--- a/gnus-init.el	Mon Jun 09 13:21:04 2025 +0100
+++ b/gnus-init.el	Mon Jun 09 13:21:36 2025 +0100
@@ -7,8 +7,20 @@
 (site-caseq (edin
 	     (require 'mail-from-inf))
 	    (maritain
+	     (message "1 %s %s" (and (boundp 'gnus-server-alist)
+				     gnus-server-alist)
+				     (and (boundp 'gnus-message-archive-method)
+					  gnus-message-archive-method))
 	     (require 'mail-from-m)
-	     (load-file (expand-file-name "~/.xemacs/gnus.el")))
+	     (message "2 %s %s" (and (boundp 'gnus-server-alist)
+				     gnus-server-alist)
+				     (and (boundp 'gnus-message-archive-method)
+					  gnus-message-archive-method))
+	     (load-file (expand-file-name "~/.xemacs/gnus.el"))
+	     (message "3 %s %s" (and (boundp 'gnus-server-alist)
+				     gnus-server-alist)
+				     (and (boundp 'gnus-message-archive-method)
+					  gnus-message-archive-method)))
 	    (t
 	     (defun set-ht-compiled-split ()))
 	    )
@@ -23,11 +35,13 @@
 			      (concat my-mail-dir "/Mail"))
  nnml-directory (expand-file-name (concat my-mail-dir "/Mail"))
  gnus-message-archive-method
- '(nnfolder "archive"
+ `(nnfolder "archive"
    ;; the following two are not taking effect, not sure why, answer
    ;; _may_ lie in gnus-setup-news...
-   (nnfolder-directory (concat my-mail-dir "/cpy"))
-   (nnfolder-active-file (concat my-mail-dir "/cpy/active"))
+   (nnfolder-directory ,(concat my-mail-dir "/cpy"))
+   (nnfolder-active-file ,(concat my-mail-dir "/cpy/active"))
+   (nnfolder-get-new-mail nil)
+   (nnfolder-inhibit-expiry t)
    )
 )