--- /home/jwt/nntplib.py.orig	Sat Sep 18 09:16:08 1999
+++ nntplib.py	Sat Sep 18 11:39:00 1999
@@ -61,17 +61,24 @@
 
 	# Initialize an instance.  Arguments:
 	# - host: hostname to connect to
 	# - port: port to connect to (default the standard NNTP port)
+	# - mode: if not None (or user is specified), issue 'mode reader'
 
-	def __init__(self, host, port = NNTP_PORT, user=None, password=None):
+	def __init__(self, host, port = NNTP_PORT, user=None, password=None,
+                     mode=None):
 		self.host = host
 		self.port = port
 		self.sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
 		self.sock.connect(self.host, self.port)
 		self.file = self.sock.makefile('rb')
 		self.debugging = 0
 		self.welcome = self.getresp()
+		if user or mode:
+			try:
+				self.welcome = self.shortcmd('mode reader')
+			except:
+				pass
 		if user:
 			resp = self.shortcmd('authinfo user '+user)
 			if resp[:3] == '381':
 				if not password:
@@ -466,9 +473,9 @@
 
 
 # Minimal test function
 def _test():
-	s = NNTP('news')
+	s = NNTP('news', mode='reader')
 	resp, count, first, last, name = s.group('comp.lang.python')
 	print resp
 	print 'Group', name, 'has', count, 'articles, range', first, 'to', last
 	resp, subs = s.xhdr('subject', first + '-' + last)