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1994-05-11
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The Messaging System
--------------------
Messages are used in both the Forums and the Electronic Mail areas.
Electronic Mail: private messages from one user to another
Forums: public messages from many users, readable by many
There's a lot of overlap between the Electronic Mail and Forums. For
example, when you write an electronic mail message, you can send it to
one user, and send a carbon copy to a Forum. Or you can reply
privately to the author of a Forum message, and other users won't see
that reply. And usually the best way to erase a message you wrote in a
Forum is to use the E-mail read command to find it and then erase it.
Electronic messages consist of:
o Header
o Body
o File attached (optional)
The header contains information like who the message is to, who it's
from, what the topic is, and when it was written.
Message Topic:
Each time you write a new message, you need to give it a topic. When
you reply to a message, you inherit the topic of the original message.
Message Body:
You can compose the body of a message you're writing using the editor.
You'll get the full screen editor if you have an ANSI-compatible
terminal. Otherwise you'll use a line-oriented editor.
Reading a message displays the message body on your terminal. Whenever
you read a message's body, the BBS makes a note not to include that
message again when you scan for new messages.
Message Number:
The BBS issues a new sequential message number each time anyone writes
a new message. Whether it's a private electronic mail message to one
user, or a message in some Forum, it has a unique message number on the
BBS. This message number is used to jump directly to a message you
want to read or reply to.
Files Attached to Messages:
When you write an Electronic Mail or Forum message, you usually have
the option of attaching a file to the message. You upload the file
after you write the message. Then, anyone who reads the message gets
the option of downloading the file.
File Names:
When you attach a file to a message, put the name of the file in the
topic of the message. You can put the description of the file after
that. For example:
Topic: FONTCVT.EXE - converts printer fonts
This file name will be used when a user downloads with a multi-file
protocol like YMODEM Batch or ZMODEM. That is, the file's name on the
user's machine will be FONTCVT.EXE. File transfers will be discussed
in more depth later...
Modifying or Erasing a Message You Wrote:
First, find the message. Whether its a Forum message or an Electronic
Mail message, you can find it from the Electronic Mail menu. You can
(R)ead all messages (F)rom you, and scan through them until you find
the one you want to change. After reading your message you'll get the
chance to modify it by selecting the M option. To just erase a
message, find it, read it, and select E to (E)rase.
On the other hand, if you know the number of the message you want to
modify or erase, there's another way. Just use the (M)odify or (E)rase
option from the Electronic Mail menu. It will work on Forum messages
you wrote as well as on Electronic Mail messages.
Electronic Mail
---------------
Electronic Mail allows you to send private messages to other users of
the BBS. Electronic Mail has several advantages over other modes of
communication:
o You can dial into the BBS from almost anywhere, at almost any
time, write your message, and forget about it -- no stamp, no
paper to carry around.
o The recipient of your message has a copy he can capture and
print out if he wants. Or he can leave the message in his
"in-box" and get it out later.
o You can attach a disk file to your message. No need to mail
floppy diskettes, or to bring up two computers with file
transfer software at the same time. You upload when you want,
your recipient downloads when he wants.
o You can request a return-receipt, so you know when the person
read your message.
o Your recipient can easily reply to your message, sending
another message back to you. Your original message will
usually be available to you again so you can "backtrack"
and remember what the user was replying to.
o You can easily copy your message to other users.
o You can send your message to distribution lists.
o You can create one distribution list of your own.
Electronic Mail Messages
Here's what an electronic mail message header looks like:
Date: Thursday, April 23, 1992 12:37pm Electronic Mail
From: Arthur Fischel Msg#: 20483
To: Richard T. Natheson *RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED*
File: BOOTH.DWG - for trade show in Phoenix
(Reply to #20461, Reply to #20409)
The *RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED* flag indicates that the sender wants to
be notified when you read this message. When you do, a message is
automatically generated by the BBS from you back to the author of the
message, informing him that you read his message and when.
Files Attached to Electronic Mail Messages
To send a file to another user, you can write him an electronic mail
message and upload an attached file. When he reads the message, he has
the option of downloading the file.
R=Read messages
The Major BBS keeps track of the messages that were written to you and
the messages that you have written.
In-box messages TO you messages others wrote to you
Out-box messages FROM you messages you wrote to someone else
Either of these sets can be scanned, one message at a time, with the
E-mail read command. These include private messages between you and
other users as well as public messages in the Forums. (Whether your
in-box includes Forum messages or not is your option: see below, under
setting preferences.)
R=Read messages T=To you
You'll have these options for where to start your reading:
RETURN or dot (.) Start with the next message you haven't read yet
F Start with the earliest message in your in-box
L Start with the very latest message in your in-box
<message number> Start with a specific message number
The Default or Next Message
You'll probably be calling into the BBS regularly to get your latest
messages. Some of your messages are not urgent, or they require more
work to reply to, or you just want to keep them around for a while.
The Major BBS tries to distinguish between new messages and messages
you've already read by remembering the highest numbered message you've
ever read from your in-box. This isn't perfect, but if you're careful
to read your messages in order, you might find it very handy for
keeping your urgent mail and your not-so-important mail separated.
When you (R)ead messages (T)o you and hit RETURN when it asks for a
message number, you'll get the message that's one higher than the
highest numbered message that you've already read. You can do the same
thing in one step by typing "RT." from the E-mail menu.
As an example, imagine you have an in-box tray on your desk. New mail
is always getting added to the top of your pile. You often peek at
your mail starting from the bottom. After you read a piece of mail
that you want to keep for the moment, you slip a piece of red paper
over it. When you read another piece, you slip the red paper over it.
Now you have new mail on top, red paper, old mail. To quickly s