NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #1/NN_1993_1.iso/spool/comp/protocol/nfs/3070

Text File | 1993-01-08 | 34.4 KB | 853 lines

Path: sparky!uunet!usc!rpi!gatech!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!agate!dog.ee.lbl.gov!tennyson.lbl.gov!twcaps
From: [e-mail] (Terry Chan)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs
Subject: RESULTS:  MS Windows (and DOS) Mail Readers
Date: 8 Jan 1993 22:25:27 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley California
Lines: 841
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail] (Terry Chan)
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.12.117


The following is a summary of my recent request for information
on Windows 3.x-based mailreaders for my local site (20 or so PCs
running Sun PC-NFS 4.0a connected to several Sun Sparcstations).
I received comments from quite a few people, and my thanks to all
of them.  They are mentioned in the specific areas that I have
used their comments.  I am sorry if I made any errors in the
transcription of any of your comments.

Due to the volume of comments, I am posting this article to
comp.protocols.nfs and e-mailing it to those who requested
copies.  My apologies if I lost your address somewhere along
the way.

I have not had time to review all the packages and suggestions.
But because I wanted to get out what I found to all interested
parties as soon as possible, I am posting the packages and
relevant comments.  Please note, this article is fairly long.

I would appreciate any comments and suggestions, especially if
you follow-up on any of these packages.  If people want, I
would be willing to receive any such comments via e-mail and
send them out to others on the list I already have.

Thanks again to all who helped.

Terry Chan
Energy and Environment Division
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, 90-4000
Berkeley, California  USA  94720
Internet:  [e-mail]
Tel:  [phone]
Fax:  [phone]

================================================================================
PART I:  SUMMARY OF WHATS TO COME IN THIS ARTICLE:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Packages, approaches, and comments in this article regarding:

  - Cinetic Mail Manager 2.01 (shareware).  From Cinetic Systems.
  - Mail-It 1.05 (commercial) from Unipalm.
  - Open Systems Mail (commercial).  From Pinesoft.
  - NUPop (apparently freeware) from Northwestern University (DOS,
    not Windows, but looks promising.)
  - EZMAIL for DOS (unknown so far).
  - Comments on Lotus's cc:Mail by John Stewart.
  - "Kludge" approach by John Mireley, et al.
  - Umail 2.0 (freeware) by Marcus Ranum.
  - Chameleon (commercial, full NFS package) from NetManage.
  - WinQVT (shareware, but dropped from consideration).  From QPC.
  - WinBIFF (shareware) utility for those who may want BIFF-type
    services (but no other mail services).  From Paul Steckler.

Since it was our experience with cc:Mail that helped prompt me on
this quest, I have included some comments on Lotus's cc:Mail by
John Stewart of ElectricMail, Ltd.  Mike Wendel also sent me
some comments on cc:Mail (basically, negative) which I did not
include, but if anyone wants them, please let me know.

At his site, John Mireley, et al. have put together a "kludge"
method that he says works well for them (esp. in-house mail).
It uses a combination of Word for Windows macros and FTP
Software's PCTCIP.

Next in Part II are comments culled from the e-mail I received
and any experiences I had.

Detailed product information is in Part III.

================================================================================
PART II:  COMMENTS AND IMPRESSIONS
================================================================================

================================================================================
Cinetic Mail Manager
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three people, John Mireley ([e-mail]), Eric
Trepanier ([e-mail]), and Stephane Quevillon
([e-mail]) recommended Cinetic Mail Manager
from Cinetic Systems.  This is a shareware package which serves
as a front end to other mail transport packages and seems to fit
the bill.  Those three guys said they've used it and liked it.

In the time I had, this was the only package I received and
tested.

There are fully functional demo versions available via anonymous
ftp at ftp.cica.indiana.edu (which is also mirrored to
wuarchive.wustl.edu and probably elsewhere).  The files are
/pub/pc/win3/util.  cmm21f.zip and cmm21s.zip are for MS Windows
3.0 and 3.1, respectively.  I downloaded and installed it in
15 minutes.  It seems to work well.  It was a little slow (but
not too bad) when it reads mail from the /usr/mail/spool (or
whatever) file from Unix, but fine otherwise.  It's a full MS
Windows interface and very easy to use.

There are settings for aliases, archives, and uudecoding.  It
does not handle the uuencoding of binary files.  Sylvain
Tremblay at Cinetic Systems later informed me that this would
be included in the next release (no scheduled release date yet).
Cinetic Systems may be reached at:

    Cinetic Systems
    4933 Verrau
    Montreal Quebec
    Canada H1M 2C7
    Internet:  [e-mail]
    Compuserve: 71640,666

================================================================================
Mail-It 1.05
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Stewart ([e-mail]) at ElectricMail Ltd, an
e-mail and messaging integrator in Cambridge, England sent me
some interesting and useful observations.  John mentions two
commercial products which he evaluated and suggested following
up on.  I will mention the first here and the second (by Pinesoft)
later.

John and Geert Jan ([e-mail]) both suggested checking
out Unipalm's Mail-It.  As it turns out, Tom Keermen of Unipalm
also contacted me with greater product detail which I include.
Mail-it works with both SMTP and POP2.  Please read Tom's msg
(which I have included in Part III) for more detail.

Tom has sent me an evaluation copy in the mail and I expect that
he can do the same for others.

You can reach him at:

    Tom Kermeen
    Unipalm Ltd
    216 Cambridge Science Park
    Milton Road
    Cambridge CB4 4WA
    Voice:[phone]
    Fax: [phone]
    Internet:  [e-mail]

Geert mentions that users at his site are very happy with it.

John Stewart made the following comment about Mail-It:

   Version 1 of this product was launched in Q4 '92.  It has a fairly
   limited set of functions in its current state, but it does the basics
   pretty well and solidly. They have a fairly ambitious list of new
   features that they are planning to build into the next release of the
   software - but in its current state it's a simple but useable product.

   It runs over a variety of tcp transports including PC-NFS, PC/TCP, Lan
   Wkplace for Dos.

================================================================================
Open Systems Mail from Pinesoft
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Stewart also mentioned Open Systems Mail from Pinesoft in
California.  His comments:

  We checked out this product about 3 months ago, and I intend to catch
  up with them again soon.  At that time we found the product had more
  features & functions that Mail-it, but was a little more fragile.  If
  the environment in which you ran the product was not exactly what was
  expected, then it tended to object.  My colleague Leo says that it
  worked better as a POP client that in the NFS mode that you mention
  above.  We are sure that this product will get better and more robust
  month by month.

I have e-mailed Pinesoft for product literature (which I included in
Part III of this article).  I inquired about a demo, but have received
no reply yet.  I will look into this one further and summarize any
useful findings.

You can e-mail either Rama or Peter at [e-mail] for more
information.

================================================================================
NUPop 1.0.3 from Northwestern University [DOS, Not Windows, But Looks Promising]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Louis Perrochon ([e-mail]) recommended NUPop.  His said:

   Install a POP server on the unix-host and take NUpop. It was far the
   best in my personal evaluation last autumn.

   It's Mouse driven, runs in a DOS-window, reliable and user-friendly

I downloaded it and it looks very comprehensive.  NUPop can access mail
via a network using packet drivers, serial dial-up via modem, or SLIP.
There is information on installation under Novell LAN Workplace,
Wollongong Pathways, Lan Manager, Local Talk, other TCP/IP packages,
and under MS Windows.  If anyone else tries it out, let me know how it
goes.  I've included some detail in Part III of this article.

One interesting point is that NUPop appears to be freeware (a la
Kermit) from Northwestern University.  While the documentation and
the program looks quite complete, support may be an issue for some.

The distribution notes say that NUPop is comparable to Eudora for
the Macintosh.

It is available via anonymous ftp at ftp.acns.nwu.edu in pub/nupop.

While a DOS mail reader is less of an immediate priority for me at
the moment, there are those in my organization (and others) who have
mentioned that they would like to find a DOS-based mail reader in
addition to Sun's Lifeline since Lifeline only works with Sun PC-NFS.

================================================================================
UMAIL 2.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marcus J. Ranum ([e-mail]) wrote his own "detached" mail reader
called Umail which he said could do some of what I was looking for.
It's freeware and is totally unsupported although he will take
suggestions (and donations, I expect).

I have not evaluated it yet but Marcus has made it available via
anonymous ftp at decuac.dec.com in /pub/dos.  I have appended his
comments in Part III of this article.

================================================================================
EZMail - Non-Windows (But Friendly) Mail Reader
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Darryl Lauderdale ([e-mail]) tells me that there
is a friendly DOS mail/news reader for the PC developed by DLA.  He
said it was at uniwa.uwa.oz.au in /pub/pc/networks/ezmail, however
I cannot connect to this site.

Archie identified other sites with "ezmail" subdirectories.  Several
were not relevant.  One site, nestroy.wu-wien.ac.at (137.208.3.4)
in /ftp-raimund/pub/src/PCmisc/ezmail has a version of Ezmail which
is the precursor to the Cinetic Mail Manager package discussed earlier.

But a site in Sweden, pinus.slu.se (130.238.98.11) has a subdirectory
/msdos.nfs.sunet.se/network/mail/ezmail which contains several
*.taz files which I suspect is what was suggested.  I have
retrieved it, but not evaluated it yet.

================================================================================
Helpful cc:Mail-Related Comments from John Stewart
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John has a couple of other comments which may help some people:

   In house we use cc:Mail on our desktops (connecting to the cc:Mail
   Post Office on our SCO box using PC-NFS).  We connect to Usenet etc
   via a software gateway module that my colleague Leo Smith has written.
    It happens to run on our SCO ODT server, and interfaces MHS to SMTP.
   A Cron script puts the cc:Mail through the standard CC;Mail to MHS
   gateway (running in a DOS box on the SCO) and then through Leo's
   software.  It now supports a binary attachment (outgoing only at this
   point) via uuencode and is working very sweetly, as you can see as
   this message has gone through the system.  If you or anyone wants to
   know more about this software - get in touch with leo on
   [e-mail] .

   You ought to be aware that Lotus have now launched cc:Mail for
   Openlook Suns.  We have a copy running in house for test and demo
   purposes and it runs well and is well integrated into the Openlook
   GUI.  This supports BOTH cc:Mail messaging and native SMTP mail - so a
   sun workstation user running this product can e-mail other unix mail
   users WITHOUT going through the SMTP gateway software that you are
   having trouble with. Cc:Mail users on PC's will still have to use the
   gateway.

   This could make cc:Mail a serious option for others with mixed unix/PC
   sites.

I will just mention that the prospect of the Unix product along with
cc:Mail's PC and Mac lines helped push us to try it out since we
have a mixed end-user environment (though I am primarily concerned
with PCs at the moment).  Thus far, our experience with the SMTP
gateways has been disappointing (there are other reservations, but
this is the most serious one).

================================================================================
"Kludge Approach" by John Mireley, et al.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Mireley ([e-mail]) who was one
of the people who suggested Cinetics Mail Manager
told me that because not all their PCs use NFS, they
are doing the following:

   We are using Word for Windows macros and FTP
   Software's PCTCP for mail. It's a bit of a
   Kludge but is working well for in house mail.

   If you are interested, I have a documnet or two
   on our kludge on our gopher server. It's on the
   Michigan State University gopher, under other
   gophers, under MSU Department of Chemistry, under
   Word for Windows, under UNIX Mail with WfW.

   It's got most of the macro's and a bit of a
   description of the system.

   You should be able to telnet to gopher.cl.msu.edu
   and login as gopher to get access to it.

================================================================================
Chameleon by NetManage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Desmond Elder ([e-mail]) mentions that he uses
NetManage's Chamelon TCP/IP packages for a Windows 3.x-based
mail reader.  Since he works for them, I suppose this isn't
surprising.  NetManage's package has a full SMTP mail, telnet,
etc. services fully implemented under Windows 3.x as a DLL.

However, at this point, I am not contemplating dropping Sun's
PC-NFS just for the mail reader (though I sure wish they'd get
a Windows interface for telnet and ftp).

I called their sales offices and I will mention that NetManage
does have a competitive upgrade offer from various other NFS
packages going on at the moment for anyone interested.  You
can reach them at [phone], or I'm sure Desmond will be
glad to help you out.

================================================================================
WinQVT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have seen and heard reports (well, maybe rumors) that there is
a version of WinQVT that can handle the reading of mail (and
other services) over PC-NFS.  One article rumored that the
PC-NFS version was only available if you registered the primary
shareware product.  I sent e-mail asking for information but
received no reply.

Jill Gemmill ([e-mail]) mentions that WinQVT does
work but is crude and very unforgiving of wrong addresses.  I
decided not to pursue it further.  For those of you who want to
pursue it, WinQVT is available from the ftp sites I mentioned
earlier.  You can also try to contact the makers at:

Contacts:
   Don Pajerek or Pam Arnold
   Tel: [phone]
   Internet:  [e-mail]

   QPC Software
   P.O. Box 226
   Penfield, NY  14526

================================================================================
WinBIFF Utility (not e-mail but may be useful to some)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul Steckler ([e-mail]) mentions that he
has a program that can tell you about pending mail in /usr/spool/mail
(but you'll be using whatever mail reader you currently have).  If
you're interested, he'll gladly send you a uuencoded file, I'm sure.

I haven't tried it out yet, but I expect that this may be useful
for people who will stick to Unix mail for now but would like to
know of new mail without keeping a telnet session running.

================================================================================
PART III:  PRODUCT INFORMATION
================================================================================

 Cinetic Mail Manager (CMM) is a mail reader/composer that let you manage
 Internet mail under Windows.  The main purpose of CMM is to let the user
 read, reply, forward and create messages. There are also other functions
 to simplify the reader's task.  CMM is not a mail transport package or a
 UUCP system, it acts as a front end to such package.  To send a mail message,
 CMM calls a third party mailer program that does the transport part of the
 mailing process.

 Current directly supported systems are:
     - UUPC/extended by Drew Derbyshire.
     - FSUUCP by Fubar Systems.
     - PC-NFS from Sun Micro Systems Inc.
     - PC/TCP by FTP Software Inc.
     - Pathway by The Wollongong Group Inc.

 Cinetic Mail Manger is fully configurable to support other systems.

 Since CMM is fully configurable, you may use your PC as a
 multi-user mail system by creating as many users as you wish.  See the User
 setup section for more information on multi-users.

 Cinetic Mail mamager's ancestor is WinMail.  WinMail is no longer supported
 and all users of WinMail 1.0 to 1.1a should now use Cinetic Mail Manager.
 See the special offer below for registered users of WinMail.

 Cinetic Mail Manager was formerly known as EZ-Mail.

    Cinetic Systems
    4933 Verrau
    Montreal Quebec
    Canada H1M 2C7
    Internet:  [e-mail]
    Compuserve: 71640,666

================================================================================
           PRODUCT DESCRIPTION FOR MAIL-IT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unipalm Limited, the UK's leading PC to UNIX connectivity software
supplier, has launched Mail-it, the UK's first dedicated MS Windows to
UNIX e-mail package.
Conforming to open systems industry standards, Mail-it enables
Microsoft Windows users to send and reply to messages anywhere
on a PC and UNIX network. Prior to Mail-it, a network manager wanting
to integrate a PC network e-mail system into a UNIX one had to rely on
expensive and inefficient gatewaying technology. This would link the
LAN e-mail system's proprietary messaging protocols to the UNIX open
standard.
Mail-it is a MS Windows application that allows PC users to link
directly with existing UNIX e-mail systems using the 'open' standard
mail transfer protocols: SMTP and POP-2. Mail-it enables users to
read, send, forward, reply, print and save e-mail.  It also includes
an alert function to automatically inform the user of incoming mail,
which is stored in an 'in-tray' folder ready to read. Corporate
auditing requirements are fulfilled by an optional log which records
all mailsent and a comprehensive filing system to archive and find
previous messages.For high volume users a task management facility
performs repetitive jobsquickly and a forms facility delivers a
custom format for ordering, invoicing and so on.

Due to Mail-it's modular architecture, there exists an upgrade path to
emerging Open Standards such as Multi-media mail (MIME),
and Privacy Enhanced Mail (PEM). This architecture also offers the
ability to readily support additional third party networking
software.

    Features
    ========
    MS Windows 3.x compatible

    Supports full text cut and paste

    On-line help fully explains use without the need
    to reference documentation

    Mouse and keyboard driven

    Shortcut keys giving fast access to all main functions


    Mail Facilities
    ===============

    Read, Send, Forward, Reply, Print, Save

        Alert function automatically informs you of incoming mail

    Flexible filing system allows you to easily keep track of all
        your correspondence, and optionally logs all mail sent.

    Task management facility enables you to perform repetitive
        tasks quickly.

    Search facility allows you to locate a specific, single
        message    or category of messages.

    Form facility allows use of fixed format messages such as
        purchase requests, telephone and fax messages.


    Networking Standards
    ====================

    Conforms to Open Systems Standards

    Compatibility with a large number of computer types, operating
    systems and E-mail programs.

    Easy integration into mixed architecture networks.

    Does not require shared network drives.

    Upgrade path to emerging standards.


    Compatibility
    =============

    SMTP (RFC 821), Standard Internet Message Format (RFC 822),
    POP-2 (RFC937)


    System Requirements
    ===================

    Microsoft Windows 3.0 or above.

    SunSelect's PC-NFS 4.0 or FTP Software's PC/TCP v2.1 or
    Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS 4.0.1 (or later versions of
    any of these programs).

    1.5Mb free disk space to accomodate Mail-it and to store
        messages.

    A mail server that can accomodate a SMTP and POP-2 service.

Mail-it is available now.

For more information please contact:

                                Tom Kermeen
                Unipalm Limited
                216 The Science Park
                Milton Road
                     Cambridge  CB4 4WA
                England

Voice: [phone]   Fax: [phone]   E-mail:
[e-mail]

================================================================================
OPEN SYSTEMS MAIL PRODUCT INFO BY PINESOFT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From [e-mail] Wed Jan  6 13:00:10 1993
Subject: OS Mail Product Info

              Open Systems Mail for Windows
         *****************************

              PINE SOFTWARE

                 /\
                 //\\
               ///\\\
              ////\\\\
                ||||



Electronic Mail Application for PCs on SMTP Networks
----------------------------------------------------

Open Systems Mail for Microsoft Window  is an easy-to-use electronic
mail application designed for IBM PCs, PS/2s  and compatibles running
MS Windows and DOS-based TCP/IP client software*.

Overview
--------
Open Systems Mail is easy to install and presents the user with a very
friendly, mouse driven, graphical interface for the Microsoft Windows
environment.  Because it's based on open systems, Open Systems Mail
can send mail anywhere in the world over the Internet, or any other
TCP/IP-based network, using SMTP.  Pull down menus and buttons
allow the user to quickly accomplish many electronic mail tasks such as
composing messages, addressing, sending, receiving, filing and deleting
mail.  The application offers two modes of mail retrieval.  Mail can be
retrieved from an NFS mounted mail directory, or, from a POP3 server.
Incoming messages can be stored on any UNIX host, NFS server, or
POP3 server.


Features
--------
- Works with PC-based TCP/IP and NFS client software from major
network software vendors*.
- Easy-to-use graphical interface with pull-down menus, buttons and
toolbars.
- Mail folder system helps you organize your mail messages into any
number of folders that you create.
- New Mail notification alerts user when new mail has arrived.
- Ability to attach and send any file with your messages.  Non-text files
are automatically encoded during transmission and decoded upon
reception.  You can attach spreadsheets, word processor documents, or
any binary file to any message.
- Personal and network alias directories allow simple and quick
addressing.  Your own personal directory gives you the flexibility to add
and delete names and aliases by pointing and clicking.
- Multiple dialog boxes and context sensitive help make this product
very easy to learn and very easy to use.
- Mail retrieval can be accomplished through a POP3 server or  NFS
mounted mail directory - your choice.
- Client application only, does not require special server software.

* Currently works with the following DOS-based TCP/IP client
protocols:  Sun Microsystems PC-NFS, FTP Software PC/TCP Plus,
Wollongong Pathways for DOS, Novell LAN Workplace for DOS,
Beame & Whitesides TCP, 3Com TCP, and Winsocks API.

For IBM PC, PS/2s and compatibles             Version 1.0


Requirements
------------
Microsoft Windows 3.0 or later
PC-NFS and/or PC-TCP/IP resident protocol*
Connection to SMTP/TCP/IP network
Sendmail server with NFS or POP3

All products include manual, diskette and registration.  Available in
single user package, 10-user, 25- user, 100-user, and 500-user site
licenses.

Ordering Information
--------------------
Open Systems Mail for Windows is available from authorized network
specialists and dealers.  Direct purchase is also available.  Call (415)
962-8687 for more details.  Or fax purchase order to [phone].


Future Products
---------------
Open Systems Mail  for Portables
Open Systems Mail  for Macintosh

*  Currently works with Sun Microsystems PC-NFS, FTP Software
PC/TCP Plus, Novell LAN Workplace for DOS, B&W  TCP, 3Com TCP,
Wollongong Pathways for DOS, and Winsocks API.

This data sheet is for informational purposes only. Copyright 1991 Pine
Software.  All rights reserved.  Printed in the United States of America.
Microsoft and MS are registered trademarks, and Windows is a
trademark of Microsoft Corporation.  Sun and PC-NFS are registered
trademarks of Sun Microsystems.  PC/TCP Plus is a registered
trademark of FTP Software, Inc., Novell and LAN Workplace for DOS
are registered trademarks of Novell, Wollongong and Pathways for DOS
are registered trademarks of The Wollongong Group.  3Com is a trademark
of the 3Com Corporation.  UNIX is a trademark of AT&T.  PINE SOFTWARE MAKES
NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.


Pine Software            [phone]              voice
PO Box 3041            [phone]              fax
Stanford, CA  94309-3041    [e-mail]         internet
USA

================================================================================
PRICING INFORMATION FOR OPEN SYSTEMS MAIL BY PINESOFT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From [e-mail] Wed Jan  6 13:00:44 1993
Subject: OS Mail Pricing Info

    Open Systems Mail (ver 1.0) for MS-Windows
    *******************************************

              PINE SOFTWARE

Overview
--------
Open Systems Mail* is an easy-to-use electronic mail application
designed for IBM PCs and compatibles running Microsoft. Windows*/DOS
-based TCP/IP client software .  Its easy to install and presents
the user with a very friendly, mouse driven, graphical interface in
the Microsoft Windows environment.

Licensing
---------
Open Systems Mail*  is available as a single user right-to-use license,
10-user, 25-user, 100-user and 500-user right-to-use site licenses.
Each package includes a user manual (in a 3-hole 8in. x 9in. binder),
diskette, and a registration card.  Additional documentation and media
are available.


Open Systems Mail        Part No.          Regular
                            Price
Single User License        OSMAILWIN001        $   129

10 User Site License        OSMAILWIN010        $   995

25 User Site License        OSMAILWIN025        $ 1,995

100 User Site License        OSMAILWIN100        $ 4,995

500 User Site License        OSMAILWIN500        $19,995


Add'l Documentation    OSMAILWINDOC    N/A        $25

Additional Media    OSMAILWINDSK    N/A        $10

Annual Maintenance     OSMAILWINMAINT    N/A        25% Net



* Pricing effective Nov. 15, 1992.  All prices subject to change without
notice.  Educational discounts available.  30 day satisfaction money back
guarantee ($25 restocking fee).  Shipments F.O.B. Palo Alto, California.
To order, contact Pine Software, [phone], [phone] (FAX),
PO Box 3041, Stanford, CA 94309-3041, or send E-mail to
"[e-mail]".


Notes
-----
Currently supports the following TCP/IP protocols:  Sun Microsystems
PC-NFS, FTP Software PC/TCP Plus, Wollongong Pathways, Novell LAN
Workplace for DOS, Beame & Whitesides TCP, 3Com TCP, Winsocks API.

Annual maintenance fee available for multi-user site licenses (10 or more
users) at 25% of the current net purchase amount.  Provides free software
and documentation upgrades, one telephone transaction (support) per 10 nodes,
and unlimited support via electronic mail.


Ordering Instructions
---------------------
U.S. and Canada:  mail or fax purchase order to Pine Software.  Include $15
for shipping and handling.  California residents: include 8% sales tax.

Outside U.S. and Canada:  mail or fax purchase order to Pine Software.
Include $21 for shipping and handling.  Payment must be received before
shipment.  Pay by check or money order in US dollars only.  COD is also
accepted if COD carrier and account number is provided.


Pine Software            [phone]              voice
PO Box 3041            [phone]              fax
Stanford, CA  94309-3041    [e-mail]         internet
USA

================================================================================
NUPop
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Requirements

NUPop allows you to receive, compose, and send Internet electronic mail
("email") from an IBM PC.  NUPop can access mail via a network using
packet drivers, serial dial-up via modem, or SLIP.

To use NUPop you need an IBM PC or compatible machine with either a modem
or  a  connection to the campus backbone network.  If you have a Macintosh
computer you can use a similar program called Eudora instead.

You also need an account on a computer system which can be reached by a POP
(Post Office Protocol) server.

[The POP server machine] stores incoming mail for you.  NUPop retrieves
this stored mail from the [POP server] to your PC using the POP server.
You compose outgoing mail on your PC using NUPop.  NUPop sends this mail
via the POP server using an SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) or POP
server.

NUPop requires at least 460K free RAM after DOS and all network drivers
are loaded.  The basic NUPop files require about 700K of disk space.


Mail files increase the amount of disk space required.  The more messages
you receive, the more disk space your PC needs to store these messages.

A mouse or other pointing device is not required to use NUPop, but is
strongly recommended. You must load the mouse driver software into your
system before running NUPop.  If your mouse provides more than one
button, you will be using only the left mouse button when running NUPop.

NUPop requires DOS version 3.0 or higher. NUPop should run on any type of
video card including a monochrome display adapter. An EGA or VGA display
adapter is recommended.

Dial-up access requires a PC with an error correcting modem (V.42bis or
MNP). It should support the "AT" command set (most modems do). The modem
and the modem cable must support carrier detect(CD), data terminal ready
(DTR), and clear to send/request to send signals (CTS/RTS).

It is available via anonymous ftp at ftp.acns.nwu.edu in pub/nupop.

================================================================================
DETAIL FOR UMAIL 2.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This is the Umail2.0 distribution. It consists of two kits, one of
which is installed on the PC, the other of which is installed on the UNIX
host. Each is in a separate subdirectory with a README file which describes
how it is to be set up. The UNIX side is in source format, the PC side is
a binary-only distribution. Umail assumes you are running Windows and
works best if you have a mouse.

    Briefly, here's how Umail and its associated tools work:

    The goal of Umail is to provide a portable "detachable" mail reader.
When I was doing a lot of travelling on airplanes and had a laptop running
Windows, I thought it'd be nice if I could catch up on my mail on the plane,
reading, replying, and deleting it, then plug it in (somehow) to my home
machine and have it deliver the mail, delete the messages from my inbox,
refile stuff, etc. Umail does a form of "transaction" based on the message
ID of mail messages. So, if you delete a message on your PC, when you later
want to synchronize your mailbox, the tools included with Umail will handle
deleting messages with that message ID. In order to accomplish this, Umail
writes a file of commands for a transaction processor that runs on your
UNIX machine (though I suppose porting this to VMS or something else is
reasonably straightforward).

    Umail mail transaction files contain the following types of
operations:
    delete message-ID

    folder foldername message-ID

    sendmail
    .
    .    a bunch of text with '.' as the first character of each
    .    line
    .
    liamdnes

    The tools on the server side process the transaction file and
hand it off to subprograms that are responsible for deleteing, foldering,
or delivering mail. Each of these subprograms is invoked with its
standard input from a main transaction sorter program "pcmail_in". The
behaviour of these components is described in a bit more detail in
README in the "unix-side" directory.

    Umail2.0 has support on the unix side for BSD-style mailboxes
or MH-style folders. Since the processing mechanism is very generic, it
shouldn't be hard to interface to any other mailing system desired.
For moving mail up and down between the PC and the server, there are
several options. The simplest is to just use PC-NFS or something like
that, and make the mail-putter and mail-getter jobs on the PC perform
proper file conversion and then copy the file to a private area. A
second approach, if using a PC with an IP stack, is to FTP the mail
file from /usr/spool/mail/USERNAME manually, or to use a version of
'rcp' if such is available. For serial line transfers, kermit is an
effective tool.

    Umail is also designed to work with the "Mail Mover" software,
which is a set of kermit scripts and a kermit script writer that will
handle dialing and downloading mail for the user automatically. "Mail
Mover" is available for FTP along with Umail.

    Umail is totally unsupported, but it's also free. You are
prohibited from selling it, except for "media cost" if the media cost
is under $1. The author will accept bug reports, and will probably
generate fixes, but has no plans to add significant new functionality,
bells, or whistles. Umail was written in Visual BASIC (a wonderful
tool) and consists of approximately 300 lines of code. Source code
to Umail will not be made available.

Marcus J. Ranum,
Nov 24, 1992
--
Energy and Environment Division   | Internet:  [e-mail]
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory      |
Berkeley, California  USA  94720  | Yeah, right.