Webmail Evaluation - Spring 2000 - Meetings

March 15, 2000 - Agenda

• Arrive at consensus on evaluation criteria
• Determine list of candidates
• Test scripting
  Test script for Email Task Force - 1994
  Test script for new features in Messenger 4.61a

• March 10 minutes: OK
• Arrive at concensus on evaluation criteria
  • Requirements
  • Nice to have
• Determine list of candidates
  • eliminated due to lack of IMAP implementation
  • need more info to consider further
• Who can install these products?
• Test scripting

Evaluation Criteria

A. Requirements

• Run on current desktop standards (low-end, probably v4 browsers)
• Support Internet standards: SMTP, IMAP, as requirements, LDAP, POP3 as optional
• Provide remote access to users' inbox (optionally other mailboxes) on existing mail servers on campus
• Support for attachments
• Interoperability with ELM mailbox structure

B. Nice to have

• LDAP
• POP3
• Provide remote access to users' additional mail folders on existing mail servers on campus
• Password encryption should be possible in some configurations but not required
• Cost
• OS requirements, servers: unix, NT
• Filters
• Message search (search for string within messages)
• Spell checker
• Address book
• Customization of user interface
• Ability to modify code, ability to create additional modules
• Kerberos support

Candidates for Evaluation

Product	web site
AnyEmail	http://netbula.com/anyemail
EMU 3	http://emumail.com
GLWebMail	http://www.gordano.com/Products/GLWebMail/
IMHO	http://www.lysator.liu.se/~stewa/IMHO
IMP	http://www.horde.org
OCSemail	http://demo.obsidian.co.za
SINE
Twig	http://twig.screwdriver.net
WebEdge	http://www.software.com/products/webedge.html
WorldPilot	http://demo.worldpilot.com :8080/site

Products to eliminate (no IMAP)

• AnyEmail: eliminate for no apparent IMAP support
• GLWebMail: not standards based

Will get more info:

• SINE: waiting for info from Son To

Assignments

1. Determine whether each of these meets the 5 absolute requirements
2. Get vendor contact info and code if possible

Emu	Cynthia Compere
IMHO	Sam Nicolary
IMP	Sam Nicolary
Netscape/iPlanet	Janet Lind / Rob Corl
OSCemail	David Toccafondi / Marilyn Spicer
TWIG	Vern Yoneyama
WebEdge	Dave Anstine
WorldPilot	Andy Diller

Can host applications:

Andy Diller	WorldPilot
Sam Nicolary	IMP
Sam Nicolary	TWIG
Peggy Yetter	box available, will do test accounts for team

Test Scripting

Will wait until product list is winnowed first pass