Why UNIX Based E-Mail?
Why are you required to use a UMUC UNIX server,
for the exchange of class e-mail?
Among the reasons are:
- We need to know a bit of UNIX to
successfully put a Web page up. Might as well start
learning UNIX. In addition, knowing a bit of UNIX
leads to computer literacy. Further since much of the Web
is run using UNIX, or Linux, a first cousin, some
knowledge of these operating systems is useful.
See UNIX help for users
for a good basic UNIX reference.
- You can't pick up a virus if you don't
download a file to your machine. A very important
consideration these days. UNIX mail stays up on the server.
It is not downloaded to your PC.
- There are all sorts of e-mail programs out
there that produce strange results. We have
enough to do without fooling with flaky mail
programs. In addition to using the UNIX Pine
e-mail program, it is easy enough to use
whatever Windows program you wish to
read/write UNIX based mail. Not that this is a good idea.
If you need to ask how, it might be well for you to use Pine up on
the UNIX machine. Just type 'pine,' with no quotes of course,
at the UNIX prompt.
- It would seem that many of you choose
'handles.' Learning is hard enough without the
need to remember who Landshark et al. is.
- Having all your class mail safely stored on the UMUC servers
means that you can access this material from any where in the world
using any computer with Net access.
- Exchanging e-mail on the same server certainly is fast and reliable.
In addition, with our closed system, we do not need to deal with spam and other malevolent software.
Another thought ...
No attachments please!
There is hardly ever a reason to 'attach' a text
document to an e-mail message because ...
- Attachments, carry viruses.
- It takes much more effort to process (i.e.,
virus scan, read, archive et al.) an attached files.
- You can't be sure that all of your recipients
have the PC program needed to process your PC
file.
- Many people do not have mail clients that
can process attachments. Not all students
live in the US, where money seems never to be
an object.
- Many people do not know how to handle mail
attachments.
If you really, really must format your data, say
via a complex table, why not put it up on a
Web page and direct your reader to it? Adobe
Acrobat handles spreadsheets and such quite
well. It is also easy to upload PowerPoint
presentations.
If you are using Pine, as is recommended,
for a mail client on our UNIX machines you may
'cut' an uploaded text file into a message via
Ctrl-R. Most modern Telnet programs support zmodem
so a simple 'rz' uploads a file. The usual Windows
copy and paste also works. Both for uploading, and
for copy and pasting, be sure to use plain
text (ASCII) files. If you would like more information
or have further questions re:
attachments, uploading et al. please let your instructor
know. For more information on Pine visit the
University of Washington
Pine information site. For more information on using Telnet check the
Numbered Account Access page.
That said, if you really, really hate UNIX (Pine) mail there are a
couple of things
you can do that will
reluctantly be accepted.
