Submission for Unix-PC

[gatelist at zorch.UU.NET]

hp-lsd!unix-pc at zorch.uu.net

I would like to get some news software.  I see many references to
archives of various news software: news 2.11, bnews, cnews, vnews, rn,
?nn?, etc.  But before I spend effort to acquire such software
(personally expensive at long distance and 1200 baud) I would like to
know what is most appropriate for my hardware.  

I own sphere, a 3B1 running 3.51 of OS and 3.5 of utilities and very few
public domain additions.  I UUCP with hp-lsd locally in Colorado Springs
twice daily; they would also be a gracious Usenet source although I
connect only at 1200 baud.  Also my harddrive is 40Mbyte.

In the past I have used "rn" at University of Florida, and "notes" (a U
of Illinois package) at Hewlett-Packard.  When I used rn, I was less
knowledgeable, and don't remember being able to recognize threaded
discussions... I'm under the (uninformed) impression that some news
software (rn) can't present a newsgroup's contents grouped by
notestring.  What I want (and had in "notes") is the capability to see
the subject line of all the basenotes in a newsgroup, with all the
"responses" tied to the appropriate basenotes.

What in your opinion is the best news software?
Does my hardware/software limit my choice of news software?
How big is it?
What is typical traffic in comp.sys.att, unix-pc* newsgroups?

I currently receive unix-pc news in a newsletter compiled by Scott Hazen
Mueller at Zorch.  I will see postings following up this request for
information, but I'd really like direct email.  I will digest and
tabulate results and post a followup.  Thank you.

John R Ruckstuhl, Jr