Re: PATCH: completion for MUAs

["Bart Schaefer" <schaefer@candle.brasslantern.com>]

On Apr 13,  7:31pm, Oliver Kiddle wrote:
} Subject: PATCH: completion for MUAs
}
} I actually have a more complete mush completion but it would probably
} be fairly pointless to add it.

I apologize for the somewhat off-topic reply, but I thought some of the
zsh-workers might be interested in the following.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Subject: Open-source Z-Mail: a call for help
        Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 04:39:00 GMT
        From: Jerry Hudgins <jerry@e-farm.com>
 Organization:Western Digital Design, Marin County,
              California
  Newsgroups: comp.mail.zmail, comp.mail.misc,
              comp.mail.mime, comp.mail.mush

For the uninitiated:  Z-Mail is a powerful standards-based, MIME-aware
commercial mail program which descended from the freeware mush system.
It's scriptable, highly configurable, and runs on a wide variety of
UNIX platforms in shell, full-screen, and Motif modes.  There were
once ports to both Windows and Macintosh as well, and these versions
used the same mail file format and scripting language as their UNIX
cousin.

The Z-Mail product was purchased by NetManage several years ago, and
after retiring the Windows and Mac ports, they've now discontinued
the UNIX version.  They've pretty thoroughly purged it from their Web
site; however, if you're curious, a tutorial lingers:

http://supportweb.netmanage.com/tutorials/zmail-motif/zmail_intro.html

Given that they're no longer interested in selling it, I think that
NetManage should be encouraged to release the code as open source,
perhaps using the Mozilla model.  They could make money by selling new
support contracts for business users, if they liked, and both free and
commercial UNIX users could immediately benefit from its availability.
I'd also anticipate interest in reviving the Windows and Mac ports -
those platforms could use a better option again.

First, however, we must convince NetManage to release the code.  I've
sent my own note of encouragement to:

    sales@netmanage.com
    support@netmanage.com

and if you're willing to help, please do likewise.  Point out the
potential support revenue.  Remind them that their old competitor,
Ishmail, is now open-source.  Assure them of the resulting goodwill
toward NetManage, and the potential for increased interest in their
other products.  Educate them on the benefits of open-source efforts.

If we make enough noise, perhaps they'll agree to do it - and this
would be a Very Good Thing.  Pitch in if you can.

-jch

-- 
Bart Schaefer                                 Brass Lantern Enterprises
http://www.well.com/user/barts              http://www.brasslantern.com

Zsh: http://www.zsh.org | PHPerl Project: http://phperl.sourceforge.net