Re: Email on the Iseries or not

When I put this out to the folks, I had no idea how much
excitement this might cause the general population.

To try to put this in summary form on solutions:

(1) Domino on the box
(2) Email software from open source running on pc
(3) Email using MS Exchange
(4) Email server hosted off site.
(5) Several "shrink wrapped" email packages running on various boxes.

Jim presented an interesting question:

"What realistically is needed as a basic "good business practices"
setup for a 20 - 30 user shop, where everything on the iSeries
currently runs without an onsite tech?"

This really does cut to the chase of what I originally asked.


While it is pretty apparent that several posters have some very
strong feeling on email, I thought I should respond to a few of
the suggestions.


(1) Domino on the box: I don't believe Domino with the installation
    and administration problems are well suited to a small unstaffed
    business. It's a fine product I'm sure, but not a good fit in this
    case.

(2) Email from open source: This is a possibility but I have this real
    queasy feeling about downloading "free" software that is going to
    have a major impact on the business. I would be very concerned about
    support issues and that nagging fear of what happens when the PC
    bites the dust. This would result in major disruptions and more
    grief than I'm willing to deal with.

(3) Email using MS Exchange: This is certainly a possibility but again
    that nagging fear of software/hardware failures out of my control.
    I'm sure many people are quite happy with Exchange but I am always
    nervous depending on a product based on Windows of any flavor.

(4) Email hosted off site is certainly worth looking into but finding a
    firm that is reliable and runs a professional shop would greatly
    concern me based on many conversations I have had with folks who
    have tried this route.

(5) Shrink wrapped software: This has some appeal and is somthing I
    would consider if the firm is of reasonable size and has a fair
    track record of installs and support. There does appear to be
    several in that market and I will look further at that option.


My two cents worth on putting it on the box.

I continue to be amazed at the real lack of a viable email product
for the box. I know there are several folks who have given it a
shot but where is the "state of the art" piece of software that runs
"native" on the box and handles email ???

We are NOT talking about a "rocket science" kind of project. We are
talking about basic email used by millions of folks every single day.

IBM has the horse power for getting this done...where is the product
from them ???

This really is the "missing link" that would make the box the final
solution for many folks. This whole web thing has been going on for
quite a while now and still "No standards" and in some cases,
"No solutions". It still requires a great deal of time and money
to do some very basic things on the box. I just don't get it.

I "know" you can do email today on the box and have been able to
for quite some time but it requires more effort than neccessary.

For the LPAR challenged crowd, what do they do ?

Can't we run AIX objects on the box today with little or no problems ???

Why not a port of some fabulous AIX app that does email ???

This has certainly generated some interesting traffic.