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From: ehopper@ehpcb.wlk.com (Ed Hopper)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Description of ATT Mail ACCESS
Message-ID: <14799@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 17 Nov 90 17:26:22 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 832, Message 5 of 8


nelson%odin.corp.sgi.com@sgi.com (Nelson Bolyard) writes:

> Executive (:-) Summary: If you have and use AT&T Mail's "ACCESS"
> program for the PC or MacIntosh, please write a description of how it
> works, how you use it, how user-friendly it is, etc, and mail it to me
> or post it to the TELECOM Digest (comp.dcom.telecom).

1. Use of ACCESS is absolutely OPTIONAL.  I use Procomm and QModem on
AT&T Mail all the time (plus various VT100 clone dumb terminals).

2. ACCESS presents the standard AT&T Mail offline user interface.
It looks like this:
                                              --IN--
+-----+-----+    +---------------------------------------------------------+
|     |     |    |                                                         |
|     |     |    |                                                         |
+-----+-----+    |                                                         |
|     |     |    |                                                         |
|     |     |    |                                                         |
+-----+-----+    |---------------------------------------------------------|                                                         |
|     |     |
|     |     |                                 --OUT--
+-----+-----+    |---------------------------------------------------------|                                                         |
|     |     |    |                                                         |
|     |     |    |                                                         |
+-----+-----+    |                                                         |
|     |     |    |                                                         |
|     |     |    |                                                         |
+-----+-----+    |---------------------------------------------------------|

Across the left side of the screen are ten boxes arranged in five rows
of two.  Each corresponds with a function key.  They cover functions
like READ, CREATE, DELETE, MOVE, COPY, FORWARD, SEND, RECEIVE, etc.
Press a function key to perform the desired function.

On the right 2/3's of the screen are the in/out boxes. Incoming mail
messages are shown in the upper box, outgoing in the lower.  These
boxes can be switched to show other "folders" (subdirectories) as
desired.

When you press send or receive (there is also a SEND&RECEIVE option),
a script is executed to dial up AT&T Mail, download mail in batch mode
and upload pending outbound mail.  It's all automatic and pretty goof
proof.

The nice thing about ACCESS is that it handles adressing for some of
the options like RECEIPT, COD and paper delivery easily.  It also
allows binary file attachment and detachment to messages.

Messages created with ACCESS or sent via UUCP from a UNIX box do not
have message creation charges associated with them.  Messages entered
online do have such charges.  Unfortunately, messages edited offline
and sent up via XModem from Procomm, etc. also have "creation"
charges.

All in all, ACCESS is OK, not fabulous. It is certainly not necessary.

There are versions of ACCESS for AT&T UNIX systems (PMX/TERM) and for
NetBIOS and Novell LANs (PMX/StarMAIL). All present the same visual
interface.


Ed Hopper