[drats_users] Email Proposal

[Dan Smith]

Hi all,

I've been pondering a general sort of email server for D-RATS users
lately.  I've always resisted making D-RATS dependent on the Internet
for any of its functions because I don't think it's a reasonable
assumption that the Internet will be up at any given point.  However,
things like WinLink are rather dependent on it and are still useful in a
variety of cases, so perhaps it's something we should explore.

I was thinking of something that would give anyone that wanted it a
CALLSIGN at d-rats.com email address.  They could check it with POP3 and a
normal email client if they desired, but I would also build something
into D-RATS that would allow a remote station to request that an
Internet-connected instance check its mail and convert any waiting
messages into forms that could then be forwarded by the automated scheme
currently available.

It would go something like this:

Station A is connected to the Internet and a radio.  He enables a
configuration option that provides this email service to others.

Station B is within RF range of Station A.  He right-clicks (for
example) on Station A in his callsign list and chooses "check mail".
This sends a request to Station A asking it to check for mail at
STATIONA at d-rats.com.

Station A finds two new messages on the server for Station B, downloads
them, converts them to forms, and places them in the Outbox.  A few
seconds later, Station A's message routing logic notices messages in the
Outbox for Station B and initiates the send.

There would also be some additional logic allowing the sending of an
email to come from the @d-rats.com address instead of being masqueraded
through another address, as is the current default with the mail stuff.

How does that sound?  Does anyone have any comments about the usefulness
of this scheme, design points that should be considered, etc?  We
already have WinLink, is there any point in doing this?

My argument for this over WinLink would really boil down to the following:

 1. D-RATS runs on all platforms, WinLink/PacLink/AirMail does not
 2. D-RATS can use D-STAR radios, TNCs, and the Internet
 3. D-RATS doesn't depend on any legacy technology to do that (existing
    packet infrastructure, etc).
 4. I expect it will be a lot easier to set up (server and client) and
    we can publish all the information instead of treating it like a big
    secret club (sorry, couldn't resist).

They're not incredibly compelling points, but they have some merit I
guess.  Let me know what *you* think.

-- 
Dan Smith
dsmith#danplanet.com, s/#/@/
www.danplanet.com
KK7DS