Web Browser and Mail Web Browser and Mail Client SelectionClient Selection

How to get the best from the web How to get the best from the web and e-mailand e-mail

What prompted this?What prompted this?

University’s move to SSL mail University’s move to SSL mail authenticationauthentication

Netscape 4.7x no longer handles Netscape 4.7x no longer handles some web pagessome web pages

Concerns over mail backupsConcerns over mail backups

What is SSL mail What is SSL mail authentication and why authentication and why should I care?should I care? When you check mail your When you check mail your

username and password can be username and password can be seen with a network snifferseen with a network sniffer

SSL encrypts this informationSSL encrypts this information Problem: Netscape 4.7x does not Problem: Netscape 4.7x does not

support SSL authenticationsupport SSL authentication

Netscape 4.7x no longer Netscape 4.7x no longer handles some web pageshandles some web pages

What Netscape 4.7x won’t do:What Netscape 4.7x won’t do:– I-FramesI-Frames– XMLXML

What Netscape 4.7x doesn’t do well:What Netscape 4.7x doesn’t do well:– Tables (in some cases)Tables (in some cases)– Cascading Style SheetsCascading Style Sheets– Example: Hokie Spa (pay stubs), My VTExample: Hokie Spa (pay stubs), My VT

You mean my mail You mean my mail isn’t backed up?isn’t backed up? If you are using Netscape 4.7x If you are using Netscape 4.7x

with a profile on Z: it is.with a profile on Z: it is. If you are using anything else If you are using anything else

except Outlook/Exchange, it isn’t.except Outlook/Exchange, it isn’t.

Can you back up my Can you back up my mail?mail? In a word: No, not if it’s stored on your In a word: No, not if it’s stored on your

local machine (all Eudora, OE, Outlook local machine (all Eudora, OE, Outlook w/POP mail, and some Netscape users)w/POP mail, and some Netscape users)

Would require custom scripts for each Would require custom scripts for each computercomputer

Would require moving a large amount Would require moving a large amount of data across the networkof data across the network

Prone to failure at the least little glitchProne to failure at the least little glitch

So what should I do?So what should I do?

We recommend We recommend Outlook/ExchangOutlook/Exchange for mail and e for mail and Internet Explorer Internet Explorer for the webfor the web

What is What is Outlook/Exchange?Outlook/Exchange?

A premium mail service provided by the A premium mail service provided by the university for faculty and staff at no costuniversity for faculty and staff at no cost

In addition to mail it provides calendaring In addition to mail it provides calendaring and allows for delegation of permissionsand allows for delegation of permissions

Mail and your contact list (address book) Mail and your contact list (address book) can stay on the university’s serverscan stay on the university’s servers

Exchange mailboxes are backed up Exchange mailboxes are backed up regularlyregularly

Good remote accessGood remote access

CalendaringCalendaring

More CalendaringMore Calendaring

Delegation of Permissions

Remote AccessRemote AccessWeb Outlook has similar look and feel to Outlook

One more Benefit With One more Benefit With Outlook/Exchange :Outlook/Exchange : No message size limit when sending mail No message size limit when sending mail

from one Exchange user to another (if from one Exchange user to another (if everyone used it you could send each everyone used it you could send each other large files)other large files)

If you are using POP mail the limit is 4.5 If you are using POP mail the limit is 4.5 MBMB

That includes message overhead (stuff That includes message overhead (stuff you don’t see) so the effective limit is you don’t see) so the effective limit is even less!even less!

Mail going through POP servers still have Mail going through POP servers still have the 4.5 MB limitthe 4.5 MB limit

Finally:Finally:

Have you ever tried to set up a Have you ever tried to set up a meeting with multiple participants?meeting with multiple participants?

Can require many messages back Can require many messages back and forthand forth

With Outlook/Exchange you can With Outlook/Exchange you can choose a time and send an email to choose a time and send an email to all participants. Exchange will find a all participants. Exchange will find a time all participants are freetime all participants are free

Any drawbacks to Any drawbacks to Outlook/Exchange?Outlook/Exchange?

Mailbox limited to 50 MB total, but old Mailbox limited to 50 MB total, but old items can be archived to a file on your items can be archived to a file on your Z: drive automatically and accessed at Z: drive automatically and accessed at any time (mailbox size can be any time (mailbox size can be increased at the discretion of the increased at the discretion of the postmaster)postmaster)

Doesn’t support some proprietary Doesn’t support some proprietary functionality, like Eudora’s nested functionality, like Eudora’s nested address booksaddress books

Current users in ESMCurrent users in ESM

Full functionalityFull functionalityDr. DillardDr. DillardDr. LeskoDr. LeskoDr. CaseDr. CaseDr. Hyer (new Dr. Hyer (new user) Sheliauser) SheliaMarkMark

Calendar onlyCalendar onlyDr. DowlingDr. DowlingBevBevJoyceJoycePatPatNancyNancySandieSandie

I still don’t want to change!I still don’t want to change!

If you are using Netscape 4.7x you If you are using Netscape 4.7x you must change to something else by must change to something else by September or use Webmail. After September or use Webmail. After that Netscape that Netscape will notwill not work work

You can continue to use Eudora, OE, You can continue to use Eudora, OE, or Outlook (POP mail) but your mail or Outlook (POP mail) but your mail and address book will not be backed and address book will not be backed up. If your hard drive fails, it’s gone.up. If your hard drive fails, it’s gone.

Compromise!Compromise!

You can use Eudora with You can use Eudora with Exchange via IMAPExchange via IMAP

Your mail will be backed up by Your mail will be backed up by the Exchange administratorsthe Exchange administrators

The Exchange limitations on The Exchange limitations on mailbox size still applymailbox size still apply

No AutoarchivingNo Autoarchiving You can’t view calendarsYou can’t view calendars

And it looks like this:

Web BrowserWeb BrowserWhy IE instead of Netscape?Why IE instead of Netscape?

IE has better support than IE has better support than NetscapeNetscape

IE is fasterIE is faster IE has a cleaner interfaceIE has a cleaner interface Netscape installs additional Netscape installs additional

unwanted softwareunwanted software

Any drawbacks to IE?Any drawbacks to IE?

It’s by Microsoft, so it crashes It’s by Microsoft, so it crashes every once in a while.every once in a while.

I don’t care. I still I don’t care. I still want Netscape !want Netscape ! Have it your way. We can install Have it your way. We can install

Netscape 7Netscape 7 Just be aware that if you have Just be aware that if you have

problems with it we may not be problems with it we may not be able to resolve them.able to resolve them.

Must I decide now?Must I decide now?

Mail changes take place this fallMail changes take place this fall It would be best to decide before It would be best to decide before

things get hectic with the new things get hectic with the new semestersemester

Links to Mail Links to Mail System System

InformationInformationConfigure your mail client for SSL usage:

http://answers.vt.edu/ask4help/email/vtkb1613.htm

Client comparison (things that work with Exchange)

http://www.computing.vt.edu/email_and_calendaring/exchange/clientfeatures.html

Set up your own Exchange account at Hokies Self Service:https://hokiespw.ais.vt.edu/work/selfservice/authenticate.php(log on with your pid and click the “My Exchange” tab)

Information on configuring Outlook:

http://www.computing.vt.edu/email_and_calendaring/exchange/index.html