Mp3 faq - download MP3 files from newsgroups

Can I download MP3 files from newsgroups with Netscape?

Basically no. You really need to switch to a different program for newsreading. Netscape is simply incapable of combining and decoding attachments spread over multiple messages. The *only* way you could do it might be to force Netscape to save all the parts as text files, then edit them together in the right order into one big text file, and then decode it using a stand-alone uu-decoder.

Just use a newsreader that can combine and decode messages properly. Personally I'd recommend downloading Free Agent, the freeware 'lite' version of Fort‚'s Agent newsreader. It will certainly be a lot better for you than Netscape. Myself I use Agent, the "full" version... but Free Agent is pretty good. Microsoft Outlook Express will also allow you to combine and decode messages, although unlike Agent, it doesn't combine the messages automatically - you have to select all the parts, and then right-click and choose "Combine and decode". There are also programs designed specifically just for retrieving binary files from newsgroups. NewsShark is one - it's free, and it does work, although it's a little clunky (slow to start up and shut down, and sometimes when you go to shut it down it crashes - but other than that it works pretty well... and it can restart interrupted downloads, which is a good feature).

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