This e-mail interface allows authenticated users to originate messages from a hypertext form. It has been provided for three reasons:
In general, the mail interface of the hypertext enviornment provides a
ready mechanism for the inclusion of feedback to document authors, a
point-and-click interface to documented addresses, and a straight-forward
method for creating and accessing ad-hoc distribution lists. The HTML form
text interface has only elementary editing capabilities, so is most suitable
for simple messaging. Cut-and-paste is supported.
Authentication
Message can either be sent authenticated or non-authenticated. The form title indicates the current mode.
To ensure messages originate from an authoritative source this facility authenticates a user before accepting a request. This is done by the browser prompting for name and password. These are the same as the server host's VMS login authentication (i.e. you must have a VMS account to use this facility).
Non-Authenticated
The message form provides fields for the originating user's e-mail address and personal name. This allows maximum convenience for users of a server on which they hold no account. The generated message includes information warning that the originator has not be authenticated.
The format of the mail form is relatively straight-forward. The primary elements of any message are present:
Some of these can be fixed, that is, cannot be changed (the
originator is always fixed). Others are presented as windows, allowing
the entering of text, or modification of default values within them. When the
destination originates from a distribution list it sometimes appears as a
windowed list of addresses from which one can be highlighted and thus selected.
The message body area is presented as a large text window, allowing one or more
lines to be entered. It is possible to enter text wider and longer than the
presented window size (the contents scroll within the window). The size of
this window may be changed to the convenience of the user, although this is
best done before completing any fields as a new form is generated.
Using
Complete all fields as appropriate. Empty destinations, subjects or message bodies are rejected.
To cancel sending the message merely use the browser's backwards navigation mechanism (e.g. the Back button on Mosaic) to return to the original document.
Clicking on the send button posts the message. A report on the success of the mailing (or otherwise) is presented. Where multiple addresses are involved the status of each is provided. Where mixed success is experienced, the message has been sent to those indicated ok, but not to those with a problem report.
When complete, use the browser's backwards navigation mechanism to return
first to the completed mail form (which of course could be reused for mailing
another message), then back to the original document (if the size of the
message text area was changed there may be another form to return
through).
Addressing
Multiple, comma-separated addresses may be entered into the To: field.
Addresses can be provided as plain VMS user-names, DECnet node prefixed destinations (e.g. NODE::USER), and Internet-style destinations. The latter are directly acceptable in a user@host.domain format.
Post mail to
Daniel (form based - i.e. this facility!).
Mailto:
daniel@datlv.hfrd.dsto.gov.au.