Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!ucselx!bionet!hayes.ims.alaska.edu!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: avigross@attmail.att.com (Avi E Gross) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Description of ATT Mail ACCESS (Answers to the Question) Message-ID: <14830@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 19 Nov 90 18:23:54 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 57 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 834, Message 5 of 8 In article <14799@accuvax.nwu.edu>, ehopper@ehpcb.wlk.com (Ed Hopper) wrote about the subject matter. I want to add a few facts/opinions to Ed's excellent answer. ATTMAIL consists of a "core" network and MANY premises products. I work on designing the core network, but can talk informally ( #include ) about the premises products that can be used to "access" the network. As Ed says, there has been a "standard" appearance to the premises mailers, so that the UNIX variant (PMX/TERM), DOS variants (latest is ACCESS PLUS, with some ACCESS I and ACCESS II still in the field) and various LAN based versions look like they belong in the same family. The Mac version, ACCESS III, has a look of its own, and the look will continue to evolve as more modern versions are produced using graphical interfaces. Other versions are also being developed to support foreign languages, etc. These are not designed to act as terminal emulators. They are full-fledged mailers using local resources as much as possible. This saves not only message-creation charges, but also on storage charges (you can store messages in folders on the core network) and automates receiving shared-folder messages (sort of like netnews). For ACCESS PLUS, a number of options are available such as running the mailer in the background, calling up a foreground mailer as a TSR, having a directory pop-up as a TSR, being notified when messages arrive (when your software checks on a regular basis in the foreground) and even have the service phone your PC to have it pick up new mail within 15 minutes of arrival. Other advantages of using an ACCESS (or PMX) product are the ability to deal with messages that contain non-standard-text within them. For example, you can attach (and detach) arbitrary objects to the message. I often send executables, spreadsheets, etc to someone that can detach and use them. I also prefer a full-screen interface (along with better editing functionality) than the On-Line User Agent. I can't say much more without releasing proprietary information, but many improvements are already being added. We are also working on changing our orientation to include "smaller" customers. I suspect one reason why some people have complained about problems with getting various aspects of ATTMAIL shown/sold to them is because the sales force was focused on larger customers that buy 1000 accounts or software packages at a time. We are changing since we are interested in becoming a major player in the electronic communication market. Email is just one part of the market that we are dealing with. We also are deeply involved with EDI (machine to machine) and FAX (both FAX to FAX and text to FAX, with more to come) and we connect to many other domains such as X.400, and synchronous gateways. I feel we have a great product and are improving it all the time. We are continuing to work at getting the facts out about our product. I will be happy to answer additional email, within the bounds of information that I can release at this time. Avi E. Gross @ AT&T LZ 3B-211 (201) 576-3218 attmail!avigross or att!pegasus!avi