PC-SIG: Essential Home & Business/PC-SIG - Essential Home and Business Collection.iso/22/7/9/EASYMAIL.DOC

Text File | 1990-06-15 | 8KB | 208 lines

                      EasyMail - Electronic Mail Program


                  Copyright 1990 - Superior Micro-Techniques







     GENERAL INTRODUCTION


     EasyMail brings the paperless office one step closer to reality.

     EasyMail provides a means of communication for those on a network
     by providing a simple electronic mail program.  The program
     interface is easy to use and understand. And if more information
     is needed, simply press the 'F1' function key and immediate help
     if provided.

     This program can be used for the simplest form of "junk" mail or
     corporate policy documents.  Its ability to distinguish between
     unimportant mail and permanent mail makes it suitable for quick
     communications and short-term memos as well as important data to
     be retained.




     INSTALLATION & CONFIGURATION


     EasyMail works on most NetBIOS compatible networks.  It has been
     thoroughly tested on the latest Novell network technology as well
     as on the simplest peer-to-peer network (Invisible LAN).

     The program should be installed onto the network server disk.
     Place the program into its own 'EasyMail' sub-directory if
     possible.  To install it, simply copy the contents from the
     program disk onto your network server.  Once copied, it is ready
     to operate.

     Two batch files are provided to start the program running.  EMC
     will simply start the executable program running (EASYMAIL.EXE).
     This batch is intended for those using color monitors or mono
     monitors with gray scale resolution.  The EMM batch file is to
     be used when the monitor is black and white.  These batch files
     may be called directly from the DOS prompt or via network batch
     files.  Test your workstations to find the best startup.  You may
     want to modify these batch files to suite your specific network
     and system needs.

     Each workstation boot-up disk needs to have a CONFIG.SYS file
     present.  The Easymail program requires about 12 file handles
     to operate.  DOS system files and network shell programs will
     also consume file handles.  Setting the number of file handles
     to 20 is a minimum.

     The database file activity involved with EasyMail requires that
     disk buffer space be allocated above the normal DOS environment.
     Setting the buffers to 15 is recommended.  Ensure that the
     following lines exist in your CONFIG.SYS file:

     FILES = 20
     BUFFERS = 15

     Create the CONFIG.SYS file using any word processor in ASCII
     format if none presently exists.  This file must be placed in
     the root directory of the boot disk to be properly accessed.
     (See you DOS operations manual for more information.)




     INITIAL OPERATION


     This program is password protected.  Authorized users will not
     be able to start the program without providing the intial screen
     with their predefined initials and a secret password.  To get
     your system up and running initially you should use the initials
     'NEW' and the secret password is 'NEW'.  Upon first use of the
     program you should immediately access the Utility Menu and add
     your own authorized user information.  Be sure that you have an
     access level of '1' (level 2 users cannot access the Utility
     Menu).  Then delete the 'NEW' user from the system to prevent
     users from reading this document and gaining access to your
     files.  Exit the system and using your own intials and password
     log back in.

     You will want to quickly establish a list and entries of all
     system users.  Keep the number of users with access level 1 to
     a minimum for maximum security.

     With this completed, the system is configured and ready to
     use.




     HOW EASYMAIL WORKS


     The concept behind EasyMail is quite simple.  A system user creates
     a document, memo, report, etc. via the 'Create Mail' screen.  They
     then send the completed document to any other user(s) listed in the
     authorized user file.  As those users log into the EasyMail program
     they are notified of new mail and they read the mail by accessing
     the 'Read Mail' section.

     In the databases themselves here's how it works;  Each document or
     piece of mail is created in the MAIL_DOC.DBF data file.  This record
     indicates who created the document, when it was created and a memo
     field contains the body of the mail text.  When the originator of
     the document sends the mail, a link or pointer is created in the
     MAIL_TO.DBF, one for each addressee.  These records contains the
     serial number of the mail (relates to MAIL_DOC.DBF), the initials of
     the addressee, when it was sent and a field for the date and time
     that the mail was read (or printed) by the recipient.  Indexes are
     maintained which group the records in these files by user id code.

     When the mail originator elects to delete or archive a document, the
     originator id takes on the value '000' and their initials move into
     a different field.  This way recipients can continue to access this
     document until they also delete or archive their links to it.

     Whenever the 'Reindex' option on the 'Utility Menu' is selected, all
     temporary mail and pointers, which have been completed deleted by
     originator and recipients, are permanently removed from the database
     files.  Those Permanent documents which have been archived will not
     be removed by Reindexing.




     DOCUMENTATION

     This constitutes the complete documentation for this version of
     EasyMail.  Its complete on-line help system should provide all needed
     details to operate the system.  More advanced versions of the program
     will have complete documentation describing the menu options in
     detail.


     UPCOMING ENHANCEMENTS

     This first shareware version contains the basic elements for using
     electronic mail.  It will build the foundation for a truely powerful
     work-group program.  Registered users will receive the following
     modules which further expand the program:


     - Complete Supervisor access to all archived documents
     - Individual users access to archived documents they created or were
         addressed to
     - Reporting capabilities needed to maintain an efficient system
     - Abilty to start and maintain a converstion thread
     - Control over originated document format (margins, width, paje ejects)
     - Users can maintain their own default environment
     - Access to network printers (versus local printers)
     - Instant notice of message transmission to on-line parties


     REGISTRATION

     To register your review copy of EasyMail which supports a maximum of 5
     authorized users, send your check, cash or money order in the amount
     of $70.00 (65.00 + 5.00 S/H) to:

             Superior Micro-Techniques
             5510 Orchard Street W., Suite B1473
             Tacoma, WA  98467

     You may want to upgrade to the unlimited number of users version if
     you are on a larger network.  Registration for this version is $100.00
     ($95.00 + 5.00 S/H).

     Registration entitles you to reasonable and unlimited support via
     telephone [phone] or mail for as long as you use the product.
     You will also receive the aforementioned product extensions, complete
     documentation and further enhancements at nominal fees.

     Product source code, written in Clipper extended dbase language, is
     available for $250.00.


     FINAL NOTE

     Thanks for trying EasyMail shareware E-Mail for networks.  I hope you
     find it useful, but you may have many suggestions which can be
     incorporated into a future version of the program.  Please send these
     to us and they will be implemented as time allows if they fit within
     the overall structure of the existing databases and product.