Xref: utzoo comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc:4354 comp.mail.misc:4412
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!pacbell.com!ucsd!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!jhunix!andy
From: andy@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Andy S Poling)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc,comp.mail.misc
Subject: POP clients (yes, again...)
Keywords: pop, pc, mac, client, pop2, pop3, protocol-compliant
Message-ID: <7035@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU>
Date: 30 Nov 90 22:22:08 GMT
Followup-To: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF
Lines: 54


I know this is becoming one of those very oft-asked questions, but I have
some specific twists and I think I may have missed some discussions anyway
so here goes...

We are looking at providing PC and Mac users with mail service using the
POP2 and/or POP3 protocols.  Because we will be providing this service to
virtually anybody who has access to the campus ethernet, we're primarily
interested in publicly available software.

So far, I've begun by experimenting with PCs because I have easier access to
them and there seem to be more packages available for them.  I have tried two
clients so far: PopMail and PCPop.  The first problem I've encountered is
that while these packages are both based upon the POP2 protocol, they both
require extensions to the protocol - they will not work with a POP2 server
which impliments with the protocol as set forth in RFC937.

I have not yet found any PC clients which use the newer and more extensive
POP3 protocol.

Here are the attributes I'm searching for in PC and/or Mac POP clients:
	- either publicly available or inexpensively site-licenseable (sp?)
	- use of the Clarkson Packet Driver Spec for PCs or MacTCP for Macs
		(i.e. - no expensive commercial package reliance)
	- fully compliant with either the POP2 or POP3 protocol (i.e.
		requiring no protocol extensions)
	- ideally available for both PC and Mac platforms so we can have
		one "standard" user interface

I'm not asking for much, am I? :-) I'll send a summary of responses to
anyone requesting one, and I will also make a summary of responses available
for anonymous FTP from jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (128.220.2.5) in
"pub/POP/whats_out_there".

In fact I'm willing to start a mailing list for POP client and server
discussion if people are interested.  In other words, I'm willing to put
forth some effort to provide an organized method of obtaining POP
availability and operability information.  I realize that there's probably
not enough interest for a newsgroup, but I think a mailing list is a good
start...  To subscribe to the POP mailing list, send a message to
"pop-request@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu", or "pop-request@jhunix" if you are on the
BITNET or UUCP networks.

So fire away.  Send me your recommendations for POP clients, requests for
summaries, and requests to be on the POP mailing list.  Lets get something
goin' here!

-Andy

--
Andy Poling                              Internet: andy@gollum.hcf.jhu.edu
UNIX Systems Programmer                  Bitnet: ANDY@JHUNIX
Homewood Academic Computing              Voice: (301)338-8096    
Johns Hopkins University                 UUCP: uunet!mimsy!aplcen!jhunix!andy


Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com