gnus starting with an error message - very strange

gnus starting with an error message - very strange

[emil.vatai]

The error message is "Warning: Opening nntp server on news...failed: >>> (error news/nntp Name or service not known); Server nntp+news previously determined to be down; not retrying;"

The strange thing is, that I have two computers with very similar OS (arch linux), sharing the same emacs config, and on one machine it works perfectly, and on the other I get the error above. The really strange thing is, that on the first (good) machine there is no error when I start gnus form "emacs -Q" while on the second (bad) machine, gnus is complaining (the same error message) even if it is was started from an emacs with no config loaded (i.e. emacs -Q). 

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong??? How I should even start fixing it. emacs -Q already tried. reinstalling emacs also tried

I was asking around #emacs on freenode, but since I switched to ERC recently, and was trying to fix this error, I always disconnected from IRC before seeing any answers :( (stupid me)

Best regards,
Emil

Re: gnus starting with an error message - very strange

[Eric Abrahamsen]

emil.vatai@gmail.com writes:

> The error message is "Warning: Opening nntp server on news...failed:
>>>> (error news/nntp Name or service not known); Server nntp+news
> previously determined to be down; not retrying;"

I'm not sure, but try looking at the Server buffers on both machines
(with "^") and seeing if they look different? Try hitting "O" on the
nntp server line on the non-functioning machine?

Eric

Re: gnus starting with an error message - very strange

[Emil Vatai]

> I'm not sure, but try looking at the Server buffers on both machines
> (with "^") and seeing if they look different? Try hitting "O" on the
> nntp server line on the non-functioning machine?
> 
> Eric

The server buffer says

     {nnfolder:archive} (opened)
     {nndraft:} (opened)
     {nntp:news} (denied)

(denied is in red!!!). O doesn't work on it (I guess O is the Open command?)

I also tried setting gnus-select-method. Didn't help :(

In the mean time, I checked out on my laptop also: it doesn't work there either.

Re: gnus starting with an error message - very strange

[Emil Vatai]

Just to write down exactly what is happening:
$ emacs -Q
M-x gnus
minibuffer says: 

  nntp (news) open error: ‘>>> (error news/nntp Name or service not known)’.  
  Continue? (y or n)

I press y and the *Group* buffer (that's the right name, right?) appears, with following long error message in the minibuffer:

Warning: Opening nntp server on news...failed: >>> (error news/nntp Name or service not known); Server nntp+news previously determined to be down; not retrying; Opening nntp server on news...failed: >>> (error news/nntp Name or service not known); Server nntp+news previously determined to be down; not retrying

I hit ^ and move the pointer to {nttp:news} (denied) and press O
the cursor goes to the next line (minibuffer empty).
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Re: gnus starting with an error message - very strange

[Adam Sjøgren]

emil.vatai@gmail.com writes:

> The error message is "Warning: Opening nntp server on news...failed:
> >>> (error news/nntp Name or service not known); Server nntp+news
> previously determined to be down; not retrying;"

What is the value of the variables gnus-select-method and
gnus-secondary-select-methods?

The default value of the former is (nntp "news") - which sounds like
what you have. This makes Gnus try to contact an nntp server called
"news" when started.

(Maybe that old default ought to be changed in this day and age...)

Do you use any news servers? If so, what are they called?

Does the hostname "news" resolve on one machine and not on the other?

I always tend to set gnus-select-method to '(nnnil), and then I have all
my servers defined in gnus-secondary-select-methods.


  Best regards,

    Adam

-- 
 "Nightmares in the daytime                                   Adam Sjøgren
  When everything is as it seems"                        asjo@koldfront.dk


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Re: gnus starting with an error message - very strange

[Emil Vatai]

BINGO! or DISCO! (or EUREKA!)

Thank you Adam! I think you found the problem!

> Does the hostname "news" resolve on one machine and not on the other?

This was the key.  The good machine was on the university network, and they probably have a host called news and it does resolve there!  The other two computers are on a home network with no host corresponding to news.

> 
> What is the value of the variables gnus-select-method and
> gnus-secondary-select-methods?

gnus-select method was "news" and secondary was nil (when starting with emacs -Q).

> Do you use any news servers? If so, what are they called?
> 
> I always tend to set gnus-select-method to '(nnnil), and then I have all
> my servers defined in gnus-secondary-select-methods.
> 

I just started using gnus, I want to use it for email (not sure if it is a good idea, the manual says it will be awesome - if I get the hang of it).  In my case I guess I should also set gnus-select-method to '(nnnil) right and set the mail servers in the secondary, right?

Thank you again! This was very frustrating and was bugging me very much!

Best regards,
Emil

Re: gnus starting with an error message - very strange

[Adam Sjøgren]

Emil writes:

> The good machine was on the university network, and they probably have
> a host called news and it does resolve there! The other two computers
> are on a home network with no host corresponding to news.

Sounds like you've got it!

>> I always tend to set gnus-select-method to '(nnnil), and then I have all
>> my servers defined in gnus-secondary-select-methods.

> I just started using gnus, I want to use it for email (not sure if it
> is a good idea, the manual says it will be awesome - if I get the hang
> of it).

I like it a lot for email (and mailing lists via gmane.org, and RSS/Atom
feeds via feedbase.org¹) - but I am biased by having been using it for
email for decades by now.

The "news reader" way feels very natural to me for email as well - when
the whole "Inbox zero"-thing made its entrance, my immediate reaction
was: "Huh, that's sort of how I've always done email with Gnus" :-)

>  In my case I guess I should also set gnus-select-method to '(nnnil)
> right and set the mail servers in the secondary, right?

I think that is a good way to go, yes.

I tried writing a small tutorial on using Gnus for email once, but never
quite finished it, it maybe of use to you:

 · https://koldfront.dk/text/gnus-email-tutorial.html

> Thank you again! This was very frustrating and was bugging me very much!

You're welcome.


  Best regards,

    Adam


¹ Full disclosure: Feedbase is made by me.

-- 
 "Although it is against my will, I think it is               Adam Sjøgren
  needed."                                               asjo@koldfront.dk


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