
                               

   
         
                               U P C O M



                          *** INTRODUCTION ***                                 
  
DON'T PANIC. This is perhaps a quite long text but it is designed for
beginners. You will discover through a simulated dialog, how to use
comfortably your mail software; and if you take time to read and re-read
it you will become soon an expert. Progress at your own rythm and don't
give up: millions of people use each day mail softwares, why not you?

This software is FREEWARE. You can copy it freely as long as it remains
complete. Once the package installed, the configuration files are
dedicated to your site. If you wish to give this software to your friends,
give them the original package!
                               
You will have opportunity to ask me any supplementary question you want.
For now, this text may answer to most of your questions.

                         *** INSTALLATION ***

Copy the archive software UPCOMPCK.EXE on a hard disk into the root
directory, then execute UPCOMPCK.EXE. The software will unpack into
the \BBS directory. Go to \BBS directory, and execute INSTALL.EXE.

INSTALL.EXE will configure your mail software by asking you a few questions
related to your site. You only have to answer these questions and your
mail software is immediatly ready to run (in the best case).

                        *** USING UPCOM ***

First of all, you need to run START.BAT at any boot time. This will
configure your computer with datas; without them your software will
never know where is what. You can copy START.BAT into your AUTOEXEC.BAT
if you know how to do it.
           
It is recommended to add \BBS\BIN directory to your PATH into AUTOEXEC.BAT.

                              *******

- Is UPCOM a commercial software?

  This version of UPCOM software v1.1.8 is 'FREEWARE' for a personnal use.
  This means that you can use it personnaly for free but you cannot in no 
  way sell it or modify it or make any commercial usage of it.
  
  You can use UPCOM v1.1.8 freely for your personnal use only. To use this
  software for a commercial usage contact author to get related contracts
  and licences.

  UPCOM is given as is without any warranties and author cannot be held
  responsible in no way of any damages that could happen to anything or
  anyone anywhere.

  Laurent Cas provides this software AS IS and specifically
  disclaims any and all warranties as to the fitness and/or usability of
  this software. In no event shall Laurent Cas or associated
  parties be held liable for any negligence, damages, misuse, or loss of
  profit, including special, incidental, consequential, intangible, or
  similar claims. Use of this software is forbidden in situations in which
  this non warranty may be rendered inapplicable. So there.

  Xenix, MS DOS, and OS/2 are trademarks of Microsoft, Inc.. SCO Xenix is
  a trademark of The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. Unix is a trademark of
  AT&T . Waffle is a trademark of DarkSide International.

  It took me a long time to write this software so i will certainly 
  appreciate that you send me a few words of greetings by email :-)

- Is there a date planned for the next release of UPCOM?

  No. There is no date planned. I have to work a lot to earn enough to
  survive and i have nearly no free time. I travel a lot too. I work on
  UPCOM when i have enough free time to do it.

- How to call the uucp computer that will give me my mail?

  cd \bbs
  appel.bat

  ...This will run the call process, and integration of received messages
  (dispatches private messages in mailboxes and publics messages in 
  newsgroups).
  
  Of course you can rename APPEL.BAT into CALL.BAT or POLL.BAT
                  
- It does not work!

  Is your modem correctly connected to your computer? Is it ON?
  Is your modem connected to the serial communication port you configured
  in the mail software during installation? You can change this setup
  by using the following menus inside UPCOM:
  
    Configuration
     UPCOM
      Modem

   ...Or by running again INSTALL.EXE.
   ...Or by modifying setup files manually with an ASCII text editor
   (not a windows one, use an msdos one!).

- How to setup my modem init string?

  From main menu choose the following menus:
    Configure
     UPCOM
      Modem
      
  You can also modify \BBS\UUCP\DIALERS file with an ascii editor if
  necessary. In this file, each entry correspond to a dialog between
  the software and the modem. The default selected entry is HAYES.

- How to setup the remote login script?

  By editing \BBS\UUCP\SCRIPTS file with an ascii editor.
  The default selected entry is toUnix.

- How to setup my MsDos system?

  There is no particular reason that you change your setup if your
  softwares are running fine. On your computer, memory should be
  paginated, which is generally the case on most of the computers.
  
  A minimum CONFIG.SYS should contain:
    
     DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
     DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS

           or

     DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
     DEVICE=EMM386.EXE RAM
             
  I have tested UPCOM without any problem with the most common memory
  managers, QEMM, OpenDos, Microsoft, etc...
     
  It is possible that you may need a communication manager (FOSSIL) to
  acces your UART serial communication port. You will need to get a
  FOSSIL manager like X00 or BNU. You will find on a number of internet
  FTP sites X00 in X00V150.ZIP archive. This software is SHAREWARE so
  don't forget to register if you decide to use it on a regular basis.
  
  The internal processor of your computer dedicated to serial 
  communication ports management is named an UART. Some computers have 
  inside a buffered UART while some others have an UART without buffer. 
  The UART with buffer are usually 16550. For computers without a buffered 
  UART, this may cause a problem and you need to simulate the memory by 
  using a little software named FOSSIL that you will setup in the 
  CONFIG.SYS file this way:

     DEVICE=X00.SYS E R=2048 T=2048
     or
     DEVICEHIGH=X00.SYS E R=2048 T=2048

  ...And setup UPCOM by using the following menus:
     Configuration
      UPCOM
       Modem

  ...to run your communication software in a fossil mode.

  Even if the setup is done with UPCOM, it will be only useful to your
  communication software UUCICO or FXUUCICO.
  UPCOM does not use communication ports by itself.
     
  If you wish more details, you can read the documentation file on
  X00 named X00USER.DOC. 

- My modem is connected to an autocom, and to reach external phone
  network i need to type 0 first. How to setup my software?

  You can setup UPCOM by using the following menus:
  Configuration
   UPCOM
    Site
     UUCP neighbours
                                                   
  The software will show you the known UUCP neighbours list. Press
  'Escape' to access menu.
  
- How to read the Emails (private messages)?

  You will need to use UPCOM. At main menu choose "MailBox".
  If your mailbox is empty, the entry screen will be empty but you
  will be able to use menus, fortunatly, so you can send Emails.
  Press 'Escape' to access menu.

- How to read news (or newsgroups or public messages)?

  You will need to use UPCOM. At main menu, choose "Newsgroups".
  
- How to be sure that my mail software is correctly configured?

  You can post test messages in local or international newsgroups.
    
  You can send an email to echo@cnam.fr which will answer you if your
  setup is correct.

- When reading an Email, the header is displayed ok but the message
  corps is empty ; what's wrong?
  
  MIME decodage has not worked. Quit UPCOM and verify that the environment
  variable PATh contains \BBS\BIN directory entry. Correct if necessary.
  
- What is my Email address?

  It has been written on your screen when you where installing the 
  package. If you can't remember of it, send an email to 'root' then
  quit your mailbox. 
  
  When you will come back in your mailbox, you will have received your
  own message, and in the header is mentionned your email address.
  
- How is made my email address?

  Usually, an email address seems like this:
  riton@micmac.surle.net
                        
  (Read: riton AT micmac.surle.net)
  
  - the header in front of @ is your correspondant alias. Also named a login.
  - the part behind the @ is the complete internet address of the site
    upon which your correspondant have an access. Each site is separated with 
    a point. The first site before the point is the name of the computer
    upon which your correspondant have an access.
    
- My mail software refuses to post messages and i allways get error
  messages.

  If error messages concern RAM memory, you can setup UPCOM so it will
  not use expanded memory EMS. You can do this by two ways:
  
  - by running     UPCOM //E:0      <- please note double slash

  OR
  
  - by setting up your computer at MsDos prompt:
    SET Clipper=E:0
    
    You can put this line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT if needed so your computer
    will be automatically set up at boot time.
    
    Only use this solution in last help.
    
  If you think that your problem comes from the swap you can disable it
  by running (but you may experience problems) :
  
  UPCOM.EXE /NOSWAP
                   
  But if UPCOM is not able to swap on your computer, it is anyway that
  your computer is badly setup.

- I would like to receive newsgroups that i do not receive yet?

  Some UUCP systems are using robots that will able you to setup
  remotely the newsgroups you wish to receive. Ask to the system
  administrator whom gave you access if one of these robots is in
  use. One of the most known of them for unix or linux or bsd is
  GUP (Group Update Program) which run with Cnews or INN.
                  
  Once you have asked a new newsgroup, you have to create it on your
  site too if it does not exist yet.
  
  Exemple: for fr.comp.os.linux newsgroup, you will do:
  
  cd \bbs\news
  mkdir fr
  cd fr
  mkdir comp
  cd comp
  mkdir os
  cd os
  mkdir linux

  It is in this directory that messages are stored.
  ...Usually, the tree directory exist yet or is created by RNEWS.EXE
  during messages reception. You have to add its name too in the 
  \BBS\SYSTEM\USENET file if it is not inside yet, allways at the end
  of the file. Don't add empty lines.
  
  If you insert newsgroups between lines instead of adding them at the
  end, your pointers to newsgroups won't be correctly tuned anymore, and
  during newsgroup reading results may be impredictables. If it comes to
  happen to you, you can correct everything by:       
  1. deleting THREADS directory of all local users.
  2. deleting ACTIVE.* and DEJAVU.*  files of all local users.
  
- I receive newsgroup 'something' but i can't read it, so what?  

  Running UPCOM, at main menu choose 'Newsgroups'.
  UPCOM shows you up and right on your screen if you use a subscribed
  mode or not.
                                                              
  By pressing 'y' (like Yank) key you can change mode.
  You can easyly subscribe to a newsgroup by pressing 's' key.
  You can easyly unsubscribe to a newsgroup by pressing 'u' key.
  
  Note: Press 'Escape' to access menu.
  
- What is Usenet?

  Usenet is the name of a public conferencing system spread on internet.
  Internet is the name of the physical support of the network. This
  network provides differents services like: IRC (Internet Relay Chat,
  real time conferencing system), Usenet, FTP (File Transfert Protocol,
  so you can receive files), WWW (World Wide Web, real time acces to
  graphics databases) etc...
  
- Oh great! so can i do WEB with these tools?

  No. You can do remote electronic mail, private and public: Emails and News.
  To access WEB, use msdos tools like Arachne, or DosLynx, or Net-Tamer.

- How may i send an email?

  First of all, you need to know the email adress of your correspondant to
  write him. Run UPCOM, and choose 'MailBox'. Then type 'W' (like write) or
  press 'Escape' to access menu. The software asks you some details and
  presents you the text editor when you ask 'Edit'. Your email will be
  sent to your correspondant during your next UUCP connection to the network.
  Until that, it will be stored on your site and will wait for your next
  connection.
  
- How to add automatically my signature to mine emails?

  You can write and save your signature by using an ASCII text editor
  and it will be appended to all the messages you write. You only
  have to save it into your own directory in the SIGNATUR file.
  
  Each user can setup its own signature in its personnal directory.

- How to send the same email to more than one person, without having
  to rewrite it?
  
  When you send an email, UPCOM have 8 empty lines to send copies.
  You have to mention in these places the addresses of your correspondants.
  Put one address by numeroted line. Original message will be sent the
  same way to all of your correspondants. 
  
  If you have more than 8 copies to send and regularly send copies, i
  suggest you create an alias list which will be easier to manage.
  
  If you don't want to send copies, leave these lines empty.

- I often send emails to a list of friends, is there a quick way?

  Yes. The file \BBS\SYSTEM\ALIASES contains aliases list known by
  your site. You can create aliases by two ways:
  
  1. Simple aliases. On a single line put in first the alias, then one
     or more spaces, then internet address for this alias. Exemple:  

     laurent      laurent@site.domain

  2. Multiple aliases lists. On one or more lines put in first the alias,
     then one or more spaces, then one or more internet adresses separated
     by comma and a space. Allways terminate address list by a comma
     followed by an empty line. Exemple:
     
     groupeA   laurent@domain1, pierre@domain2, paul@domain3,
               jacques@domain4, alexandre@domain5,
  
  If you have a long alias list, or one that may vary through another
  batch for exemple, you can mention reference to an extern file. Exemple:
  
     groupeB   + C:\alias\mylist.txt
   
  ...The file mylist.txt will contain one address by line.
  
- Is there a quick way to post an email?

  Yes. At MsDos command prompt type:

  UPCOM.EXE /POST

  UPCOM will ask for a login as allways, but right after being logged,           
  UPCOM won't bother with managing your mailbox. You will be able to
  write immediatly an email then return to msdos. This is very quick.
  
- How to send a yet ready big text to someone?

  When inside the text editor press F2 to add something to your email.
  Choose 'Add text' to load a yet ready text. UPCOM presents you a
  file manager so you can choose your text on your hard disk. The
  loaded text will be appended at the end of the existing text.

  Internal editor cannot contain texts bigger than 64Ko.

- Where may i find help on this text editor?

  By pressing F1 when you are in the text editor you will made appear
  an help screen.
  
- Yes, but i really want another text editor!

  You can setup your mail software so it only uses the text editor
  you love. At main menu choose:
  
   Configuration
    Pr‚f‚rences
  
  and type in the Editor field the name of your selected text editor.
  If you type 'UPCOM', UPCOM will use its own text editor which is
  MIME compatible (so you can attach objects).
                                    
  Even if you write a text with an external editor, the email will be
  sent in MIME format. By using an external editor the only thing you
  can't do is attach an object but this will be corrected in a future
  release of UPCOM. 

  If no text editor is set up, UPCOM will use automatically its own
  text editor.

- what is Metamail MIME?

  Metamail tools ables you to send over the Usenet messages network emails
  readable on any computer type by using the MIME format. Two users can
  this way send them graphics images and view them without leaving their
  mail software. And so on about sound, or foreign charsets.
  
  WARNING: don't send files over 64Ko.
  
  There are RFC (Request for comments) documentation files describing 
  metamail functionnalities and i suggest you to refer them for details.

  Every message you send using UPCOM is MIME encoded; even if you did not
  attach objects, so you can use your usual charset.
  
- What is UUENCODE?

  Email allows you to send whatever you want to your correspondants. ASCII
  text of course, but also images, sound, spreadsheets Excel etc... These
  files are written on your hard disk encoded on 8bits. Most of the mail
  softwares of today supports mail exchange in MIME format (Multiformat
  Internet Mail Exchange). But this is not the same all over the world
  and some of your correspondants may not have MIME compatible mail
  softwares, so they can use uuencode.
  
  Uuencode and uudecode exist on every computer type.
  
  Mail networks that your emails travels through are not allways up to
  date to technology and they sometimes damages emails 8 bits encoded.
  So, to protect emails, like say a spreadsheet Excel, it is necessary to
  convert it in 7 bits. Conversion process from 8 bits to 7 bits is named
  uuencode. During conversion the file is also formatted. An uuencoded
  file is not directly useable, and it will have to be uudecoded to became
  useable again. Uudecode is the reverse process of uuencode, to convert
  7 bits encoded files to 8 bits code.
  
  This 7 bits encodage, then its decodage on reception, allows our messages
  to travel easyly through mail networks all over the planet.

- When do i have to use uuencode?

  When you want to send a binary file (other than ASCII text) and that
  your correspondants do not have a MIME compatible mail software.

- How to send an uuencoded message?

  Start by uuencode the file you wish to send under msdos.
  Then, best is to send two emails to your correspondant. In the first
  Email, say you send an uuencoded Email and what it will contain with
  the message title it will have.
  
  Exemple:
  
  Subject: Sales report for june.
  
  Hi,
  I send you another email which will have "Report UUE" in title and
  that will contain an uuencoded Excel spreadsheet. I worked all day
  long on it to send the june sales report as soon as possible.
       Laurent.
       
  ...In the next email, when using the text editor, press F2 to attach
  an object to your message and choose "Add text". This will append
  the uuencoded file.
                     
  Note that you can of course do this by sending only one email. It
  depends on how large is the comment you wish to insert to the text
  you send.

  You can also attach the uuencoded file with MIME, by selecting
  'Add object' instead of 'Add text'. 
  
  If your uuencoded file exceeds 64Ko, fraction it in a few pieces
  by using adequates softwares. Each piece may not exceed 64Ko.
                                                               
- I just received an email containing an uuencoded file; how may i
  decode it?

  When you are reading in your mailbox, in front of your mail, press
  'Escape' to access menu and choose 'uudecode'. Your file will be
  automatically decoded and stored in your personnal objects directory.

- What is the 'Add an object' function in the text editor?

  This is for adding a complement to an email. In the preceding exemple
  we needed to send an email to our correspondant and to add an excel
  spreadsheet. You can do it this way: After having wrote your email,
  press F2 inside the text editor and choose 'Add an object'. The software
  presents you a window which allows you to navigate inside your file
  system. Choose the file you wish to add and press 'Enter'. This file,
  whatever type it is, will be encoded in MIME and automatically added to
  your email. The files you can add to your emails have to be less than
  63,5Ko. This is a technical contraint, after 64Ko some mail software
  which will transport your message can react in an impredictable way.
  
- How to send a file bigger than 64Ko ?

  You only have to prepare your file before sending it. Under msdos,
  cut your file in a few pieces that you will post one by one using
  UPCOM to your correspondant. 
  
  If you use uuencode and that the file is big enough, uuencode will
  create numeroted pieces.
  
  Even if this method is tolerate, please don't abuse. A lot of sites
  are paying money to receive electronic mail.
  
- Does uuencode crypt message?

  No. Uuencode is a well known process converting 8 bits to 7 bits files
  and does not contain crypt keys.
                           
- Emails transits between a lot of computers on internet, how to be sure
  confidentiality has been preserved?
  
  To usage of paranoid people, i wrote a crypt function in UPCOM.
  
  WARNING:
  If you use internal crypt function of UPCOM, messages will be uncryptables
  only by a correspondant using UPCOM. 
                                       
  You can also prepare your messages before, under msdos, and use an external
  crypt software, like Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). There is an advantage by
  doing so: the PGP software exists under a lot of operating systems.
  Your correspondant will be able to uncrypt your message even if he does
  not use UPCOM.

  Even if we can't be sure at 100% of a message confidentiality, the crypt
  technology i used is complex enough to warrant a sure level of security.
  And more, you can use a crypt key only known by you and your correspondant.
  This key can be a word, a number, a phrase, whatever you can think...
  You can use what you want, every char from keyboard are ok. If you leave
  the key empty, UPCOM will use its own crypt key which is not readable into
  UPCOM.EXE, even with an hexa editor: the software is the only one to
  know it. 
  
- How to send an encrypted message?

  WARNING:
  In some countries, it is forbidden to send crypted messages.
  
  When you are using text editor, type in your message as usual. Once
  made, save and quit editor. Then type 'Y' (for crypt). UPCOM will
  ask you to input an encryption key. If you don't type a key and just
  press 'Enter', UPCOM will use its own key. If you use an encryption
  key, your correspondant will have to know it to uncrypt and read your
  message. Once finished, the crypted text will replace the original
  text and you need to post now to send the message.
  
- How to read a crypted Email?

  If this Email was crypted with UPCOM, it is automatically uncrypted 
  when you are reading the message. UPCOM asks you the encryption key.
  If you leave empty, UPCOM will use its own key to uncrypt and will
  show the message after. 
  
  Else, your correspondant will have to explain you how to uncrypt
  this message.
  
  WARNING: Messages are saved uncrypted on your hard disk! 

- How to know if the Email i just received is only uuencoded or if it is
  uuencoded AND crypted?
  
  Ask your correspondant by replying to him; and ask too, that the next
  time he will have to prevent you before, preferably!

- How to send a crypted message to my correspondant whom is not using
  UPCOM?

  In this case you can't crypt your Email with my own special algorithm
  used in UPCOM. This is what you can do:
  
  - write your text outside UPCOM using an ASCII text editor.
  - crypt your text, using PGP for exemple, then uuencode it.
  - run UPCOM and write to your correspondant.
  - once in the text editor, load the prepared message using 'Add text'.
  - save and post.
                  
  Don't forget to inform your correspondant on how to uncrypt your message.

- What are the different securety levels ?

  Level 1      Readable message
  Level 2      Uuencoded message
  Level 3      Crypted message with UPCOM key
  Level 4      Crypted message with your own key
  Level 5      Crypted message with PGP or something like this, and you 
               will have to uuencode it.

- How to send a crypted file to my correspondant?

  A crypted file will be largest than a few words in a message. You can
  do it this way:
                 
  - In msdos, crypt and pack the file to transmit.
    Some packers (like pkzip) have a crypt function. Read you packer
    documentation. You also can crypt your file with PGP, then pack it.

  - Run UPCOM and write an Email, in which you will add the file crypted
    and packed by using 'Add an object'.
       
- May i send uuencoded or crypted messages in newsgroups?

  In some dedicated newsgroups you can send uuencoded messages but not
  crypted messages. Usenet newsgroups transports messages that have
  to be public. 
  
  Uuencoded messages you may find may contain small executables programs.
  You will uudecode them easyly by using UUDECODE.EXE but BEWARE TO
  THE VIRUS!
            
- I would like to remain anonymous while posting in some newsgroups,
  is this possible?
  
  Even if i suggest to post with your real address, this function is
  available. In fact, you even can use two methods: one local and one
  distant.
  
  - Local method
    Once after having wrote and post a message in a newsgroup you can
    modify it and make it anonymous. You have to read the message you have
    written and press the 'A' key (for anonymous). UPCOM will asks you
    to confirm conversion of the current message to anonymous. If you
    accept, UPCOM will modify the message header so your own datas won't
    appear. You have to do this BEFORE calling your smarthost uplink.
    Modify a message after it has been sent over the network will have
    no effect.
    
    (This method will be corrected in a future release to simplify).
    
  - Distant method 
    Some computers exists over internet named 'remailers'. These computers
    warrants you anonymous when you are using them. One of them is
    anon.penet.fi 
                  
    Exemple: If you wish to post an anonymous message in newsgroup
    fr.test write an Email to fr.test@anon.penet.fi
    The message body will remain unchanged, but header will be anonymous.
    You can receive help by writing to help@anon.penet.fi

- What is the 'control' newsgroup?
                                  
  In this newsgroup are sent automatic management messages for your site.
  This may concern deleting messages like spams, creating and deleting
  newsgroups, etc... when an author decide to remove a message he wrote,
  he send a 'CANCEL' message and every software do their job. This newsgroup
  is necessary for the good working of our softwares, but out of interest
  for reading. 
  
  Messages in the control newsgroup can be processed automatically by a
  software named PROCC.EXE (read the documentation and register this
  shareware if you decide to use it on a regular basis).

- Can i send a 'CANCEL' message?

  This function is not yet available in this version of UPCOM. 
  It is planned for a next release.

- How may i setup a robot to answer automatically to some Emails?

  You can setup a third-party program, like V-MAIL which may manage
  your mail during holidays, mail-lists and a few other things.

- What is the 'junk' newsgroup?

  In this newsgroup your software will place every message it don't
  know how to handle. This can alert you about something wrong on your
  site. For exemple, if you receive newsgroup comp.os.linux.announce
  but it is not declared in your USENET file, messages will end to
  the 'junk' newsgroup. Watch it, this newsgroup may allways be empty,
  which means that your messages are correctly imported to newsgroups.

- Where may i find FAQ?

  The FAq files (Frequently Asked Questions) are posted on a regular
  basis by news administrators. The news.answers newsgroup gather all
  Usenet FAQ. The FAQ are posted twice for a given date: once in 
  news.answers, and once in its own newsgroup. In spite of a big trafic,
  news.answers is a true data mine i suggest you to read. You can for
  exemple follow headers every day and only read interesting articles.
  You will gain precious time without passing through important datas.
  
- I regularly see messages containing strange signs like :-)
  What is it?

  This sign   :-)   is named a smiley. This sign is used to ponctuate
  your message and make it expressive. There are douzens variants to
  give you tone of the message you are reading. Here are some exemples:

  :-)          smiley
  :-(          grimace
  ;-)          winking
  8-)          smiley with glasses
  :-))         smiley with double chin 
  8-D          big laughing glasses wearer 
  :-]          dracula
  |-Q          tired smoker 
  *:-)         curled or illuminated 
  :-)*         beardy
  O:-)         someone with a halo
  O-8*         (reversed smiley for left hand writers)
  :-d :-P      etc...
                     
- My hard disk is full, how may i delete yet read old messages ?
                                                                
  Run UPCOM and at main menu choose 'Clean' to run the expire process.
  This function can only be run by users with administrator access level.
  
- I receive messages in newsgroups i never asked to receive; where do they
  come from?
  
  These are 'cross-posts', some messages that someone sent in more than
  one newsgroup. If your uucp site receive only one newsgroup declared
  in the article header, this message will be copied in every matching 
  newsgroup existing in your \BBS\SYSTEM\USENET setup file. 
  This can quickly use a lot of place on your hard disk. To avoid problem
  i strongly suggest you to tune finelly expiration delay of each newsgroup
  and run regularly newsgroup expire operation.

  A message posted in many public newsgroups at the same time is named a
  'spam' on internet, and authors are not welcome by millions of people
  victim of them.  

- How to setup newsgroup expiration delay ?

  Run UPCOM and at the main menu choose:
  Configuration
   UPCOM
    Message base
    
  The software will show known newsgroups list for your site, and for
  each of them the expiration delay. There are three columns:
   
  1- Number of messages present in a newsgroup
  2- newsgroup name
  3- active expiration delay for this newsgroup 

  When delay is zero, messages are not deleted in this newsgroup. You
  can change delay by pressing 'Enter'. UPCOM asks you to input a new
  expiration delay for this newsgroup. I suggest you to setup each
  newsgroup you receive. This may take time but it is necessary.
  
  Exemple: If for a newsgroup you select a 5 days expiration delay, when
  UPCOM will clean your message base it will verify that each message of
  this newsgroup is not aged of more than 5 days. If UPCOM find some
  messages olders than the expiration delay, it will delete them without
  any remorses.

  Once you are finished to setup expiration delays, press 'Escape' to
  get back to main menu.               
              
  I suggest you to run expire operation on a regular basis.
  
- How may i clean my message base from a batch file?

  Run the following command line at msdos prompt:
  
  upcom /expire

- How may i completely erase my message base without destroying
  directories?
  
  Run the following command line at msdos prompt:

  upcom /erase

  WARNING: You won't be able to come back!

- Creation and update of message base index is long!

  Run the expire process more often! It is useless to keep yet read 
  messages, it takes space on your hard disk and slow UPCOM. Setup
  fine newsgroups expiration delay.

  Did you think to install SMARTDRV.EXE or another cache disk on your
  system? Smartdrive is an msdos tool which manage disk access buffers.
  Read the Smartdrive documentation for more details.
  
- Which function key may i use?

  F1     Help context linked
  F2     Calendar
  F3     Address book
                     
  Others function keys, to F12 can be configured by user. It is up to you
  to setup your software so it can react as you wish. You can setup function
  keys from F4 to F12 and from shift F1 to shift F12 by using 'Configuration'
  menu and then 'Function keys'
                               
  WARNING: The called by function keys softwares don't have to use a lot
  of RAM memory but you can count on about 500 Ko. To each call,
  operating system will be asked to deliver necessary ram memory. If
  there isn't enough free ram memory, system will refuse to execute call
  and will return to a normal usage of the mail software, in best case...
  
  It happens sometime that operating system allows call to an external
  software but the software does not work fine. This can come from an
  insufficient base memory or from an esoterical msdos interruptions
  management.
  
- How to know the largest available free ram memory to setup mine function
  keys?

  F4 function key have been programmed to execute MEM /C /P. Of course
  you reprogram it to execute something else.
  
  When calling an external program, only the ram base memory lower to
  640Ko is used. Extended memory, available after 640Ko is not used by 
  msdos, but only by a few well written programs.
  
  UPCOM use all the memory RAM available, with extended memory EMS or XMS.
  
  I suggest you to setup your function keys with free-able memory
  option active (you just have to say 'Yes').  
                                             
- How to use the address book?

  This can be done in two steps. To be able to use address book you
  may first fill it. This is done from main menu. Once your address book
  contains at least one address you can use it.
  
  When you choose to write an email, you can input an electronic
  destination address in the 'For: ' field; If you press F3 when
  the cursor is blinking in the 'For: ' field, the address book 
  will show up and will ask you to choose one address which will
  fill in the input field.

- How to use my software under windows or desqview?

  UPCOM works fine with windows and desqview. To use them, i suggest
  to create a new group dedicated to UPCOM. In this group, insert new
  items (files *.PIF in your \BBS directory) and test the good working
  of your software.

- May i use UPCOM with OpenDos?

  Yes. There is no problem without the multitasker, and with the task
  switcher ; but i noticed problems with the multitasker loaded: UPCOM
  works fine but OpenDos don't show anything on the screen. This bug
  may be corrected in future release of OpenDos.
  
- What is a mail-list?

  A mail-list is an email address to which is linked a user group.
  Each message sent to the mail-list email address is copied to all
  linked addresses. This way a user group can discuss of specific
  items without going through the Usenet public messages network.
  On some mail-lists, registrations are very close watched by
  administrators and you may have to describe your official ident
  and reasons to become a linked user of the mail-list. This depends on 
  the confidentiality level of the mail-list.

- I receive emails from mail-lists but i receive too much of them
  so i can't manage them anymore; can you help?

  1- You can create a separate folder in your mailbox and you will move
     emails to the dedicated folders.
     
  OR/AND
  
  2- You can create a local newsgroup on your site dedicated to receive
     emails from mail-lists, here is how to do:
     
     a. Create a newsgroup on your site:
        - Add its name in \BBS\SYSTEM\USENET and create its directory.

     b. Create an alias dedicated to export emails to this local newsgroup.
        - Modify \BBS\SYSTEM\ALIASES file
           
        Exemple:
        
        frognet      | post ml.frognet
        
        frognet is the alias. ml.frognet is the local newsgroup to which
        are posted emails. Each time an email is sent to user frognet,
        this email is publically posted to ml.frognet newsgroup.
        
     c. If you wish export to be done automatically you can use the
        FORWARD.EXE program. You only have to activate the line
        forward.exe in APPEL.BAT for this program being executed after
        each call. It can be run at any time but usually this is done
        after UUXQT to be useful.
                                 
        FORWARD.EXE needs the same environment datas as declared for
        UPCOM.
        
        FORWARD.EXE goes to each UPCOM user private directory. If some
        mail has been received and if the file EXPORT exists, it executes
        export orders, else it goes to next declared user. The EXPORT
        file seems like this:
        
        From:        ; frog@yukon.cren.org    ; frognet
        
        Field 1: line to search in the header of the received emails
        Field 2: string to search in this line
        Field 3: destination export email address
        Fields are separated by this sign ;
        Spaces are ignored.
                
        The EXPORT file can contain as much lines as you want; you are only
        limited to your available free ram memory.
        
        Exported emails are deleted from messages waiting to be received
        in a mailbox.
        
        In our exemple, FORWARD.EXE search in the received emails by a
        user, an email with header containing a From: field AND an
        email address frog@yukon.cren.org. If it founds some, these 
        emails are posted to frognet email (which is local in our
        exemple). Frognet being in the alias file of the site, this
        email is publically posted in the local newsgroup ml.frognet.
        
        FORWARD.EXE has been tested on a huge number of emails and
        works fine. If you experience problems to realize exports it is
        possible that the fields you mention for search don't match...
        
- How to do so local newsgroups are not exported to the domain smarthost
  uplink of my site during BATCH?
  
  Correct file \BBS\SYSTEM\FEEDS
  Exemple:
  
  cashp /path=universe.fr /batch=compress *, !ml.*, !cas.*
  
  Every message containing in the 'From ' field the path universe.fr
  are recognised as coming from computer cashp, which may be useful
  but you can avoid it if not necessary. During BATCH process, waiting
  news articles are compressed with the COMPRESS program and this concern
  every newsgroups but ml.* and surle.*
  Respect spaces and syntax.
  
- How to download a file from an uucp computer?

  At UPCOM main menu choose 'Download'. UPCOM will ask if you wish to 
  send or receive a file, choose 'Receive a file'.
  UPCOM then asks the name of the file to receive. You have to input
  a correct name, and eventually begin the path with the char tilde
  (ask to the concerned computer administrator).
  UPCOM then asks to input the name the file will have when it will
  be received on your computer. This function is particularly useful
  when you ask to receive a file with a name longer than 12 chars
  (8 chars, a point, 3 chars: this is the msdos filenames format)
  
- How may i send a file from my computer to an uucp computer?

  At UPCOM main menu choose 'Download'. UPCOM will ask if you wish to
  send or receive a file, choose 'send a file'. UPCOM will show you
  a file selector on your hard disk so you can select the file you wish
  to send.
  
  This file will be sent in the public uucp directory setted up on the
  destination computer (ask to the concerned computer administrator more
  details).
  
- Is UPCOM running on a local network?

  You will have to load first SHARE.EXE so UPCOM will be able to run
  on a local network; this will take a bit of free ram memory. As i do
  not have a local network i couldn't test every functions but i did
  my best.
  
- I am a BBS SysOp, may i use UPCOM as a BBS?

  Yes, but you will need to setup a few things first:
  
  1- You need a front end, which will decide if the incoming call is a
     manual call or an uucp call. This front end have to call then the
     right software and return login and password. Waffle can be used
     for this but you will have to export login and password. Else you
     can program something yourself.
     
  2- if the incoming call is an uucp call, your batch have to call uucico
     or fxuucico in answer mode.
  
  3- if the incoming call is a manual call (from a human), your batch
     may call DOORWAY with UPCOM as parameter. The login and password
     may be sent through environment datas LOGIN and PASSWORD.
     
     ...this finally will seems something like that (for exemple) :
     
     main loop
     front end waiting on a communication port
     incoming call
     uucp or human detection
     set LOGIN=login_name
     set PASSWORD=user_password
     
     if uucp:
     fxuucico -r
     goto end of loop
     
     if human:
     doorway upcom
                  
     end of loop
     goto start

     ...which is very simple to program in batch mode!
     
- Is there known bugs for this version?

  - When receiving MIME object in email, it sometimes happens that the
  object don't go to the user objects directory but in \TMP instead.
  It does not happen often, and only on badly configured computers.
  
  - In mailbox, it sometimes happens that the screen is not refreshed 
  after a movement (deletion or move of an email). This has no effects
  on your mailbox, it is only a screen problem: quit the mailbox, then
  come back and everything is ok. This bug comes rarely.

  - On some computers FXUUCICO.EXE works better than UUCICO.EXE; on 
  some others it is reversed...
  
  There is no problems with windows 3.1x and windows95.
  
  UPCOM is now in version 1.1 Beta. This means a few minors bugs may remain
  in spite of an intensive use of our test team. If you find bugs, 
  write us to describe problems and don't forget to mention the following
  details (including version numbers) :
  - Operating system
  - memory manager
  - EMS or XMS mode
  - environment (network, single...)
  - problem description
                       
  In case of crash, for exemple when there is no more free space left on 
  hard disk, UPCOM takes care to a number of precautions. For exemple,
  when a user come in his mailbox, UPCOM makes a copy of the messages
  freshly received before integration to mailbox. These messages are
  copied from MAILBOX.F to INCOMING file. Each user own this kind of
  datas. INCOMING is overwritten when newer messages are integrated
  to mailbox. Another precaution: if UPCOM has crashed during the
  sending of an email, UPCOM will restart from where it was left next
  runtime. Or if you have shutdown the computer during messages
  integration in mailbox, UPCOM will restart from where it was left
  next runtime. And here again, with taking care to parameters
  belonging to each users. 
                           
  If you need another protection that do not exist yet in UPCOM, write
  me an email to explain me your idea. 
              
- May UPCOM work with any uucp site?

  Yes. UPCOM is an offline mail and news reader working in uucp mode.
  You can use this software with any provider giving you an uucp
  access. You only will have to correctly setup your software.
  
  UPCOM have been tested with a number of uucp providers with success.
  
- My internet provider allows PPP access instead of an UUCP access, but
  i would like to continue using UPCOM, how may i do?

  You can use the UKA_PPP package which connect your site to your
  provider in PPP mode. The waffle NNTP package needs a continued
  IP connection, which is not really interesting, so UKA_PPP seems
  to be the best solution. And received news are sent to RNEWS for
  automatic integration. But i am not really sure that this works
  fine in the two directions (sending and receiving): you will have
  to test.
  
- I would like to show my british neighbour how to use UPCOM, but he
  doesn't understand a single word of french...
  
  Don't panic. You can run UPCOM in english mode by typing:
  
  upcom.exe /english  
  
  (Today, UPCOM have not been yet translated to english fully; This
  is planned for a future release.)

- I also have a deutch neighbour and...

  For now there is no other languages than french and english planned
  for UPCOM; But every screens are availables and can be modified with
  a software named TheDraw. Send me a translation of UPCOM messages in
  the language you choosed and i will add it to the software by updating
  menus and screens.

- Is there some others documentations to consult?

  Yes, i suggest you to read carefully documentations software you use
  on a regular basis, and particularly the Waffle ones.

  The documentations directory i made is particularly complete, i suggest
  you to take the time to study it.
                                   
- Where may i find help in case of problem?

  comp.bbs.waffle newsgroup will connect you to extremly capable people.
  You may also use comp.os.msdos.mail-news and comp.mail.uucp and
  fr.usenet.logiciels 
  
  I receive _a_lot_ of electronic mail. PLEASE, ask me help ONLY in last
  case, once you have tried anything else. I try to reply to every
  message i receive BUT i won't answer to the following emails:
  - questions reguarding other softwares than UPCOM.
  - questions having been replied in a documentation or in a FAQ.
  
                             *** *** ***

When you write in a newsgroup, try not to be agressive and speak the
adequate language. We speak french in newsgroups which name begins by 
fr.* ; deutch in de.* ; we sepak english nearly elsewhere. Respect 
newsgroup theme: it is badly received to speak about videos or painting
in a mathematics newsgroup! If this comes to happen, you will certainly
receive a call to order message (also named: flame). These flames can
be sent by anyone, in private or in public; some are friendly, some
others not. Replying to a flame can sometimes start an avalanche of 
flames, also named a 'flame war'. Best attitude is often to let time
pass without reacting to provocations; this does not prevent you from
using newsgroups. Once this said, a 'flame war' sometimes help. It is
your choice.

It sometimes happen that an Usenet administrator officially asks to
remove newsgroup access to an user abusing his rights. At the time i write,
France is a democratic country where free of speaking is a right. This
kind of sanctions only apply when someone does not respect laws applying
in his country, or for non respect of the Usenet ethic rules. For exemple,
urging to violence, urging to racial hate, urging to toxic products use, etc.
And this concern everything illegal in the country where the message comes
from. 
      
Usenet ethic rule, in spite of being a bit humorous, insist on tacit 
agreements uniting users. Here follows a selection of a few of them:

Thou shall bless every day author's software you use.
Thou shall bless every day the man whom gave you electronic mail access.
Thou shall communicate to fellow with respect.
Thou shall speak language dedicated to given newsgroup.
Thou shall not insult, whatever is your opinion.
Thou shall respect newsgroup theme.
Thou shall not write commercial messages outside of dedicated newsgroups.
Thou shall not copy in public an email without author's agreement.
Thou shall read software documentation before asking questions.
Thou shall not ask questions yet replied in a FAQ message.
Thou shall register shareware software you use.

                             *** *** ***

...I wish you have a good time reading!   :-)

           Laurent Cas.
           Email: lvds@stdin.gatelink.fr.net
           (c) Copyright from 1994 to 1997 Laurent Cas.
           