# Overview of WinVN

WinVN is a Microsoft Windows based news reader. Like other news readers, it can be used to select, view, and write Usenet News articles. WinVN can also be used to send (but not receive) electronic mail messages.

WinVN offers a more visual approach to Usenet News than traditional text-based news readers, allowing you to easily navigate amongst newsgroups and articles via its point-and-click interface.

In normal operation, WinVN displays three types of windows: the main group-list window, which displays a list of all newsgroups; one or more group article-list windows, each of which displays a list of the articles in a newsgroup; and one or more article windows, which each displays an article. Double-clicking on a newsgroup or article name causes that item to be displayed in a separate window.

When you want to write an article, WinVN opens a composition window for that purpose. See Posting an Article. Similarly, when you want to write an electronic mail message, WinVN either opens a MAPI (Microsoft Mail) editor session or opens a composition window to accept your text. See Mailing a Message.

WinVN offers a very flexible, customizable newsreading environment. See Config Menu Commands.