################################################################
# NewsGrabber.pm Perl module README #
################################################################
#
# Version : 1.0.31
#
# Date : March 30, 2002
#
# License : Copyleft 2000,2001,2002 Srijith.K. All rights reserved
# This program is free software; you can redistribute
# it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl
# iself.
#
# Author : Srijith.K (srijith/@/srijith.net)
#
# Req. : For this module to work, you will need:
# * Perl
# * LWP Perl module
# * XML::Parser module
# * Ability to run CGI scripts
#
# Disclaimer : This package is provided "AS IS" and without
# any express or implied warranties, including,
# without limitation, the implied warranties of
# merchantibility and fitness for a particular
# purpose.
#################################################################
Project Website : http://backendnews.sourceforge.net
For all queries/bug submissions, please use the website.
################################################################
In this 1.0.31 version of this script 32 Perl modules are being
distributed. This included two main modules "NewsGrabber.pm" and
"NewsGrabber_Getbackend.pm" and 31 website specific modules.
An example of a script that uses these modules can be used can
be got by downloading the Using_NewsGrabber-1.0.31.tar.gz file
from the project website (http://backendnews.sourceforge.net).
Installing this module
----------------------
1. Download the NewsGrabber-1.0.31.tar.gz into a directory.
Let me call it "/home/abc/modules".
2. Gunzip and Tar-xvf the file.
3. Now you have a directory /home/abc/modules/NewsGrabber
4. Depending on how cgi scripts are run on your server, you may need to
give a 'chmod o+rx' for this directory.
5. cd to that dir. You will see another dir and two files
NewsGrabber.pm and NewsGrabber_Getbackend.pm
Again you may need to 'chmod o+rx' the two .pm files and the
directory.
6. cd to this new dir /home/abc/NewsGrabber/NewsGrabber.
You will see 31 module files for the 31 sites.
You may need to do 'chmod o+rx' all the files.
7. By default to get things to work you need not edit anything
in these scripts. Leave them alone if you are new to perl
modules.
8. If you are using a proxy to connect to the network please do the following:
(*) Open up the NewGrabber_Getbackend.pm located at
/home/abc/modules/NewsGrabber and search for the line
my $proxy_server='';
(*) Change that to point to your proxy server details. An example will be
my $proxy_server='http://proxy.mysite.com:8080';
(*) If you need to authenticate before using the proxy, complete the following
variables also - $proxy_username and $proxy_passwd
9. If you dont need the support for all these files and feel that it is taking
to much space, you can just delete them. Deleting one .pm file
will not affect the working of the other files.
Using this module
-----------------
Download the Using_NewsGrabber-1.0.31.tar.gz file from the project
website (http://backendnews.sourceforge.net) into your cgi-bin
directory and gunzip and tar -xvf it.
Read the README and follow the steps given.
CHANGE LOG
----------
Version 1.0.31
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
- Removing support for Lansystems.com and Appwatch.com (dead)
- Adding support for TWLC.net, Cert.Org and Hackinthebox.Org
- Changed Arstechnica from the ultramode.txt to RDF feed
- Updated feed URL of Dotcomscoop and Linux.com
Version 1.0.30
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
- First Stable version
- Extensive Beta testing finished
- Added a more graceful way of catching XML parser errors
- Added Basic Proxy Authentication ability
Version Beta 2.0.30
+*+*+*+*+*+**+*+*+*
+ Big changes in code:
- Removed dependance on CGI.pm
- Made working of each site file independent
of each other's presence. Earlier one needed
to have all of them together, bundled.
- Ability to set the age of update from newsgrabber.pl
- Stopped exporting functions all together.
Now each function has to be called OO style.
Will decrease the name space pollution.
- Removed 'use NewsGrabber_Getbackend.pm'
from individual site grabbers to the general
NewsGrabber.pm file. Should decrease memory usage.
- Built in the ability to pass parameters to all
Site_X_print_news() function calls. As of now passing
only 'age'. Can be extended.
Version Beta 1.2.30
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
+ Changed and removed URL/sites that were not working:
- Freshmeat : Changed URL and codes
- Geeknews.Org : Dead, removed
- N32BitsOnline : Dead, removed
- SoftwareCentre : Dead, removed
- Weatherpaper : Dead, removed
- Packetstorm : Changed URL and codes
+ Added support for:
- Fileforum.betanews.com
- Geeknews.net
- Linuxtoday.com
- Techdirt.com
- Theregister.co.uk
- plastic.com
- moreover.com (general) > 300 feeds!
- Salon.com
- Dotcomscoop.com
Version Beta 1.1.25
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
+ Changed codes of some files to use XML::Parser module
to handle XML files. This prevents mess up in HTML
print out. Change affects
- Linux.com
- Dotcomma.org
- Webmonkey/Hotwired.com
- Kuro5hin.org
- Lwn.net
- Mozilla.org
- Newsforge.net
- Slashdot.org
- Weatherpaper.com
+ So, now you need XML::Parser installed to get the above
mentioned site grabber files to work. This will give a
consistent, better performance (I hope!).
Version Beta 1.0.25
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
+ Added support for 5 more news sites
- Newsforge.net
- Bsdtoday.com
- Weatherpaper.com
- Kuro5hin.org
- Dotcomma.org
+ Corrected some spelling mistakes in README
################################################################
# Using_ NewsGrabber.pm Perl module README #
################################################################
#
# Version : 1.0.31
# Date : March 30, 2002
# License : Copyleft 2001,2000,2002 Srijith.K. All rights reserved
# This program is free software; you can redistribute
# it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl
# iself.
# Author : Srijith.K (srijith/@/srijith.net)
# Disclaimer : This package is provided "AS IS" and without
# any expressed or implied warranties, including,
# without limitation, the implied warranties of
# merchantibility and fitness for a particular
# purpose.
#################################################################
Project Website : http://backendnews.sourceforge.net
For all queries/bug submissions, please use the website.
################################################################
In this 1.0.31 version of this script that uses the NewsGrabber.pm
Perl module. This package includes
* 1 perl script newsgrabber.pl
* 1 "update.txt" file
* 31 ".out" files
* 4 HTML template file
* This README file
To use the newsgrabber.pl script, you need to have the NewsGrabber.pm
module installed and the ability to run CGI scripts.
Using the script
----------------
1. Download this .tar.gz file into the cgi-bin dir. of your server.
2. Gunzip and Tar-xvf the file.
3. chmod the newsgrabber.pl script to 755
4. chmod the *.out files to 777
5. chmod the update.txt file to 777
6. chmod the .template files to 644
7. Find out the directory in which the NewsGrabber.pm module is.
Let me call it /home/abc/modules/NewsGrabber
8. Open newsgrabber.pl for editing using vi/pico/emacs etc.
9. Change the first line of the script to point to location of Perl
10.Fill in the "use lib 'FILL_ME!!!' " line with the path found in 7.
11.Enjoy. In case of doubts/bugs, pester me at srijith@srijith.net
CHANGE LOG
----------
Version 1.0.31
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
- Support for 3 more sites
- Removed support for 2 sites
- Fixed some typos
Version 1.0.30
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
- First Stable version released after Beta testing
Version Beta 2.0.30
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
- Change all calls to reflect the 2.0.x style
- Tidied the template codes. Some missing tags added
- More comments
Version Beta 1.2.30
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
+ Added support for:
- Fileforum.Betanews.com
- Techdirt.com
- Linuxtoday.com
- Geeknews.net
- Plastic.com
- TheRegister.co.uk
- Moreover.com (general) - supports all Moreover.com RSS feeds >300!!!
- Salon.com
+ Removed support for:
- Geeknews.org (Dead)
- N32bitsonline.com(Dead)
- Softwarecenter.com(Dead)
Version Beta 1.1.25
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
+ Changed the file from Kuro5hin_org.out to the
correct one - Kuro5hin_Org.out
+ Removed the commented out section of HTML code in
header.template
Version Beta 1.0.25
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
+ Reflected the support for 5 new sites
+ Corrected spellimg mistakes in README
Version Beta 1.0
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
+ Intial release with support for 20 sites
