Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!yale!cs.yale.edu!kauffman-jon
From: kauffman-jon@CS.YALE.EDU (Jon Kauffman)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Subject: Re: AppleShare PC 2.0 and QuickMail for the PC
Summary: QM for PC in poor shape
Message-ID: <16705@cs.yale.edu>
Date: 22 Feb 90 19:57:46 GMT
References: <1579.25e3ff3b@vaxa.uwa.oz>
Sender: news@cs.yale.edu
Reply-To: kauffman-jon@CS.YALE.EDU (Jon Kauffman)
Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept, New Haven CT  06520-2158
Lines: 42

We've evaluated QuickMail PC for installation in a dormitory network.
The PCs are connected with LocalTalk cards, not ethernet, but I doubt
my complaints hinge on this.

There are only two problems, basically.  1) It's horrendously slow.
2) It bombs repeatedly

1.  If you have a 286 or 386 machine, no problems with speed.  
    If you have anything < AT, then it's simply impossible for QM to
    keep up with your keystrokes when entering text.  It took 15+
    minutes to type a 10 line message on an XT.

    Calls to CE yielded, "Well, try running it on an AT..."  
  
2.  On the 386 machine we used for evaluation, I was able to hang the machine
    in 5 different ways in about twice as many minutes (including
    reboot time).  The word "robust" did not come to mind.  Once we
    found out what to avoid, it was possible to use the program,
    but I don't relish teaching "Well, it says you can press that
    button, but it's not really true..." to all my users.

I should point out that PC QM is a new product, and as such ought to
see serious revision in the first few months of being released.  We
got one of the first copies, and it's entirely possible that these
problems have been fixed (although our limited contact with CE support
hasn't borne this out).  Beyond that, I have to say I'm sorry but
it's not acceptable.  It's too bad because there's not anything
else I know of that will do what we want.
 

Cheers,

/jon

PS -- We're very pleased with QuickMail for the Mac, and wouldn't
trade it for anything.  CE has been nice to us, and I have no axe to
grind beyond my disappointment with the PC product.
 
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Jon Kauffman   		  (203)-436-0472         kauffman-jon@yale.edu
Yale Computer Science Dept             	{decvax,harvard}!yale!kauffman
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