MAIL -- Inter-User Message Transfer Utility Users may leave mesages for themselves or other users by means of an intra-user MAIL utility, MAIL. When a user logs on he is notified if there is any mail waiting for him to look at. Imediately following logon, or any time thereafter, a user may request that mail be displayed at the terminal. The user is given the option of having the MAIL.TXT file copied into his directory at that time, deleting the MAIL, or doing nothing. The present implementation of this utility is very versitile, and the user is urged to read the User's Guide to the Mail Utility. Further HELP on using the MAIL utility may be requested using HELP MAIL keyword where keywords are; COMMANDS Command format for MAIL DESCRIPTION General description of Mail Utility LETTERS Sending Mail requiring a reply. NAMES Last names to use in sending MAIL. NOTICES Sending Mail not requiring a reply. SEND Sending mail to another user. SYSTEM Sending mail to SYSTEM. RECEIVE Receiving mail from another user. 2 DESCRIPTION MAIL supports inter-user transfer of messages, notices and letters between users on an RSX multiuser system. MAIL maintains a 'mailbox' for each user, and each letter is inserted into the user's mailbox. Once deposited into the user mailbox, only that user has access to it. The sender can not retrieve the letter, nor can any other unprivleged user access the contents of the mailbox. Each user may open his mailbox and read its contents. Then he may leave it in the mailbox, throw it away, or save it into a "mailbag". 2 COMMANDS The general command syntax to send mail is: MAIL [letter] [/NO] [TO name] where the brackets enclose optional portions of the command line. 'letter' if specified must be a valid RSX filespec. If an extension is omitted , .TXT is used. If no 'letter' is specified, MAIL will read the letter from the terminal until ^Z is typed. The 'letter' may have an optional switch '/NO' to signify that it is a notice not requiring a reply. Letters always require a reply. 'TO' is required if a 'name is specified. 'name' is the last name or list of names( or list of names seperated by commas) to whom the mail is to be sent. It is either a last name (used in logging on) or a [UIC]. MAIL will read in names until ^Z is typed. MAIL may be received at any time by typing MAIL ME, and the status of the user's mail displayed by typing MAIL ?. 2 SEND MAIL may be sent to another user by either typing MAIL [filename] TO [username] MAIL TO username or MAIL If 'username' is omitted, the SYSTEM prompts for the name with TO WHO?, at which time the 'username' is entered. The system will inform user if the 'username' does not represent a valid account. The system will prompt for additional 'usernames' until a ^Z is typed. If the 'username' is accepted, the system prompts with LETTER> ,at which time the user may type in up to 120 characters followed with a carriage return. Text lines may be entered in this manner until done at which time the user enters a Control Z (^Z) to signify the end of the MAIL file. Valid 'usernames' are either the user's last name or their account number specified as either [GGG,MMM], [GGG/MMM], or GGG/MMM. MAIL will continue to prompt for 'usernames' until ^Z is typed at which point it will ask if the 'user' requests a reply. The correct user name must be known to send mail. A list of valid last of names may be obtained by typing HELP MAIL NAMES 2 RECEIVE Users are automatically notified that mail has been sent them if they are logged on when it is sent. The status of a user's mailbox may be displayed by typing MAIL ? at the terminal. The amount of mail waiting for the user will be displayed. A user may receive mail by typing MAIL ME or ME in response to the TO WHO? prompt. The user is given the opertunity of transfering the mail to a permanent file. Otherwise, the MAIL is "burned" after reading. When the system prints out the MAIL message, it prefixes it with the date, UIC of the sender, and the sender's last name. 2 SYSTEM Messages may be left for the system programer J. DOWNWARD by typing MAIL TO DOWNWARD. Messages relating to system problems, system performance, hardware problems, unexplained and troublesome error messages, etc. should be left in the system mailbox by typing MAIL SYSTEM. 2 NAMES With the exception of Mark Buoniconto, and the Bushes, use last names. For Mark B. use MARKB. To send mail to the Bushe's (similar last names confuse MAIL) use their respective account numbers. A reasonably current list of last names(or account numbers, is found in each monthly summary of usage. 2 LETTERS #NOTICES 2 NOTICES Mail can either be a 'notice' for which no reply is expected or it can be a letter for which a reply is expected. If a reply is expected, MAIL prompts for a reply. If the syntax MAIL 'letter' To 'name' is used, a reply is expected unless a /NO switch is appended to the filespecifier for 'letter'.