diff --git a/trunk/ripnews/ripnews.rb b/trunk/ripnews/ripnews.rb
index db6f247..fe3cd76 100755
--- a/trunk/ripnews/ripnews.rb
+++ b/trunk/ripnews/ripnews.rb
@@ -268,13 +268,13 @@ def output_data(subject, mode, filename="", body="")
 	elsif @config[group].has_key?("-C") and @config[group]["-C"]
 		print "combinedname\n" if Debuglevel > 1
 		outfile = "#{subject} [#{filename}]"
-		while outfile > @maxfilelength
+		while outfile.length > @maxfilelength
 			lastlength = outfile.length
 			subject = subject[0...-1]
 			outfile = "#{subject} [#{filename}]"	# this is going to loop if the #{filename} is too long :(
 			if outfile.length == lastlength
 				outfile = filename
-				while outfile > @maxfilelength
+				while outfile.length > @maxfilelength
 					outfile = outfile[0...-1]
 				end
 			end
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ def output_data(subject, mode, filename="", body="")
 	else
 		print "shortname\n" if Debuglevel > 1
 		outfile = filename
-		while outfile > @maxfilelength
+		while outfile.length > @maxfilelength
 			outfile = outfile[0...-1]
 		end
 	end