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Webmail Evaluation - Spring 2000 - Meetings

May 10, 2000 - Agenda

  • Review of testing

Minutes

Evaluation

Based on testing of clients to date

Ranking system:

  • if none of the products had a given functionality, they all got zero
  • if any one of the products had a given functionality, they all started with a score of 1, and either kept the one point for doing it well, or lost the point for doing less well or not at all compared to the other(s).
  • a "*" indicates that further testing is required in order to rate the products

 

Q

Description

TWIG

IMP

WP

Comments

1

Send message; editing functions

1

1

0

no spell checking function

2

Receive message; in good shape?

1

1

1

3

ascii attachment

*

*

*

*further testing needed

4

non-ascii attachment

*

*

*

*further testing needed

5

attachments to/from other hosts

*

*

*

*further testing needed

6

create distribution list

1

0

1

functionality not in IMP

7

create nicknames/aliases

1

.5

1

functionaity there but not nice in IMP

8

look up an address; add to list

0

1

0

IMP the only one with LDAP functionality

9

message handling (receipts; priority)

0

0

0

10

send to two distribution lists

*

0

*

retest TWIG/WP on this one

11

send to personal alias

*

*

*

retest, make distinction between nickname/alias and contact management

12

create folders and sub-folders

1

1

0

IMP has problem on Netscape 4.7/Mac (browser issue?)

13

search for message w/ specific word

0

0

0

14

resort messages in a folder

*

*

*

needs further work on final installation (server options?)

15

delete message

1.5

1

1

TWIG can do 1-step delete, other do 2-step "expunge" method

16

print message

2

1

1

TWIG has special print view that removes browser interface components

17

reply to a message

1

1

1

18

forward a message

1

1

1

further work needed on attachment issue

19

bounce/redirect a message

0

1

0

only IMP has this functionality

20

send with cc: and bcc:

1

1

.5

some issues with WP implementation

21

set a different reply-to address

0

0

0

can change the "from" but not actually change the "reply-to"

22

save message as external document

0

1

0

IMP actually saves a file containing the message; TWIG/WP use browser save functionality

23

use the online help functionality

0

.5

0

not a high point

24

send authenticated message

0

0

0

must have PGP installed

25

send encrypted message

0

0

0

must have PGP installed

26

send an anonymous message

1

.5

1

TWIG and WP don't accommodate; IMP does but logging can still identify the real sender

27

create a message and save as draft

*

1

0

need more testing in TWIG for definitive answer

28

view full headers

1

2

0

IMP has both options (basic/full); TWIG shows only full headers, WP not

29

enable filtering to route mail

0

0

0

not done through the webmail interface; possible through account

30

quit browser and re-establish session

0

0

0

31

check mail folders in ELM

1

1

0

no info on what your Elm folders look like after using WP, anyone?

32

test mail account utilities

0

0

0

33

IMAP preferences

0

.5

0

IMP has some subscription functionality

34

other features

0

1

0

IMP does not have extra functionality (calendar, etc.) but is more modular which is considered a benefit for support reasons.

tentative totals

14.5

18

8.5

Additional comments

 TWIG comments

  • issue of resizing the screen and having to log in (see comments question 1)
  • spell check not exactly definitive (misses case) (see comment question 1)
  • spell check causes selected attachment to vanish? (see comment question 3)

IMP

  • spell check issue (not catching things like "checkedout"
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