binaries handling, optional header and article caching, and folders for permanent archival. Version 5.08 adds a free-floating editor window, support for the yEnc binary encoding scheme, and many other enhancements and bug fixes.
More popular Newsreaders & RSS Readers downloads
User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.1 stars out of 138 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 5 of 117 user reviewsSee all 117 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Xnews 5.08
Pros: Contrary to what many have said, XNews rarely locks up. I will admit that it often APPEARS to lock up, but it doesn't. There are some tasks (such as decoding files or transferring from one folder to another) that Xnews devotes all its attention to. When this is happening, Xnews won't do anything else until its done.
(Unfortunately, if you try to close it via "three finger salute" Windows will say it's unresponsive - but it's NOT locked up)
I've used this program for many years, and will continue to do so. It's simple and unbloated.
Summary: null
I wrote that review almost 2 years ago, and I still stand by it. The only time XNews has EVER "locked up" for me was when I was either decoding a large file or was moving a l... read more >>
Updated on Apr 23, 2009 -
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Xnews 5.08
Pros: Very usefull and easy to use
-
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: Xnews 5.08
Pros: Easy to install, seems very stable.
Cons: I found this program to be very confusing. It is not user friendly like GrabIt.
-
10 out of 11 people found this review helpful
Version: Xnews 5.08
Summary: To get a sense of how arbitrary and ridiculous the CNET/download.com reviews are, compare their reviews for Xnews and NewsPro.
Xnews gets a 5 rating, the highest possible, and it has one of the most confusing and poorly designed user-in... read more >> -
9 out of 12 people found this review helpful
Version: Xnews 5.08
"Pardon me while I (BURP) freeze up."
Pros: - great configurable layout
- no better text reader
- multiple servers supported
- many different filters; love the score file
- capable of amazingly advanced features- for the beginner to the advanced user [manual is a huge negative]
Cons: - can you say HORRIBLE manual? It really needs to be enshrined somewhere as one of the worse written manuals ever for general consumption. Strictly for geeks; don't bother looking at it if you don't either have a computer degree or enjoy spending 80% of your time fiddling with software. Usenet help group is generally useless with 40-yr-old+ fanboi's spouting about RTFM.
- BLOATS with more than 20-50k headers and freezes up often. Great for usenet circa 1998 six-day retention; terrible for 2005 365-day retention. An anger management class or Agent highly recommended if you have a long retention provider and only 256 RAM. Even 512 RAM can be terribly slow.
- Forget binaries on this one, utterly useless except for the odd download or two. Heavy binary downloaders run, don't walk, away from this one.
- It's a one-man designed program subject to his whims and fancies...and abandonment. If he gets sick, bored etc. it's NewsXpress all over again [the developer just disappeared and never returned].
- support? Excuse me, give me a moment to stop laughing. Usenet group as stated, is populated by middle-aged fanboi's, developer is usually AWOL although there are some helpful souls out there you'll need to dodge the flames to find them.
- See all 117 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
- See more CNET content tagged:
- server
Previous Versions:
