Re: Unpleasant catch 22

[Harry <reader@newsguy.com>]

On Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:10:35 -0700, Eric Abrahamsen
<eric@ericabrahamsen.net> wrote:

>Harry <reader@newsguy.com> writes:
>
>> I get an error when starting gnus and after it begins mail/news scan
>> ... it ends in Authorization Rejected.   So apparently a password not
>> working for on reason or another.  However there is no indication of
>> which password.  So normally I would start gnus and look in the server
>> buffer.  However starting gnus results in news scan and the same
>> Authorization message... Gnus never finishes its startup.
>>
>> OK, I thought, I'll start` gnus-no-server' but I'll be darned if that
>> doesn't go to a news scan too. ( Why would there be a scan if there
>> are no servers?)
>>
>> (And by the way gnus is running with `debug on error' and `debug on
>> quit' engaged)
>>
>> At least the ending  during `gnus-no-server' startup is not about
>> Authorization but appearantly,  after a very lengthy (more than 15
>> minutes) I finally hit Ctrl-g.  No Backtrace is generated it simiply
>> says `quit'
>>
>> I guess a couple of things are raised with this behavior but can
>> someone at least tell me how to get a gnus interface without any
>> news/mail scanning so I can do other chks?
>
>Try `gnus-unplugged'? That might depend on what you've got agentized,
>though.
>
>Let us know what servers you have configured, and which require
>authorization? And did this problem start after some change? After an
>Emacs update? Out of the blue?
>

gnus-unplugged brings the Authorization error too.

You didn't mention if `gnus-no-server' is expected to scan for
mail/news and if so, what is the point since no servers are supposed
to be engaged.

I seem to recall long ago using that call to get into gnus when there
was a server problem. (I think probably yrs ago since I had reason to
use it)

Far as what has changed:
I think I know the source of this problem.  I attempted to change
passwd at forteinc news server ... there method involves them sending
a temp passwd that you are supposed to use within an hour.  When I
tried to use it I lost contact with the server ...(this was in a
webpage) and eventually the temp passwd ran out and now do not have
use of the old passwd or the tmp one.  I've emailed them but have yet
to hear back.

But, of course, if I could get a gnus interface I could just ditch
that server and get on with business.

So I'm thinking the real problem is that gnus seems to not have any
way to allow that.  Still not getting why gnus-no-server does a
mail/news scan... which of course means I cannot get gnus started

Servers:
gmane.io (no uid or passwd)
enews.newsguy.com (uid - passwd)
Newsguy mail server (uid -  passwd)

news.forteinc.com  (uid - passwd) [one with passwd problem]

Several imap servers that rely on uid - passwd
3 gmail imaps - 1 fastmail.com imap