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Unison 2 offers re-designed interface, more search options

updated 03:15 am EST, Sat January 9, 2010

New directory for finding groups


Panic has announced a new version of its Usenet reader, Unison 2. The app provides Usenet users with an interface for reading messages, browsing content, downloading files, or managing data from the Usenet server. The latest version offers a redesigned interface, complete with a new directory for finding groups and customizable per-group settings.

The update integrates a web-based browser for finding files and NZBs. Users can now read messages in a thread view, or view and post messages in HTML or plain text.

Unison 2 requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher and access to a Usenet server. The upgrade is priced at $20 for current registered users. If the previous version was purchased after November 1st, it is available as a free download. New customers can purchase the program for $30.


by MacNN Staff

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Comments

  1. Propofol

    Junior Member

    Joined: Jan 2002

    0
    01/09, 06:51am | report spam | Reply |

    Really?

    Do people really still use USENET?

  1. chas_m

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +1
    01/09, 11:49am | report spam | Reply |

    Issues

    I would advise readers of this story who are thinking of upgrading to hold off for a little while.

    Without question, some of the new features are quite handy, and the new look is very nice.

    BUT there are some serious flaws/omissions that are calling up quite the shitstorm among longtime Unison users.

    At present, the upgrade wipes out your settings, headers, and so forth. This can cause havoc to the organised user.

    Worse, the ability to mark files as read means you spend a lot of time re-loading files/images/etc you've already seen or acted on. Messages can be mass-marked, but not anything else.

    Unison will have heard from their user base of these displeasures and will likely fix them in an update, so my suggestion is simple patience.

    Panic are good folks and will rethink these flaws after hearing from their customers. If you're new to the whole thing, of course, you may as well jump on board now -- this is the first time in two years the program has been updated.

  1. ZinkDifferent

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2005

    +1
    01/09, 03:05pm | report spam | Reply |

    comment title

    Agree on the above advice -- albeit there is absolutely ZERO excuse for Unison 2 not to be able to read the prior version's preferences and settings, and carry them over. Forcing your upgrading users to start from scratch is simply unacceptable and inexcusable -- whoever made that call over at Panic should go back interning at Microsoft. No, wait ... Microsoft at least *does* carry prior preferences over.

    Seriously, Panic, WTF?

  1. JimGr

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2009

    +1
    01/09, 08:42pm | report spam | Reply |

    Some already fixed

    Fixed already is the ability to move over the previous versions preferences including subscribed newsgroups. You no longer have to start from scratch but you do have to get the 2.01 version

    It is true that you cannot simply mark binaries "read" and make them invisible where you can later make them visible again by toggling a setting, but these are good things for most of us.

    When you eliminate headers that you are not interested in -- deleting them -- the program is much snappier, read faster. For older things Unison provides search from either binsearch.info, bintube.com, or yabsearch.nl. Why does anyone want to re-go through thousands and thousands of headers?

    As always, Unison collapses groups of binary files like discussion threads so a single 4-Gig movie appears as a single line.

    What is new is that Unison is much smarter. MUCH SMARTER. If you were to download that 4-Gig movie, it would get all the parts and only the base par(2) file. When done, it will compare that base par2 with the complete downloaded set and if it is not complete it will download only the additional files needed to fix it. Then it will automatically fix and assemble the file so that when you return EVERYTHING is done except for your enjoying the file and the file parts and par files have been moved to the trash. How many other programs offer this all in one service?

    What is new is that you can select a group of headers that you have no interest in and delete them with a tap of the delete key. If you suspect you might want to keep them -- FOR GOD'S SAKE -- don't delete them. Otherwise the overhead of keeping millions of post parts is incredibly ridiculous and would slow the program down remarkably. God bless the folks at Panic for deciding for the massive majority to just delete what you don't want.

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