The E-Mail Revolution Still Needs A Push 
                    Copyright 1988 David W. Batterson


     The advent of electronic mail (e-mail) was supposed to reduce the amount
of mail sent by the U. S. Postal Service, just as widespread computer use was
going to create "the paperless office" (ha ha).
     But the majority of companies still do not make use of e-mail.  Fax does
not really qualify as e-mail per se, although some might argue that it does.  I
would only consider fax mail part of the e-mail world if you are using PCs with
fax boards, not stand-alone fax machines.
     Is it e-mail phobia that is preventing widespread use, or do companies
just misunderstand what e-mail is and why it is so valuable?  Or has there
simply been inadequate marketing of e-mail systems?
     As an independent writer, it is vital that I get quick responses to
article queries from editors.  Written queries take way too long, and often get
lost or mislaid by busy editors or their assistants.  Sometimes I telephone,
but then you play "telephone tag" for days or weeks.
     Thus I use MCI Mail if the publication is a subscriber to it (or to
CompuServe, which has a gateway to MCI Mail).  Last year when I wanted to query
Personal Computing in New Jersey about an article idea, I discovered they were
not on MCI Mail.  However, their West Coast Editor was online so I sent the
idea there.  This editor then had to write or call NJ, so no time was saved.
     The good news is that now Personal Computing  has an MCI Mail number for
the main office (326-3903).  But don't look in the masthead for the number,
because it isn't there!
     You would think that computer publications--of ALL computer-related
companies--would be the pioneers in e-mail use, wouldn't you?
     When the premiere issue of Online Access Guide appeared (November/December
1986), the following sentence appeared at the end of the PUBLISHER'S LETTER: 
"P.S. After you've finished reading this issue, call us at 1-800-922-9232." 
This was a toll-free VOICE number.
     By the way, Online Access has gone out of business.
     How do some of the other periodicals stack up regarding use of e-mail?
It's interesting that among different publications owned by the same parent
firm, some use e-mail while some don't.
     For instance, InfoWorld (owned by IDG Communications) draws high marks by
not only using it, but listing the e-mail numbers: Telex: 176072 (InfoWorld
MNPK); CompuServe: 73267,1537; The Source: TCX939; MCI Mail: 259-4127.
     Likewise, IDG's PC WORLD lists theirs too: CompuServe: 74055,412; The
Source: STE908; MCI Mail: 179-3813.  PC WORLD goes one better by ENCOURAGING
readers to use MCI Mail.  Editor Richard Landry says to write "or send an MCI
message to Richard Landry/301-3685."  The letters-to-the-editor and "Consumer
Watch" sections also request e-mail replies.  Bravo, PC WORLD!
     IDG's Computerworld, however, doesn't list any e-mail numbers, although
its MCI Mail ID is 279-6273.  Oops, what's happening in Framingham?  CW
Communications in Framingham has its own MCI Mail address: 294-4849.
     IDG's Computer Currents used to list in the masthead its MCI Mail address:
CURRENTS, but I haven't seen it lately.  Oops again!  Its tabloid competitor in
California--MicroTimes--gets a low score.  No MCI Mail, no CompuServe, no
Source.  They are only on a San Francisco Bay Area system called The Well;
that's fine if you live in the area; otherwise it's of no use.
     Ziff-Davis Publishing's PC Magazine has an MCI Mail ID: 157-9301.  Not
bad.  But Computer Shopper, recently acquired by Ziff-Davis, features an e-mail
bonanza: The Source: TCS575; CompuServe: 70275,1023; Delphi: CShopper; GEnie:
S.VEIT; MCI Mail: CSM or 324-3008.  Way to go, Shopper!
     Ziff's new publication, PC Computing, also asks readers to "reach us
electronically via MCI Mail: 350-2648.  By the way, if you enter "Ziff-Davis"
in the TO: section of MCI Mail, you get: "Ziff-Davis not found in the MCI Mail
Subscriber Directory."  Get with it, Ziff!
     LINK-UP, "The Newsmagazine for Users of Online Services," can be reached
by mail or phone only!  Nope, just kidding: CompuServe: 72105, 1753; MCI Mail:
 276-3464 or LINK-UP; The Source: STU329; Dialmail: LINK-UP or 11440; Boston
Citinet: linkup.
     How about PROFILES, published by Kaypro Corp., and ComputerLand Magazine,
published by ComputerLand Corporation?  Both magazines do regular articles
about e-mail and videotex systems.  But if either one uses e-mail themselves,
it's a mystery to their readers!  
     NIBBLE, the publication for Apple II users, at least is on CompuServe:
76377,454.  Some more MCI users are Digital Review (120-9415), The Computer
Show (261-1167), Computer Decision Magazine (308-9550 or 304-9556), Federal
Computer Week (323-4417), Lotus Magazine (317-2083) and Teleconnect Magazine
(103-5034).
     You can also reach P.C. Letter, PC Management Letter and Newsbytes via
MCI: SALSOP, LPERDUE and 210-5390, respectively.
     OK, not bad for the computer publications.  Now it's time for more
newspapers, business and trade journals, weekly news magazines and general
interest periodicals to get online.
     Easy Reader, a weekly newspaper in Hermosa Beach, CA is on MCI Mail:
EASYREADER.  Communication Briefings, an excellent publication, recommends
e-mail but doesn't use it to my knowledge.  Nor does Success! magazine, and it
features some good computer pieces occasionally.
     Some broadcasters, magazines and news services are on MCI Mail.  Some
examples and their MCI Mail numbers are CBS News (287-2605), U.S. News & World
Report (302-7242), National Journal (172-3162), California Independent News
(312-7863), Earth News Inc. (273-8932), Independent Television News (300-9853),
Mother Earth News (296-3635), Technology News (293-2183), and The Detroit News
(227-6315).
     Contrary to what some publishers and editors think, e-mail is NOT
difficult to use.  And the smart ones realize that articles, letters--and even
ad copy--do not have to be keyboarded if they arrive as e-mail.
     News releases can also be sent that way, saving editors lots of time and
hassle.  Unfortunately, not many PR agencies or company PR people send out
their releases that way.  (I get lots of news releases, but NEVER has one come
via MCI Mai l.)  Some PR persons do use PR NEWSWIRE, though, to reach newsrooms
directly.
     Almost daily I mention e-mail to someone.  Half the time, they not only
don't use it but don't even know what I'm referring to.  Again, they confuse it
with fax.
     MCI Mail, Western Union's EasyLink, CompuServe and other e-mail systems
are partly to blame, by not educating companies and individuals enough as to
how e-mail can increase productivity and save money (over express delivery
services, for example).  At least MCI is now promoting a new book: "The
Complete MCI MAIL Handbook" by PC Magazine contributing editor Stephen Manes.
     A footnote: Before MCI Mail and CompuServe were linked, I presented this
idea to MCI's customer service department.  I was told it could not be done, as
the companies were competitors.  About four months later, the gateway was
announced.  True story.
     MCI has finally introduced the ability to send text files to any Group 3
fax machine worldwide.  [You cannot send graphics to fax owners through MCI,
nor can you receive a reply via fax to MCI Mail.]     
     I'd appreciate your feedback, but ONLY via e-mail.
                              ###
David W. Batterson writes computer articles, reviews and software manuals. 
Contact him via MCI Mail: 273-7218.  No telephone tag please!