Email -- Which program is right for you?
There are 3 basic platforms: Unix, Macintosh and PC
Overview
When mail is delivered to cmgm, it enters a spool directory. Here is sits until you access it through an Email program. This is a central location that ALL Email programs look at for new mail.
- Some mailers (like Mailstrom) take the mail out of the spool directory and place it in your home directory on cmgm in a file called mbox. While the mail remains on the server, a program like elm can read it by changing your default mailbox to mbox, but some programs might not find it. Mbox is a commonly used standard and it's highly compatible with most mailers.
- A POP mail client, like Eudora, takes the mail off the server and places it on your personal computer.
- A POP mail client makes a quick connection to the server, downloads mail, then cuts the connection. This is very efficient if your out-of-town! All the other programs require a constant connection via ethernet or phone line.
- Elm
- VT100 interface (use this over a telephone line)
- Elm is a very efficient, fast and powerful Email client (it also happens to be the one I use). The major drawback is that it requires you to know either
VI or EMACS Unix editors (these may not be right for the faint-hearted!)
- Handles Attachments fine (although I haven't figured out how to send one!)
- Spell Checker!
- Multiple mailboxes
- Leaves mail in the spool dierctory.
- Overall rating 8
- MM
- Pine
- VT100 interface (use this over a telephone line)
- Pine is a nice mailer, with on-line help. It has it's own editor that is
very easy to use. The major drawback to pine is the interface. It's a little
klunky (but you'll get used to it -- and that's just my opinion)
- Overall rating 7
- Eudora
- GUI (Graphical User Interface)
- A free version and a commercial version (spell checker, more features like
filtering mail)
- Eudora's main feature is that you can use it either on the ethernet or over a phone line exactly the same way.
- Supports nested mailboxes so Eudora is a great way to organize mail. The commercial version lets you filter incoming mail automatically to mailboxes of your choice.
- Very easy to send and receive Attachments.
- The major drawback is that Eudora is a POP mail client. This means that it
moves you mail from the server to you local Macintosh (or PC). Bad news if you use more than one machine. There is a feature that lets you keep the mail on the server and lets you only see new mail.
- Only one configuration file and one set of mailboxes! Multiple users on the same Macintosh will share the in box. Can be bad news!
- Overall rating 8
- MacMS
- Mailstrom
- GUI (Graphical User Interface)
- Very nice and easy interface -- fastest to learn to use.
- Supports multiple preference files -- This means that many people can use the same Macintosh for email without problems! This can be a GREAT feature!
- Downside, some bugs in the advanced features.
- Overall rating 8
PC
These ratings are very subjective!!! You may find them totaly off-base. I do,
however, consider myself an average user and I have tried to be as objective as
I possibly can.
There are of course, many other fine Email programs you can use. These, however, are the only ones that I know and therefore the only ones that I can help you with.