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If you're like me, confronting a chunky-looking UNIX screen is enough to make you yearn for the good old days of pen and paper as you squint and hack over obscure function keys (what's the ^ mean, anyway?).
For those of you who have used the Pine e-mail system, don't reach for your quill yet. Below is everything you need to know about simplifying your e-mail. Before moving on, readers should note that Netscape and Microsoft Outlook are only two software options; the Computing Lab in room C1410 has similar instructions for using America On-Line and a program called Eudora. However, I find it more convenient to use Netscape, since it integrates my e-mail and Internet browser by using just one application for both. Plus, if you already have Netscape, this saves you the trouble (and disk space) of installing additional software. Microsoft Outlook, which is linked to Internet Explorer, is also convenient since it is usually pre-installed on new computers with Windows95, but in my opinion Netscape has the most usable product (sorry Bill).
What are the benefits of using Netscape or Outlook over Pine for e-mail?
* Easier navigation with buttons, point-and-click links, and a more intuitive layout.
* Fewer software problems like locked scroll bars or scrambled messages.
* More powerful features with forwarding, replying, and attaching files.
What are the risks?
ITD does not cover Netscape or Outlook in its support services, so if this makes you nervous you can use Eudora, which is supported by ITD. If this doesn't scare you, you can become one of the many other students that use Netscape or Outlook without problems. As extra security, you can set up Netscape to keep a copy of the original messages on Pine intact (see step #6c below). This way all your old messages are saved in your Pine mailbox. Just be sure to delete them periodically if the files get too large (ITD will notify you if this happens).
What do you need?
* Your own personal desktop or laptop (do not try this on a University computer!).
* Dial-up connection to the Michigan server (ask the Help Desk 763-4286 for instructions).
* Netscape Communicator 4.01 (free from HYPERLINK
http://www.netscape.com; I recommend the Standard Edition) or Internet Explorer 3.0 with Microsoft Outlook.
* 1 hour of your time.
Instructions for configuring Netscape 4.01 with Windows95
(1) Open the Netscape application (most likely by double-clicking on an icon called "Netscape Communicator" from your Windows95 desktop).
(2) Click on the Edit menu, and select the Preferences option.
(3) On the left side of the screen, double click on the section called "Mail & Groups" to view the subdirectories within it.
(4) Click on the Identity subdirectory.
(a) In the "Your name:" field, type your full name (e.g., John A. Smith).
(b) In the "E-mail address:" field, type your e-mail address (e.g., HYPERLINK
mailto:jsmith@umich.edu).
(5) Click on the Mail Server subdirectory.
(a) In the "Mail server user name:" field, type your uniquename without the @umich.edu (e.g., jsmith).
(b) In both the "Outgoing mail (SMTP) server:" and "Incoming mail server:" fields type the following:
?.imap.itd.umich.edu
where ? is the first letter of your uniqname. For example, if your uniqname is jsmith, then you should use a "j" as the first letter, thus typing "j.imap.itd.umich.edu" as your mail server.
(c) In the "Mail server type:" field, the POP3 option should be selected. I recommend you also select the checkbox called "Leave messages on server after retrieval." This will keep a backup of all messages in your Pine mailbox.
(6) Click on the Groups Server subdirectory. In the "Discussion groups (news) server:" field, type "news.umich.edu".
(7) Click on the OK button to save your changes.
Instructions for configuring Internet Explorer 3.0/Outlook with Windows95
(1) Open the Microsoft Outlook application (most likely by double-clicking on an icon called "Microsoft Outlook" from your Windows95 desktop).
(2) Click on the Tools menu, and select the Services option.
(3) Under the Services tab, select "Internet Mail" from the list and click on the "Properties" button.
(4) Under the General tab, type the following:
(a) In the "Full name:" field, type your full name (e.g., John A. Smith).
(b) In the "E-mail address:" field, type your full e-mail address (e.g. HYPERLINK mailto:jsmith@umich.edu).
(c) In the "Internet mail server:" field, type the following: ?.imap.itd.umich.edu
where ? is the first letter of your uniqname. For example, if your uniqname is jsmith, then you should use a "j" as the first letter, thus typing "j.imap.itd.umich.edu" as your mail server.
(d) In the "Account name:" field, type your uniqname without the @umich.edu (e.g., jsmith).
(e) In the "Password:" field, type your e-mail password.
(5) Click on the Connection tab, and do the following:.
(a) Ensure the "Connect using the modem" option is selected.
(b) In the "Dial using the following connection" field, make sure to select the connection you created for the Michigan server (e.g., Ann Arbor NAS). If you have not yet created a dial-up connection for the Michigan server, ask the Help Desk or Computing Lab for instructions.
(c) Make sure "Work off-line and use Remote Mail" is selected.
(6) Click on the Apply button.
(7) Click on the OK button twice to save your changes.
Once you are set up, you can view your inbox from Netscape Navigator by clicking on the mail button in the lower right corner, or from Internet Explorer using the button at the top of the screen. From there, using the software to send and receive mail is fairly straightforward if you are familiar with Windows. If you have questions, feel free to drop me a note in my mail folder or through e-mail at:
Fear your e-mail no more!