To the Email working group, Divisional Reps, and other interested folks:
 
The stated direction for electronic mail is to move toward Qualcomm's
commerical Eudora software package.  This is a critical issue for MS Mail
clients, since support from Microsoft has ended and MS Mail is incapable of
scaling up to a larger and larger on-campus client base.  We anticipate that
MCIS support for MS Mail will be discontinued at some point, but we currently
do not have an ending date specified.
 
Pegasus Mail clients using the DOS version will continue to use it, since
there is no DOS client for Eudora.  Client Services will be continuing to
encourage clients to move away from the DOS platform.
 
Pegasus Mail clients using the Windows version may elect to stay with PMail
since it does provide POP3 support.  Current problems in dealing with email
attachments seem to be due to the Charon gateway through which the mail
messages for some people currently travel; we are in the process replacing
this with "Mercury" which will improve handling of attachments.
 
While the MCIS stated direction is toward Eudora, there are four major issues
we must address successfully in order to roll out Eudora support across
campus:
 
(1) document how to create and read attachments.  Not always an easy,
painfree process regardless of your email package.  Can we make it easier, so
that students and faculty and other mobile users don't have to carry around
and refer to the instructions?
 
(2) provide a pre-built address list for Eudora users like MS Mail now
provides, and providing special-purpose lists e.g. class lists.  Without
this, each Eudora user would have to build his/her own list of names and
email addresses.  Not many MS Mail users would look kindly toward Eudora
without a pre-built list.  We will be looking into whether this can be
accomplished through Ph.
 
(3)  further testing is needed along with resulting decisions/actions to
implement an easy configuration and distribution process.  Rolling the
product out to 20,000 or so clients demands that we be as efficient as
possible.
 
(4) further development and testing is needed regarding the POP3 server.  The
email committee's stated direction is to have a departmental Novell server
(where it exists) act as the POP3 server.  Where a departmental LAN does not
exist, MIAVX1 will provide that service (preferably, not the interactive
machine).  MCIS will be investigating whether to provide POP3 service off the
VM/CMS system.
 
There are new versions of Eudora for the Mac and Eudora for Windows coming
out in mid-August.  I have an email message from Qualcomm (with, count
them...no less than 9 attachments -- guaranteed to challenge your ability to
deal with attachments) -- with the details.  "Eudora Lite" is the new name
for the freeware version.  The commercial version will be "Eudora Pro for the
Mac" and "Eudora Pro for Windows."  Both Pro versions will have an integrated
spell-checker -- welcome news.
 
I will be happy to forward the email message to you (Mac folks) or to send
you paper copies (IBM-compatible folks).  The file has a .SEA file
(self-extracting archive), which only runs on Macs.
 
We are considering the site license (in the $20,000-$25,000 range as of
earlier this spring), but it doesn't make sense to do that and start paying
for annual support of $3,500 until we have addressed the four main issues
above.  We will be working on these issues.
 
Individual copies are $44.50 (ed. price) for the complete package, $178.75
for a 5 user pack ($26.75), $535 for a 20 user pack ($26.75 each), with
larger packs available.  Departments or schools interested in licensing all
faculty/staff can buy large license packs and reduce the per unit cost.
 
Several clients on campus have already purchased the commerical Eudora, are
using it as their mail package and are quite happy with it.
 
Please let me know if you have comments or questions, or if you'd like to
receive the detailed Eudora info mentionned above.
 
Thanks,
Debi Allison
95327