Compatibility Requirements

If HyperNews is incompatible with the system you want to use, and you can't help port it, consider asking to set up a forum on one of the existing HyperNews sites. Or look into one of the other available conferencing systems.

Unix Operating System

No port to Windows (3.1, 95, 98, or NT), or Mac has been completed, that I know of. There are several messages in this forum discussing this, especially regarding NT. In principal, HyperNews could probably be made to work on non-Unix systems without extreme difficulty, but I don't have time to do that work now.

To install HyperNews, it will be easier if you have root access on your Unix system, but this is not necessary.

WARNING: There are some problems with locking if you store your messages on an NFS or AFS partition. The locking code is probably NOT safe in this case because it depends on atomic actions (i.e. only one process at a time) for linking and unlinking, which is not guaranteed. The locking code should be changed to use rename instead which is more portable regarding atomic actions.

Perl 5

If the flush.pl file is found missing, then you have a badly installed Perl.

Socket.pm in your Perl 5 library is used by http.pl (included in the HyperNews distribution) to fetch documents via HTTP. For some operating systems, Socket.pm has problems, so you might want to try socket.ph instead. To do so, you'll need to translate the /usr/include files (using "cd /usr/include; h2ph * sys/*"), or at least translate sys/socket.h and whatever it requires. If sys/socket.ph exists but is not found by Perl, it could be a problem with your Perl installation. If execution errors result when sys/socket.ph is loaded via http.pl, this is not surprising. I recommend you just comment out the offending lines in sys/socket.ph or in one of the files it loads.

Apache's mod_perl module does not yet work with HyperNews. There are a number of changes to HyperNews' use of packages that must be changed first.

HTTP Server

The internal security mechanism of Apache, NCSA or CERN httpd may be used optionally, but this same mechanism is not always used with other servers, so you will have to either do some work to make the internal security work, or use "manual_security". Some work on support of "external security" via Netscape DBM files has been done; see the $PWFileDBM option in the hnrc file. Also some SQL database and socket access of member info is supported; see member-lib.pl.

For installation of HyperNews, it will help if you either are the web administrator or you can have the web administrator do some configuration of the http server for you. This configuration may need to be done a couple times until things are working the way you want. After installing HyperNews, many things can be managed via the web rather than through a telnet command line shell, but I don't generally recommend relying on only the web interface.

But even without the above, if your server already allows you to create CGI bin directories or use CGI scripts (most servers do), then that may be enough to go on. The main hurdle is that you need to set up a directory that the server can write in, but you probably don't want to allow just anyone to write in it. The installation instructions describe some techniques that may help you restrict who can access files in your installation, e.g. cgiwrap and setuid.

Certain things may be required of your HTTP server configuration.

• If you use "internal" server-based security, there are several things to be aware of. The AccessFileName is assumed to be ".htaccess", the default for NCSA httpd, or ".www_acl" the default for CERN httpd, but you can change what HyperNews thinks the name is in your configuration file (hnrc). You don't need to create the access files for HyperNews yourself since it does this for you. You may want to check on it though.
• Symbolic links are used by HyperNews to link to the shared .scripts directory from either the unsecured directory (called HyperNews) or the secured directory (called HyperNews/SECURED, this is created by the setup process). So you need to enable symbolic links in your server configuration (access.conf for NCSA's server) for the HyperNews directory. If you don't want to do this, you can instead copy the scripts into place using the --copy option to the setup.pl script. Or hard links are created if you use the --hardlink option. (Hardlinks are required if you use the Apache suExec feature.)

• Maybe you should look at your AllowOverride configuration in access.conf. I generally use "AllowOverride All" but that is probably too generous.

Disk Requirements

The source (which is what you run) takes about 1M. Each message takes the size of the message itself plus the overhead of the urc file (about 2K), a directory, if there are any replies, a list of all the replies, a mailing list of subscribers, a log file (for each forum), and a hit count file. The mailing list is typically small or non-existent, except for at the base article level.

Sendmail Configuration

These addresses may cause problems for your sendmail unless you add them to your system mail alias file, or change the addresses in your configuration file (hnrc) to something real, or disable outgoing email. Also be aware that reject mail will accumulate in the Owner-HyperNews mailbox, and HyperNews has no way yet of dealing with it. For more discussion on email issues, see the HyperNews Email page.

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1 What about the CERN server? by Kerry Thompson, 1995, Sep 04

1 Is supported. by Axel Boldt, 1995, Sep 09

2 What about Netware? , 1996, Jul 31

3 Open Market Authentication Problems by Martin Grogg, 1996, Aug 01

4 Any Hypernews alike for Win NT 3.51 by Eric Gibaud, 1996, Sep 22

5 Is Perl 5.001.1 OK? by Ken Tanaka, 1996, Jan 31

1 I won't use Perl 5.001n by Ken Tanaka, 1996, Feb 01

1 It's installed now! by tanaka@ngdc.noaa.gov, 1996, Feb 05

...

2 Why NOT version n? by roger@umich.edu, 1996, Mar 11

...

2 Installing Perl: Use the Bourne shell for Configure by Ken Tanaka, 1996, Feb 23

6 hypernews and NT , 1996, Feb 02

1 Netscape Commerce Server, Windows NT and HyperNewse by Suneel Jhangiani, 1996, Feb 10

1 Where is it? by jeffh@ee.pdx.edu, 1996, Feb 19

...

2 I'm going to try NT too by paul.cgn@sni.de, 1996, Mar 15

...

2 Interested in NT PORT OF HN by Douglas Cohn, 1996, Mar 03

1 I too need HyperNews for NT by enrique.mora@disbumad.es, 1996, Mar 03

...

2 Performance problems? I think not by david@diablo.eimages.co.uk, 1996, Jul 19

...

3 Cīmon get a REAL OS, UNIX not NT crap.. , 1998, Sep 08

4 I too am trying to port to NT (with MS IIS) by Larry Talley, 1996, Apr 05

1 It may be more difficult than I hoped by larryt@acm.org, 1996, Apr 08

...

5 Is there a chance NT port will appear (pre-compiled)? by snidal@mbnet.mb.ca, 1996, Jun 19

6 I too am trying to port to NT (with MS IIS) by Larry Talley, 1996, Apr 05

7 hypernews and nt by G. Raneburger, 1996, Oct 25

1 DNEWS hypernews server by f.bartels@utopia.twinfo.nl, 1996, Nov 01

...

2 aGNeS - an HN-like system on NT by sbs@acm.org, 1999, Oct 06

7 Where I can find flush.pl (since I don't seem to have it) by Christopher Hotz, 1995, Dec 26

1 Try the perl library by Don MacLeod, Corps of Engineers, 1996, Jan 25

8 Does it work with SPINNER? by Kate Baumann, 1996, Mar 11

1 If you mean the Spinner now known as Roxen/Caudium, then Yes by Knotwork Webmaster, 2002, Apr 07

9 Perl 5.0001n bug are you sure by Joel McAllister, 1996, Mar 15

1 Maybe yes, maybe no by Daniel LaLiberte, 1996, Mar 15

What about 5.002? by pwiseman@mindspring.com, 1996, Mar 19

I haven't tested 5.002 yet. by liberte@hypernews.org, 1996, Mar 19

*Very* basic 5.002 use by roger@umich.edu, 1996, Apr 02

10 OpenMarket compatability by Derek Sato, 1996, Apr 16

11 anyone who installed HyperNews on SGI Indy w/ IRIX 5.2 ? by veronika summerauer, 1994, Oct 04

1 problem solved by (v)., 1994, Oct 05

thanks for the answer by @slip196.sirius.com, 1995, Feb 03

12 Is there a Mac version HyperNews script? by Feng Hou, 1994, Dec 01

1 Not yet by Daniel LaLiberte, 1994, Dec 03

1 Macintoshii and Perl and HTTP ... by @sco.com, 1995, Jan 03

...

2 I'm on a mac.....? by Mike S, 1998, Jun 26

1 HyperNews on Unix by liberte@emancholl.pair.com, 1998, Jun 26

13 Is there a Windows NT Version? by Albert Lopez, 1994, Dec 05

1 I wanna know too! by corywest@tango.seattle.wa.us, 1995, Jan 10

1 I'd like to keep in touch about this by richh@fourgen.com, 1995, Mar 10

... 1 Message(s)

2 Just checking something by esullivan@pcweek.ziff.com, 1995, Apr 06

2 Me, too (and Website 1.0 has full CGI capability) by thuber@cslanet.calstatela.edu, 1995, Jun 22

1 Trying the Port to NT Website 1.0 by tdenton@bpl.com, 1995, Jun 27

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2 Website hypernews by bjensen@oknet.com, 1996, Jan 09

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3 Totally excellent media resource by @199.1.41.200, 1995, Jun 26

4 Does it work with a Mips chip? by jltaylo@sandia.gov, 1995, Sep 06

5 What about Netscape server on NT? by csmith@entergy.com, 1995, Oct 23

6 What about Purveyor from Process Software as well? by netexplorer@MAILHOST.NET, 1995, Dec 24

7 hypernews for nt platform by webmaster@ris.at, 1996, Oct 25

8 please inform me about hypernews and nt by webmaster@ris.at, 1996, Oct 25

1 I would also like to know about Hypernews and nt by nikkii@intac.com, 1996, Dec 26

... 1 Message(s)

14 Lots of trouble setting up HyperNews on GNServer 2.07 by Simon Rakov, 1994, Dec 22

15 Anybody using Hypernews on Netscape communication Server? by @www.gii-awards.com, 1995, Aug 16

16 What web server is needed? by Steve Malikowski, 1995, Aug 23

17 Perl5.0001m/Linux/ELF/no go by Patrick Wiseman, 1995, Sep 07

18 Hypernews, Apache, And Virtual Hosts by Jeff Heinen, 1995, Dec 29

19 Sun, Netscape and Hypernews by Ann Mansker, 1996, Jan 09

20 Using Hypernews with Netscape server? by Dan Cornish, 1996, Mar 17

21 FAQ on HN running on NT? $$ offer for install by Jim Rosenfield, 1996, Apr 23

22 Hypernews on HP-UX ? by gilles.simon@st.com, 1996, May 09

23 HyperNews and Microsoft IIS by CLNEAL@CTLNET.COM, 1996, May 13

24 HyperNews on Irix 5.3 with Netscape Communications Server by ahoffman@digitalglobe.com, 1996, Jun 05

25 Anybody using HyperNews with WN server? by Athula Herath, 1996, Jul 16

26 HyperNews on OS/2 + ICS by Cameron Martin, 1996, Aug 23

27 Hey, it won't even decompress by Jon Hassall, 1996, Sep 09

28 How do I Untar by tcis@outreach.com, 1997, Jan 03

1 tar is a Unix program by Daniel LaLiberte , 1997, Jan 07

2 untar by udai_suggu100@rediffmail.com, 2002, Nov 04

29 GCC Compiler and Perl Interpreter without hassle? by Charles G. Hollins, 1997, Jan 06

30 Linux by @142.158.220.31, 1995, Aug 14

31 perl5.003/auth..failed by Olivier PAGE, 1997, Jan 31

32 Error Msgs : Doc contains no data by Frank, 1997, Feb 17

33 Hypernews on Novell's Netware 4.11? by Fred Melssen, 1997, Apr 21

34 Much difficulty patching HyperNews under mod_perl by Ert Dredge, 1997, Jul 10

35 What browsers DO support redirection ? by Mike Reynolds, 1997, Jul 07

36 Tar by Dave Gurske, 1996, Apr 13

1 Tar is "Tape ARchive" by Ken Tanaka, 1996, Apr 14

2 I need TAR unziper by SNIPERLUI@hotmail.com, 1998, Jan 04

37 Fast-cgi by Thomas Forster, 1997, Jan 27

38 Will HyperNews run on the Boa web server? by Cameron, 1998, Apr 06

39 how long does it take to install for a non programming person? by Ute, 1998, May 18

1 Installation might be easy or hard by liberte@hypernews.org, 1998, May 18

Could i pay you to install HyperNews by daniel@urbanmotion.org, 2000, Jun 06

Installation and Customization services by liberte@hypernews.org, 2000, Jun 07

1 we do not allow telnet by daniel@urbanmotion.org, 2000, Jun 07

2 But they do have an "Archive Gateway" by daniel@urbanmotion.org, 2000, Jun 07

... 1 Message(s)

40 Does Hypernews run under FreeBSD 2.2.x? by Jim Hodges, 1998, May 27

1 HyperNews.org runs on pair.com which uses FreeBSD. by liberte@emancholl.pair.com, 1998, May 27

41 HELP PLEASE !!!!! by Olivier, 1998, Sep 17

1 'Manual' security is form-based by liberte@emancholl.pair.com, 1998, Sep 17

42 HyperNews run as a 'Virtual Include' on web page by Rick Umstattd, 1998, Oct 01

1 Wrapping in TABLE cell works fine by liberte@emancholl.pair.com, 1998, Oct 01

43 HyperNews and Linux by Arpi, 1999, Jan 19

1 Linux is fine by liberte@emancholl.pair.com, 1999, Jan 25

44 Full Hardware Requirements ? by Denny De La Haye, 1999, Jun 17

1 What are your site's statistics? by denny@concretecow.com, 1999, Jun 17

I'll show you mine if you show me yours !!! by denny@concretecow.com, 1999, Jun 17

45 Job: Researcher/Developer to work on D3E-HyperNews by Simon Buckingham Shum, 1999, Oct 05

46 Job: HyperNews developer/Java Programmer (Open U., UK) by Simon Buckingham Shum, 1999, Oct 11

47 I want to know?? by Jorge Ruiz, 2000, Feb 22

1 re want to satellite tv dish network directv direct tv by re want to satellite tv dish network directv direct tv, 2003, Dec 07

48 s.th. new for Mac? by henrik pantle, 2000, May 14

1 No mac ports known by Daniel LaLiberte, 2000, May 16

Any MacOS X sucesss? by Ken Tanaka, 2003, Oct 23

49 researcher by george steinberg, 2004, Feb 16

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