Merge from emacs--rel--22
[bpt/emacs.git] / etc / GNUS-NEWS
1 GNUS NEWS -- history of user-visible changes.
2
3 Copyright (C) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
4 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 See the end of the file for license conditions.
6
7 Please send Gnus bug reports to bugs@gnus.org.
8 For older news, see Gnus info node "New Features".
9
10 \f
11 * Installation changes
12
13 ** Upgrading from previous (stable) version if you have used Oort.
14
15 If you have tried Oort (the unstable Gnus branch leading to this
16 release) but went back to a stable version, be careful when upgrading to
17 this version. In particular, you will probably want to remove all
18 `.marks' (nnml) and `.mrk' (nnfolder) files, so that flags are read from
19 your `.newsrc.eld' instead of from the `.marks'/`.mrk' file where this
20 release store flags. See a later entry for more information about
21 marks. Note that downgrading isn't save in general.
22
23 ** Lisp files are now installed in `.../site-lisp/gnus/' by default. It
24 defaulted to `.../site-lisp/' formerly. In addition to this, the new
25 installer issues a warning if other Gnus installations which will shadow
26 the latest one are detected. You can then remove those shadows manually
27 or remove them using `make remove-installed-shadows'.
28
29 ** New `make.bat' for compiling and installing Gnus under MS Windows
30
31 Use `make.bat' if you want to install Gnus under MS Windows, the first
32 argument to the batch-program should be the directory where `xemacs.exe'
33 respectively `emacs.exe' is located, iff you want to install Gnus after
34 compiling it, give `make.bat' `/copy' as the second parameter.
35
36 `make.bat' has been rewritten from scratch, it now features automatic
37 recognition of XEmacs and GNU Emacs, generates `gnus-load.el', checks if
38 errors occur while compilation and generation of info files and reports
39 them at the end of the build process. It now uses `makeinfo' if it is
40 available and falls back to `infohack.el' otherwise. `make.bat' should
41 now install all files which are necessary to run Gnus and be generally a
42 complete replacement for the `configure; make; make install' cycle used
43 under Unix systems.
44
45 The new `make.bat' makes `make-x.bat' and `xemacs.mak' superfluous, so
46 they have been removed.
47
48 ** `~/News/overview/' not used.
49
50 As a result of the following change, the `~/News/overview/' directory is
51 not used any more. You can safely delete the entire hierarchy.
52
53 ** `(require 'gnus-load)'
54
55 If you use a stand-alone Gnus distribution, you'd better add `(require
56 'gnus-load)' into your `~/.emacs' after adding the Gnus lisp directory
57 into load-path.
58
59 File `gnus-load.el' contains autoload commands, functions and variables,
60 some of which may not be included in distributions of Emacsen.
61
62
63 \f
64 * New packages and libraries within Gnus
65
66 ** The revised Gnus FAQ is included in the manual, *Note Frequently Asked
67 Questions::.
68
69 ** TLS wrapper shipped with Gnus
70
71 TLS/SSL is now supported in IMAP and NNTP via `tls.el' and GNUTLS. The
72 old TLS/SSL support via (external third party) `ssl.el' and OpenSSL
73 still works.
74
75 ** Improved anti-spam features.
76
77 Gnus is now able to take out spam from your mail and news streams using
78 a wide variety of programs and filter rules. Among the supported
79 methods are RBL blocklists, bogofilter and white/blacklists. Hooks for
80 easy use of external packages such as SpamAssassin and Hashcash are also
81 new. *Note Thwarting Email Spam::.
82
83 ** Gnus supports server-side mail filtering using Sieve.
84
85 Sieve rules can be added as Group Parameters for groups, and the
86 complete Sieve script is generated using `D g' from the Group buffer,
87 and then uploaded to the server using `C-c C-l' in the generated Sieve
88 buffer. *Note Sieve Commands::, and the new Sieve manual *Note Top:
89 (sieve)Top.
90
91
92 \f
93 * Changes in group mode
94
95 ** `gnus-group-read-ephemeral-group' can be called interactively, using `G
96 M'.
97
98 ** Retrieval of charters and control messages
99
100 There are new commands for fetching newsgroup charters (`H c') and
101 control messages (`H C').
102
103 ** The new variable `gnus-parameters' can be used to set group parameters.
104
105 Earlier this was done only via `G p' (or `G c'), which stored the
106 parameters in `~/.newsrc.eld', but via this variable you can enjoy the
107 powers of customize, and simplified backups since you set the variable
108 in `~/.gnus.el' instead of `~/.newsrc.eld'. The variable maps regular
109 expressions matching group names to group parameters, a'la:
110 (setq gnus-parameters
111 '(("mail\\..*"
112 (gnus-show-threads nil)
113 (gnus-use-scoring nil))
114 ("^nnimap:\\(foo.bar\\)$"
115 (to-group . "\\1"))))
116
117 ** Unread count correct in nnimap groups.
118
119 The estimated number of unread articles in the group buffer should now
120 be correct for nnimap groups. This is achieved by calling
121 `nnimap-fixup-unread-after-getting-new-news' from the
122 `gnus-setup-news-hook' (called on startup) and
123 `gnus-after-getting-new-news-hook'. (called after getting new mail). If
124 you have modified those variables from the default, you may want to add
125 `nnimap-fixup-unread-after-getting-new-news' again. If you were happy
126 with the estimate and want to save some (minimal) time when getting new
127 mail, remove the function.
128
129 ** Group names are treated as UTF-8 by default.
130
131 This is supposedly what USEFOR wanted to migrate to. See
132 `gnus-group-name-charset-group-alist' and
133 `gnus-group-name-charset-method-alist' for customization.
134
135 ** `gnus-group-charset-alist' and `gnus-group-ignored-charsets-alist'.
136
137 The regexps in these variables are compared with full group names
138 instead of real group names in 5.8. Users who customize these variables
139 should change those regexps accordingly. For example:
140 ("^han\\>" euc-kr) -> ("\\(^\\|:\\)han\\>" euc-kr)
141
142
143 \f
144 * Changes in summary and article mode
145
146 ** `F' (`gnus-article-followup-with-original') and `R'
147 (`gnus-article-reply-with-original') only yank the text in the region if
148 the region is active.
149
150 ** In draft groups, `e' is now bound to `gnus-draft-edit-message'. Use `B
151 w' for `gnus-summary-edit-article' instead.
152
153 ** Article Buttons
154
155 More buttons for URLs, mail addresses, Message-IDs, Info links, man
156 pages and Emacs or Gnus related references. *Note Article Buttons::.
157 The variables `gnus-button-*-level' can be used to control the
158 appearance of all article buttons. *Note Article Button Levels::.
159
160 ** Single-part yenc encoded attachments can be decoded.
161
162 ** Picons
163
164 The picons code has been reimplemented to work in GNU Emacs--some of the
165 previous options have been removed or renamed.
166
167 Picons are small "personal icons" representing users, domain and
168 newsgroups, which can be displayed in the Article buffer. *Note
169 Picons::.
170
171 ** If the new option `gnus-treat-body-boundary' is non-`nil', a boundary
172 line is drawn at the end of the headers.
173
174 ** Signed article headers (X-PGP-Sig) can be verified with `W p'.
175
176 ** The Summary Buffer uses an arrow in the fringe to indicate the current
177 article. Use `(setq gnus-summary-display-arrow nil)' to disable it.
178
179 ** Warn about email replies to news
180
181 Do you often find yourself replying to news by email by mistake? Then
182 the new option `gnus-confirm-mail-reply-to-news' is just the thing for
183 you.
184
185 ** If the new option `gnus-summary-display-while-building' is non-`nil',
186 the summary buffer is shown and updated as it's being built.
187
188 ** The new `recent' mark `.' indicates newly arrived messages (as opposed
189 to old but unread messages).
190
191 ** Gnus supports RFC 2369 mailing list headers, and adds a number of
192 related commands in mailing list groups. *Note Mailing List::.
193
194 ** The Date header can be displayed in a format that can be read aloud in
195 English. *Note Article Date::.
196
197 ** diffs are automatically highlighted in groups matching
198 `mm-uu-diff-groups-regexp'
199
200 ** Better handling of Microsoft citation styles
201
202 Gnus now tries to recognize the mangled header block that some Microsoft
203 mailers use to indicate that the rest of the message is a citation, even
204 though it is not quoted in any way. The variable
205 `gnus-cite-unsightly-citation-regexp' matches the start of these
206 citations.
207
208 The new command `W Y f' (`gnus-article-outlook-deuglify-article') allows
209 deuglifying broken Outlook (Express) articles.
210
211 ** `gnus-article-skip-boring'
212
213 If you set `gnus-article-skip-boring' to `t', then Gnus will not scroll
214 down to show you a page that contains only boring text, which by default
215 means cited text and signature. You can customize what is skippable
216 using `gnus-article-boring-faces'.
217
218 This feature is especially useful if you read many articles that consist
219 of a little new content at the top with a long, untrimmed message cited
220 below.
221
222 ** Smileys (`:-)', `;-)' etc) are now displayed graphically in Emacs too.
223
224 Put `(setq gnus-treat-display-smileys nil)' in `~/.gnus.el' to disable
225 it.
226
227 ** Face headers handling. *Note Face::.
228
229 ** In the summary buffer, the new command `/ N' inserts new messages and `/
230 o' inserts old messages.
231
232 ** Gnus decodes morse encoded messages if you press `W m'.
233
234 ** `gnus-summary-line-format'
235
236 The default value changed to `%U%R%z%I%(%[%4L: %-23,23f%]%) %s\n'.
237 Moreover `gnus-extra-headers', `nnmail-extra-headers' and
238 `gnus-ignored-from-addresses' changed their default so that the users
239 name will be replaced by the recipient's name or the group name posting
240 to for NNTP groups.
241
242 ** Deleting of attachments.
243
244 The command `gnus-mime-save-part-and-strip' (bound to `C-o' on MIME
245 buttons) saves a part and replaces the part with an external one.
246 `gnus-mime-delete-part' (bound to `d' on MIME buttons) removes a part.
247 It works only on back ends that support editing.
248
249 ** `gnus-default-charset'
250
251 The default value is determined from the `current-language-environment'
252 variable, instead of `iso-8859-1'. Also the `.*' item in
253 `gnus-group-charset-alist' is removed.
254
255 ** Printing capabilities are enhanced.
256
257 Gnus supports Muttprint natively with `O P' from the Summary and Article
258 buffers. Also, each individual MIME part can be printed using `p' on
259 the MIME button.
260
261 ** Extended format specs.
262
263 Format spec `%&user-date;' is added into
264 `gnus-summary-line-format-alist'. Also, user defined extended format
265 specs are supported. The extended format specs look like `%u&foo;',
266 which invokes function `gnus-user-format-function-FOO'. Because `&' is
267 used as the escape character, old user defined format `%u&' is no longer
268 supported.
269
270 ** `/ *' (`gnus-summary-limit-include-cached') is rewritten.
271
272 It was aliased to `Y c' (`gnus-summary-insert-cached-articles'). The
273 new function filters out other articles.
274
275 ** Some limiting commands accept a `C-u' prefix to negate the match.
276
277 If `C-u' is used on subject, author or extra headers, i.e., `/ s', `/
278 a', and `/ x' (`gnus-summary-limit-to-{subject,author,extra}')
279 respectively, the result will be to display all articles that do not
280 match the expression.
281
282 ** Gnus inlines external parts (message/external).
283
284
285 \f
286 * Changes in Message mode and related Gnus features
287
288 ** Delayed articles
289
290 You can delay the sending of a message with `C-c C-j' in the Message
291 buffer. The messages are delivered at specified time. This is useful
292 for sending yourself reminders. *Note Delayed Articles::.
293
294 ** If the new option `nnml-use-compressed-files' is non-`nil', the nnml
295 back end allows compressed message files.
296
297 ** The new option `gnus-gcc-mark-as-read' automatically marks Gcc articles
298 as read.
299
300 ** Externalizing of attachments
301
302 If `gnus-gcc-externalize-attachments' or
303 `message-fcc-externalize-attachments' is non-`nil', attach local files
304 as external parts.
305
306 ** The envelope sender address can be customized when using Sendmail.
307 *Note Mail Variables: (message)Mail Variables.
308
309 ** Gnus no longer generate the Sender: header automatically.
310
311 Earlier it was generated iff the user configurable email address was
312 different from the Gnus guessed default user address. As the guessing
313 algorithm is rarely correct these days, and (more controversially) the
314 only use of the Sender: header was to check if you are entitled to
315 cancel/supersede news (which is now solved by Cancel Locks instead, see
316 another entry), generation of the header has been disabled by default.
317 See the variables `message-required-headers',
318 `message-required-news-headers', and `message-required-mail-headers'.
319
320 ** Features from third party `message-utils.el' added to `message.el'.
321
322 Message now asks if you wish to remove `(was: <old subject>)' from
323 subject lines (see `message-subject-trailing-was-query'). `C-c M-m' and
324 `C-c M-f' inserts markers indicating included text. `C-c C-f a' adds a
325 X-No-Archive: header. `C-c C-f x' inserts appropriate headers and a
326 note in the body for cross-postings and followups (see the variables
327 `message-cross-post-*').
328
329 ** References and X-Draft-From headers are no longer generated when you
330 start composing messages and `message-generate-headers-first' is `nil'.
331
332 ** Easy inclusion of X-Faces headers. *Note X-Face::.
333
334 ** Group Carbon Copy (GCC) quoting
335
336 To support groups that contains SPC and other weird characters, groups
337 are quoted before they are placed in the Gcc: header. This means
338 variables such as `gnus-message-archive-group' should no longer contain
339 quote characters to make groups containing SPC work. Also, if you are
340 using the string `nnml:foo, nnml:bar' (indicating Gcc into two groups)
341 you must change it to return the list `("nnml:foo" "nnml:bar")',
342 otherwise the Gcc: line will be quoted incorrectly. Note that returning
343 the string `nnml:foo, nnml:bar' was incorrect earlier, it just didn't
344 generate any problems since it was inserted directly.
345
346 ** `message-insinuate-rmail'
347
348 Adding `(message-insinuate-rmail)' and `(setq mail-user-agent
349 'gnus-user-agent)' in `.emacs' convinces Rmail to compose, reply and
350 forward messages in message-mode, where you can enjoy the power of MML.
351
352 ** `message-minibuffer-local-map'
353
354 The line below enables BBDB in resending a message:
355 (define-key message-minibuffer-local-map [(tab)]
356 'bbdb-complete-name)
357
358 ** `gnus-posting-styles'
359
360 Add a new format of match like
361 ((header "to" "larsi.*org")
362 (Organization "Somewhere, Inc."))
363 The old format like the lines below is obsolete, but still accepted.
364 (header "to" "larsi.*org"
365 (Organization "Somewhere, Inc."))
366
367 ** `message-ignored-news-headers' and `message-ignored-mail-headers'
368
369 `X-Draft-From' and `X-Gnus-Agent-Meta-Information' have been added into
370 these two variables. If you customized those, perhaps you need add
371 those two headers too.
372
373 ** Gnus supports the "format=flowed" (RFC 2646) parameter. On composing
374 messages, it is enabled by `use-hard-newlines'. Decoding format=flowed
375 was present but not documented in earlier versions.
376
377 ** The option `mm-fill-flowed' can be used to disable treatment of
378 "format=flowed" messages. Also, flowed text is disabled when sending
379 inline PGP signed messages. (New in Gnus 5.10.7)
380
381 ** Gnus supports the generation of RFC 2298 Disposition Notification
382 requests.
383
384 This is invoked with the `C-c M-n' key binding from message mode.
385
386 ** Message supports the Importance: (RFC 2156) header.
387
388 In the message buffer, `C-c C-f C-i' or `C-c C-u' cycles through the
389 valid values.
390
391 ** Gnus supports Cancel Locks in News.
392
393 This means a header `Cancel-Lock' is inserted in news posting. It is
394 used to determine if you wrote an article or not (for canceling and
395 superseding). Gnus generates a random password string the first time
396 you post a message, and saves it in your `~/.emacs' using the Custom
397 system. While the variable is called `canlock-password', it is not
398 security sensitive data. Publishing your canlock string on the web will
399 not allow anyone to be able to anything she could not already do. The
400 behavior can be changed by customizing `message-insert-canlock'.
401
402 ** Gnus supports PGP (RFC 1991/2440), PGP/MIME (RFC 2015/3156) and S/MIME
403 (RFC 2630-2633).
404
405 It needs an external S/MIME and OpenPGP implementation, but no
406 additional Lisp libraries. This add several menu items to the
407 Attachments menu, and `C-c RET' key bindings, when composing messages.
408 This also obsoletes `gnus-article-hide-pgp-hook'.
409
410 ** MML (Mime compose) prefix changed from `M-m' to `C-c C-m'.
411
412 This change was made to avoid conflict with the standard binding of
413 `back-to-indentation', which is also useful in message mode.
414
415 ** The default for `message-forward-show-mml' changed to the symbol `best'.
416
417 The behavior for the `best' value is to show MML (i.e., convert to MIME)
418 when appropriate. MML will not be used when forwarding signed or
419 encrypted messages, as the conversion invalidate the digital signature.
420
421 ** If `auto-compression-mode' is enabled, attachments are automatically
422 decompressed when activated.
423
424 ** Support for non-ASCII domain names
425
426 Message supports non-ASCII domain names in From:, To: and Cc: and will
427 query you whether to perform encoding when you try to send a message.
428 The variable `message-use-idna' controls this. Gnus will also decode
429 non-ASCII domain names in From:, To: and Cc: when you view a message.
430 The variable `gnus-use-idna' controls this.
431
432 ** You can now drag and drop attachments to the Message buffer. See
433 `mml-dnd-protocol-alist' and `mml-dnd-attach-options'. *Note MIME:
434 (message)MIME.
435
436
437 \f
438 * Changes in back ends
439
440 ** Gnus can display RSS newsfeeds as a newsgroup. *Note RSS::.
441
442 ** The nndoc back end now supports mailman digests and exim bounces.
443
444 ** Gnus supports Maildir groups.
445
446 Gnus includes a new back end `nnmaildir.el'. *Note Maildir::.
447
448 ** The nnml and nnfolder back ends store marks for each groups.
449
450 This makes it possible to take backup of nnml/nnfolder servers/groups
451 separately of `~/.newsrc.eld', while preserving marks. It also makes it
452 possible to share articles and marks between users (without sharing the
453 `~/.newsrc.eld' file) within e.g. a department. It works by storing the
454 marks stored in `~/.newsrc.eld' in a per-group file `.marks' (for nnml)
455 and `GROUPNAME.mrk' (for nnfolder, named GROUPNAME). If the
456 nnml/nnfolder is moved to another machine, Gnus will automatically use
457 the `.marks' or `.mrk' file instead of the information in
458 `~/.newsrc.eld'. The new server variables `nnml-marks-is-evil' and
459 `nnfolder-marks-is-evil' can be used to disable this feature.
460
461
462 \f
463 * Appearance
464
465 ** The menu bar item (in Group and Summary buffer) named "Misc" has been
466 renamed to "Gnus".
467
468 ** The menu bar item (in Message mode) named "MML" has been renamed to
469 "Attachments". Note that this menu also contains security related
470 stuff, like signing and encryption (*note Security: (message)Security.).
471
472 ** The tool bars have been updated to use GNOME icons in Group, Summary and
473 Message mode. You can also customize the tool bars. This is a new
474 feature in Gnus 5.10.9. (Only for Emacs, not in XEmacs.)
475
476 ** The tool bar icons are now (de)activated correctly in the group buffer,
477 see the variable `gnus-group-update-tool-bar'. Its default value
478 depends on your Emacs version. This is a new feature in Gnus 5.10.9.
479
480 \f
481 * Miscellaneous changes
482
483 ** `gnus-agent'
484
485 The Gnus Agent has seen a major updated and is now enabled by default,
486 and all nntp and nnimap servers from `gnus-select-method' and
487 `gnus-secondary-select-method' are agentized by default. Earlier only
488 the server in `gnus-select-method' was agentized by the default, and the
489 agent was disabled by default. When the agent is enabled, headers are
490 now also retrieved from the Agent cache instead of the back ends when
491 possible. Earlier this only happened in the unplugged state. You can
492 enroll or remove servers with `J a' and `J r' in the server buffer.
493 Gnus will not download articles into the Agent cache, unless you
494 instruct it to do so, though, by using `J u' or `J s' from the Group
495 buffer. You revert to the old behavior of having the Agent disabled
496 with `(setq gnus-agent nil)'. Note that putting `(gnus-agentize)' in
497 `~/.gnus.el' is not needed any more.
498
499 ** Gnus reads the NOV and articles in the Agent if plugged.
500
501 If one reads an article while plugged, and the article already exists in
502 the Agent, it won't get downloaded once more. `(setq gnus-agent-cache
503 nil)' reverts to the old behavior.
504
505 ** Dired integration
506
507 `gnus-dired-minor-mode' (see *Note Other modes::) installs key bindings
508 in dired buffers to send a file as an attachment, open a file using the
509 appropriate mailcap entry, and print a file using the mailcap entry.
510
511 ** The format spec `%C' for positioning point has changed to `%*'.
512
513 ** `gnus-slave-unplugged'
514
515 A new command which starts Gnus offline in slave mode.
516
517
518 \f
519 * For older news, see Gnus info node "New Features".
520
521 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
522 \f
523 This file is part of GNU Emacs.
524
525 GNU Emacs is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
526 it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
527 the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
528 any later version.
529
530 GNU Emacs is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
531 but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
532 MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
533 GNU General Public License for more details.
534
535 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
536 along with GNU Emacs; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the
537 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
538 Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
539
540 \f
541 Local variables:
542 mode: outline
543 paragraph-separate: "[ \f]*$"
544 end: