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Agent Newsreader and yEnc

What yEnc Is

yEnc is an algorithm for encoding files that are posted on Usenet. But, what really matters is that yEnc can reduce file sizes by up to 30% when compared to the traditional format. No wonder users want it.

What yEnc Is Not

yEnc is not a file format. In other words, you do not need a special viewer to display or play yEnc-encoded files. Any file (e.g., pictures, movies, music) can be yEnc-encoded.

All you need is a Usenet client like Agent that fully supports yEnc.

Outlook Express does not support yEnc.

Agent and yEnc

Our decision to include yEnc in Agent 1.91 made us one of the first major news readers to support yEnc. Furthermore, we worked very closely with yEnc's developer, Juergen Helbing, to ensure the quality of our implementation. Juergen's relationship with Forté continues with his role on the Agent Beta Team.

The Debate

yEnc generated considerable technical debate on Usenet. Many technologists felt that yEnc should have been based on MIME instead of Uuencoding. While there is some technical merit to this opinion, the reality is that users want to improve the binary collection process. yEnc improves the binary collection process. Users want yEnc.

The Agent Community

We believe the Agent Community deserves a lot of the credit for the popularity of yEnc. It was their awareness and input that shaped our decision to support yEnc. Around here, all debates are won by our users. If they want it, we're going to deliver it.

yEnc Resources

You can find out more about yEnc, its history, and capabilities at yEnc.org. In particular, you might be interested yEnc.org's opinion of our implementation. In their words, "Forté did implement yEnc in the best way imaginable".