Usenet Terms and Definitions | Newshosting

This glossary provides definitions for the most frequently used terms on the Usenet network. It's designed to help new and experienced users alike better understand the tools and terminology used every day.

Glossary (Alphabetical)

• Article – Another word for Message. Refers to an individual Usenet post.

• Article Retention – The length of time Newshosting servers store articles before removal. High article retention offers broader access to historical Usenet posts.

• Auto Headers – A feature of NewsBin (Version 5 series) that automatically downloads new headers, keeping them current without manual updates.

• Automatic Download – A NewsBin (Version 4 series) feature that automatically downloads all attachments to every post in selected groups, respecting filters. When used with Recycle Servers mode, it restarts after the configured Restart Delay.

• Automatic Shutdown – A NewsBin (Version 4 series) feature that closes the application once the final post in the final group finishes processing. Only active during Automatic Download mode.

• Automatic Startup – A NewsBin (Version 4 series) feature that initiates header downloads automatically on program launch, mimicking a manual header download start.

• Bandwidth – The capacity of an Internet connection measured in data per second (e.g., Mbps). NewsBin uses available bandwidth aggressively unless limited.

• Bandwidth Limiter – A configuration in NewsBin's Network tab that lets users restrict bandwidth use. Values are set in bits per second.

• Beta – A pre-release version of NewsBin under development. It is stable enough for early adopters but may still contain bugs.

• Cache Chunks – When enabled, NewsBin stores article chunks in memory before writing to disk, improving performance for multi-part post assembly.

• Chunk – A decoded part of a multi-part post. Stored in the CHUNKS folder until all segments are assembled. May be retained depending on user settings.

• Compact View – A NewsBin setting that consolidates all parts of a multi-part post into a single display line, simplifying the Post List and aiding in efficient selection.

• Connection – A link established with a Usenet server. Multiple simultaneous connections speed up article retrieval.

• Connection Limit – Maximum number of concurrent server connections allowed in NewsBin. Supports up to 100 per server.

• Crash – An unexpected program shutdown, potentially generating an error log.

• Display Age – Determines how far back NewsBin displays stored headers when viewing newsgroups. Adjustable by group or filter.

• Download Age – Defines how far back NewsBin fetches headers from the server. Default is 30 days, configurable per group or globally.

• Download Limit – The maximum amount of data retrievable from a server within a set timeframe.

• Download Path – The folder path where NewsBin saves retrieved data. Customizable at both global and group levels.

• Enabled – A setting state indicating that a feature or option is active.

• Fill – A repost made to complete missing parts of an original post. Also refers to a server setting that uses this server only when others lack the article.

• Filters – User-defined rules that include or exclude articles from being displayed or processed based on poster, subject, or size.

• Freeze – See Stall.

• FTR – Deprecated term for First Time Records. Replaced by Display Age.

• GIF – Graphics Interchange Format supporting 256 colors. Often replaced by PNG for modern use.

• Groups – See Newsgroups.

• Hang – See Stall.

• Header – The top portion of a message containing metadata like subject, sender, and date. Used by Indexers and NewsBin for sorting.

• Indexer – A searchable service that catalogs Usenet headers and creates NZBs for easy access.

• JPEG – Joint Photographic Experts Group image format supporting millions of colors. Common extension: .jpg.

• Lock Up – A system state where no user input is accepted, often requiring a reboot.

• Master Splitter – Utility for splitting large data into numbered segments (.001, .002, etc.). NewsBin recombines these via Combine Posts.

• Message – The foundational communication unit in Usenet. Similar to email, it includes a header and body.

• Message ID – A unique identifier for each Usenet message, used for NZB generation and accurate post retrieval.

• MP3 – MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3 format for compressed digital audio. Common extension: .mp3.

• MPA – See Max Post Age (not further detailed here).

• MPG – Movie file format based on MPEG compression. Common extension: .mpg.

• Multi-part Post – A large article split into smaller parts, each posted separately. NewsBin combines these automatically.

• Multi-threaded – A capability in operating systems allowing simultaneous processing of multiple threads.

• New – In NewsBin Version 4, refers to posts with unseen parts. In Version 5, applies until parts are marked as read.

• NewsBin – A specialized Usenet tool for retrieving, decoding, and organizing posts.

• Newsgroup – A topic-based forum on Usenet. Subscriptions determine which groups a user tracks.

• NZB – An XML file that references article message IDs for a complete Usenet post. Used for fast and efficient article access.

• Part – A segment of a multi-part post or a standalone article. Can also refer to a single element in a RAR set.

• PNG – Portable Network Graphics format with lossless compression. Replaces GIF for many web and graphic uses.

• POS – Slang for unreliable software or older non-NT Windows systems.

• Post – Either a single message on Usenet or the act of submitting one. Often composed of multiple parts.

• Post ID – See Message ID.

• Poster – The author of a Usenet article, typically identified by email address.

• Post List – A tab in NewsBin displaying all posts in a group or search. Supports filtering and search functions.

• Quade – Author and primary developer of NewsBin.

• RAR – File extension for archives created by WinRAR. Used frequently on Usenet.

• Record Number – Server-specific number assigned to each article. Not portable between servers.

• Recycle Servers – NewsBin (Version 4) mode that cycles through selected groups repeatedly after a Restart Delay.

• Restart Delay – Sets the waiting time before Recycle Servers mode loops back.

• Robot – A script or program that automates repetitive tasks, such as retrieving Usenet posts.

• Sequential – Events that occur one after another.

• Signature Cache – NewsBin database used for duplicate detection. Stored as signature.dbm (v4) or signature.db3 (v5).

• Simultaneous – Events occurring at the same time.

• Size – Total data volume of a post. May differ from final hard drive usage.

• Spool – Directory where NewsBin stores headers for each newsgroup.

• SSL – Secure Sockets Layer. Encrypts data between your device and the Usenet server.

• Stackable – Refers to filters that must all pass for a post to be accepted. No single filter overrides another.

• Stall – A program state where responsiveness is lost, often with high CPU or disk usage. May self-recover.

• Storage Age – Duration that NewsBin retains headers. Default is 200 days (500 in v5.55+).

• Subject – Descriptive portion of a header, usually containing the name of any attached data.

• Usenet – A decentralized global server network for topic-based article exchange. Originated in 1979, standardized under NNTP in 1986.

• UUEncode – Encoding scheme converting binary to ASCII for compatibility with Usenet servers. Adds 30% size overhead.

• Virus – A malicious, self-replicating software program that causes harm.

• yEnc – Modern Usenet encoding method replacing UUEncode. Adds only 3% overhead. Widely used today.