returns returns Both /etc/nntpserver and /usr/local/lib/nntp_serverName are . I interpret the error to mean I'm not running a local server (I'm not) and that it doesn't even try to find a remote server. I don't see an nntps package in Slackware.

http://www.tin.org/

You should have given the forum some info.

I Don't know about tin. You'll need to read the docs, and man pages, on how to set it up.
http://www.tin.org/bin/man.cgi?section=1&topic=tin
http://www.tin.org/bin/man.cgi?section=5&topic=tin

There is also:
Inn
https://www.isc.org/othersoftware/

Nzbget
https://nzbget.com

Pan
http://pan.rebelbase.com/

https://github.com/keimpema/Usenet
https://github.com/sabnzbd/sabnzbd

I interpret the error to mean that tin is not configured correctly. As stated, review the documentation.

I did.

Check in ~/.tin for files that might have set the server incorrectly. printenv NNTPSERVER and make sure it's correct. Check that /etc/nntpserver is readable and correct. After those are set, in your current shell, try again. Edit ~/.tin/newsrctable and ~/.newsauth. Note usenet in 2025 almost always requires signup and (free) servers are hard to find. Tin is pretty hardcore. I used to use it years ago, but if you can't get it working, just as a test try Emacs (Gnus), Pan, or Slrn. When you know your connection is fine then you can debug the Tin issue. You might try the "-D " flag with appropriate debug item.

Following this guide worked with my news server substituted in for the example one: https://news.individual.net/configur...9-linux-en.php except for the password (utf-8 errors?). I use Gnus though and it works with Gnus so this doesn't bother me.

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That was a good tip. It was set to 127.0.0.1 - that's in /etc/profile. I've never used a newsreader, so I don't know how it got there.

I already did that, as mentioned in my first message.

I found a list of free servers - no guarantee that they still work, I guess.

The man page says it's easy to use. I'm not using it because I want to use tin but because it was 1 of the 2 I found in Slackware and I was curious as to why it didn't. I figured it was common. nn also doesn't work, different complaint. I'll probably use one of the web interfaces.

Slackware's tin is built without debug enabled - and it's not worth building a custom version for me.