How do I read news?

You can access USENET news by typing rn at the command line

% rn
Unread news in comp.infosystems.www                        10 articles
Unread news in cis.general                                  4 articles
Unread news in cis.emacs                                    3 articles
Unread news in cis.grads                                    9 articles
Unread news in cis.reusability                             23 articles
etc.

**  10 unread articles in comp.infosystems.www--read now? [ynq]

When prompted [ynq], select 'y' to read messages in that newsgroup, 'n' to proceed to the next newsgroup, or 'q' to quit rn. You can traverse the list of newsgroups sequentially in this fashion, or you can go directly to a particular newsgroup, if you know its name:

**   4 unread articles in comp.general--read now? [ynq] g cis.course.cis222h
**   7 unread articles in cis.course.cis222h--read now? [ynq] =

If you respond 'y' then the first message in the newsgroup will be displayed. Responding '=' will display a directory of message subjects. You can read a particular message by entering the corresponding message number:

   17 Lab sessions
   18 Re: Lab sessions
   19 Re: Lab sessions
   20 Re: Lab sessions
   21 Lab questions
   22 New module
   23 Binary Tree module
What next? [npq] 21

After you read a message, it will be deleted from your list of message unless you mark it by typing 'm' at the "what next?" prompt. You can also save a message by typing 's':

Article 21 (6 more) in cis.course.cis222h:
From: weide@news.cis.ohio-state.edu (Bruce Weide)
Subject: Lab questions
Date: 7 May 93 05:40:40 GMT
Organization: The Ohio State University Department of Computer
 and Information Science
Lines: 8

I have scheduled room BO 233 from 2:30-3:30 Friday (today) for
a group Q/A session for lab assignments.  We will have another room
(probably) by next week.  Optional attendance, of course, but I
hope if you have questions about labs you'll be able to come.  (This
is in addition to my normal ofice hours.)

Cheers,
        -Bruce

End of article 21 (of 23)--what next? [npq] m
Article 21 marked as still unread.
End of article 21 (of 23)--what next? [npq] s

File /n/music/0/white/News/Cis.course.cis222h doesn't exist--
        use mailbox format? [ynq] y
Saved to mailbox /n/music/0/white/News/Cis.course.cis222h
End of article 21 (of 23)--what next? [npq] q

Typing 'q' will return you to the list of newsgroups.

These are some of the most frequently used commands for reading mail. To see a complete list of rn commands, type 'h' at any command prompt. Note that the particular help information displayed will depend on whether you are in a newsgroup or you are at the list of newsgroups level when you type 'h'.