Meet the new MT Newswatcher, same as the old MT Newswatcher...
Updated and more stable (hasn't randomly crashed on me once), MTNW still seems to lack a few niceties. First, its yEnc handling leaves something to be desired. Files which Unison handles with aplomb cause NW to issue truncated file warnings. Not a problem with MP3s, but with archive files you're heading to PARsville, daddy-o.
The UI, as others have noted, is a bit dated. It works for me, though it's a little frustrating to have the key command for "Mark Read" (command M) next to the key command for "Cycle Windows" (command comma) and next to the command for "New Article" (command N). Thank goodness for Menu Master.
Overall it's an excellent programme. Highly stable now, which is really great. Nothing would anger me more than having gone through an MP3 newsgroup to set up a download and to see "The Application MT NewsWatcher has unexpectedly quit" pop up on my screen after pressing command B. As I say, that hasn't happened once with the new version, and I for one, and deeply gladdened by the rectification of this grevious error.
In addition to this newfound stability, BinHex compatibility has been restored. Huzzah, though I guess it doesn't much matter since most people use the controversial yEnc these days.
The junk filter seems to highlight most spam, but it is an exercise in frustration to get it to remember settings. I've filtered and refiltered newsgroups a dozen or more times only to see a non-spam post marked as junk over and over and over. What does it want from me, blood?
In all, the junk filter is a decent idea, but since it doesn't automatically move junk posts to the killfile it's not as useful as it could be. Making it more easily trainable (and a little more intelligent to begin with) would greatly increase its utility.
Overall it's an excellent little programme, made all the better by virtue of being free. While it seems all I've done is complain, these are indeed my only complaints about the application. In every other regard it is an absolute joy to use.
The ability to set group settings or to have multiple posting profiles, for example, make this a far more useful programme than Unison. And did I mention it's 100% free?
As the RIAA and MPAA slowly tighten their grip on American consumers' freedoms, Usenet may be the last refuge for the P2P community. You need a good app to get you there. MTNW might be just the ticket.