posting.txt
I know you feel guilty just Requesting books all the time and want to give some back
Well.....
Yes it is really easy to upload audiobooks and it doesn't usually cost anything but time.
You need.....
1. A server (ISP or other provider) which allows posting.
2. To have the right software to hand
3. A collection of audiobooks, reasonably organised.
If you can download from Newsgroups, often called Usenet, you can usually Upload as well.
Some servers (usually the Free ones) don't allow Posting or Uploading (the same thing). But
all Premium servers (Pay servers) allow uploading free of charge, if you pay to download.
Some ISP's provide a Usenet service but these are reducing in number.
If you are in any doubt, Read the FAQ of your provider and if that isn't clear ask them.
Here's a tip: You can buy a small BLOCK account with a Premium Server for less than $10
(5UKP). For the server that I use, these blocks never expire and they allow you to download
up to the value of the block, 5GB, 10GB, 30GB etc etc. The neat thing is that you needn't
use the download facility at all and so the block account lasts for ever and you can use it to
Upload or Post for ever, for the original outlay of a few dollars or pounds. A nice way of making
it even less expensive is to use the referral facility where extra GB are creditted to users who
recommend others. Do it for each other and the costs may be halved !.
(My server is Usenet-news.net and my referral ID is 80061) :)
These Premium servers do give exceptional service and you will probably find that you do use up
the block on downloading eventually. I personally use the BLOCK account method because that means
I only pay for what I use. The alternative unlimited monthly account can mean loss of download GB
if you don't use the allowance or paying for downloads you don't actually use. Each to his/her own...
So, how does a Newbie start ?
Firstly, make sure you are allowed Upload (Post).
Then get a copy of YENC POWERPOST - Free from http://powerpost.cjb.net
Camelsystem Powerpost is similar and said to be an improvement.
Then a copy of QUICKPAR - Free from www.quickpar.org.uk
Both have tutorials on their web sites.
These are the two basic bits of software for posting. Powerpost does the posting but quickpar
provides the back-up files for repairs and losses to the original files.
I recommend Powerpost rather than the upload facility of your newsreader because it is almost
certainly better organized and easier to use.
Then: Organize your potential uploads as recommended in the FAQ http://abma.britcom.org.uk
That is:-
Author - Book_Title part_number
Ensure that they are MP3's and their sizes are 2 to 20 MB or so.
In other words make them look similar to good posts you see in the group.
PLEASE DON'T split files into equal parts - irrespective of the ending of words.
ie ensure that each split is made on a blank piece of audiobook, so words aren't
split in two. It sounds awful if a part ends or starts mid-word.
Make up the PAR files (5 to 10%) with quickpar
Load them all into Powerpost (AFTER doing the settings in Powerpost - see below)
(PS do not type quotes (") shown here for clarity only)
This is achieved by starting Powerpost and clicking on the second icon in the toolbar at the top of the page.
You will get a navigation window which after the first time of use will always open in the same place, so
ensure that you store the files to be posted in a specially named folder like "C:\mp3\upload" or similar.
Highlight ALL of the files you wish to post (including the Par,nfo & jpg files) and click on "Open"
This will get you the "Add Files" window which is multi-tabbed.
Click the last tab "Checksums" first
The final tab "Checksums" could have ALL its checkboxes Unchecked if you wish but checking one or more boxes
will produce the named response. If you use Quickpar to produce the Par files then uncheck the Par & Par2 boxes.
Few people use SFV's these days and you shouldn't need to produce an NZB file, its your choice tho.
Once set these options will remain set and need never be revisited.
On the first tab "Subject" you must insert the header wording in the form you want it to appear.
The knack of naming the posting files is that Powerpost requires you to include $f in the title line.
$f will insert the names of the files so that you don't need to type them yourself in Powerpost.
So, if you are simply posting an audiobook the Subject Header Template line will be simply $f.
You may wish to add a few words like "attn Fred" or "New Rip" or "As Req", so just position your words
in the header along with $f. The final appearance of the line is shown just below the header input line.
When ready click the second tab "Newsgroups". On this tab you must add the group(s) you wish to post to.
An example would be "alt.binaries.mp3.audiobooks" Just add as many as you wish to the page. Choose those
which you wish to post this particular batch of files to by clicking in the tick box alongside each.
Clicking on "OK" will load the files onto the posting page and you can see Exactly how they look.
No need to use the next 2 tabs, "Prefix" and "File Order" - experiment if you wish to.
Try the different settings if you wish, you can always delete duff entries and nothing will be posted until....
Click the small yellow arrowhead in the toolbar, this starts the posting process.
(Use a test post in alt.binaries.test or similar until you get it right)
Powerpost (and Quickpar) do require a little setting-up as does any software but they are quite easy,
remembering that the default choices are usually the ones you want. Click the first icon for settings.
The most important settings in Powerpost are your Server name, Port number and your Username/Password.
These will be supplied to you by your server people, whether you use a paid (premium) server or an ISP.
If you are at all unsure, ask them.
You can always ask in the group for help.
lanky
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