MX V3.2 has been released. This version introduces a major enhancement to
network management: the delivery errors generated by this new version of
MX are in the same format as LMail's, and can be automatically
interpreted by LISTSERV (version 1.7f or 1.7e + 17E-002D). Once you
install MX V3.2, you no longer need to worry about issuing netwide DELETE
jobs at the end of the semester: the users are deleted as mail is sent to
them and bounces back. This saves you time, you don't have to worry about
forgetting to send the jobs or getting the wrong syntax, you will not be
told by 30 servers that you are not authorized to act on behalf of your
users, and it can save quite a lof of CPU time for the 281 sites running
LISTSERV (at least if you had thousands of users to delete). In other
words, installing this new version is definitely a good use of your time.
MX is available in VMSDUMP format from the VMS Store (see the attached
announcement for more details) and via anonymous FTP from FTP.SPC.EDU.
Note that the UNZIP utility is in the [MACRO32] directory in the VMS
Store. Most directories which are shadowed from FTP.SPC.EDU have the same
name, but without the [ANONYMOUS.] part.
Once you have installed MX V3.2 and checked to your satisfaction that
deletions happen automatically, PLEASE STOP ISSUING NETWIDE DELETE JOBS.
This is important. While LISTSERV now has more PASCAL than REXX code,
this code is still in REXX and will be among the last functions to be
converted (by removal :-) ). Release 1.7f is 2 to 5 times faster on the
average than 1.7e, but the amount of time eaten up by netwide delete jobs
is unchanged and appears 2-5 times slower than before. Every semester I
get complaints about the amount of resources used up by 500 jobs that
each attempt to remove 1,000 users from lists they never subscribed to.
The sites that complain are not always the sites with small machines -
sites with larger machines usually run a lot more lists and end up being
hit pretty hard as well. One easy way to solve the problem would be to
remove the function, but I would rather keep it for the sites which still
need it, and this requires the cooperation of sites which no longer do.
Thanks in advance.
Eric
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
At last, I've just released MX v3.2! It's only been almost a year
since the MX v3.1C update went out. Hopefully, there'll be no problem
that slipped through the field test cycle. I'd like to publicly thank
my field testers for their time and patience.
More MX information is included below my sig.
What's New
----------
NOTE: this version of MX changes the format of the MX file queue
FLQ_DIR:SYSTEM_QUEUE.FLQ_CTL. If you install MX v3.2 on a system
with messages still in the READY state in the file queue, you'll be
unable to go back to v3.1 after installing v3.2 (at least, not without
reinstalling v3.1 from scratch). The MX installation automatically
converts your queue file.
Also, MX v3.2 uses 10 subdirectories under MX_FLQ_DIR: to hold the
files. This was done in an attempt to help with performance problems
caused when the QUEUE.DIR file grows larger than 128 blocks (which it
won't with MX v3.2).
There have been a lot of changes made, though many of them will not be
noticable by end-users. A new utility, MXALIAS, has been added to let
users maintain their own personal MX aliases for addresses. MXALIAS
does *not* use logical names---it's integrated with MX_MAILSHR.
MX v3.2 features:
o FLQ routines rewritten in BLISS
o MX_FLQ_DIR subdirectories
o Local delivery error messages compatible with LISTSERV
o Proper support for BSMTP continuation lines in MX Jnet.
o A number of enhancements to the MLF agent.
o X25_SMTP bug fixes.
o MX SITE breaks the DCL command line into pieces for longer
commands.
o MX_MAILSHR correctly handles logicals defined as lists of
logicals.
o Lots, lots more!
How To Get It
-------------
Via anonymous ftp:
You can get MX v3.2 via anonymous ftp from ftp.spc.edu
([192.107.46.27]). You'll need:
[.MX]UNZIP.EXE
[.MX.MX032]MX032.ZIP !VMSINSTAL kits
[.MX.MX032]MX032_SRC.ZIP !The MX sources, if you want them
Also, [.MX.MX032]MX032_DOCS_ONLY.ZIP contains only the .K saveset,
which contains the MX v3.2 documentation files, if you want to get
just the docs first.
Via e-mail:
You can get MX v3.2 via e-mail by sending the following commands in
the body of a mail message to [log in to unmask]:
SEND MX032
SEND FILESERV_TOOLS
FILESERV_TOOLS includes MFTU.EXE and UNZIP.EXE, which are needed
to unpack the files.
NOTE: MX032 consists of 91 VMS_SHARE parts that are 60-blocks
each. Given the speeds of my net connections, it may take
a couple of days for you to receive all the parts. Please
be patient!
Via VMS Store (BITNET users only):
If you're on BITNET, you can have the MX v3.2 files sent to you as
VMSDUMP files from Eric Thomas's VMS Store. SEND or mail to
LISTSERV@SEARN the command INDEX [MX.MX032] and GET the files
you want, or GET [MX.MX032]*.*.
Hunter
------
Hunter Goatley, VMS Systems Programmer, Western Kentucky University
[log in to unmask] (or [log in to unmask])
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[26-FEB-1993]
Message Exchange V3.2
Message Exchange (MX) is electronic mail software for VAX systems running
VMS V5.0 or later, including VMS V5.5. It supports Internet mail over
CMU-Tek TCP/IP, VMS/ULTRIX Connection, TGV MultiNet, and Process Software's
TCPware; BITNET mail over Jnet; and UUCP mail over DECUS UUCP. Also included
is support for SMTP message transfers over DECnet and X.25 (using VAX P.S.I).
MX uses VMS Mail for local message entry and delivery, and includes support
for mailing lists and mail-based file servers.
Features:
* Users send and receive messages using VMS MAIL. Support
for "signature" files is included in the VMS MAIL interface.
Full support for automatic forwarding with the VMS MAIL SET
FORWARD command is included. User-defined alias databases
for e-mail addresses is supported.
* Provides SMTP (RFC 821) message transfers over CMU-OpenVMS TCP/IP
(aka CMU-Tek TCP/IP), DEC TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS (aka
VMS/ULTRIX Connection, TGV MultiNet, and TCPware from Process
Software. Includes support for Internet domain system MX records.
Also supports SMTP over DECnet and X.25 (using VAX P.S.I.).
* Provides BSMTP message transfers with other BITNET mailers
over Jnet, compatible with the CU Mailer package for VM systems.
Fully supports BITNET-Internet gateways for non-Internet-connected
systems. When combined with the SMTP support, can also provide
a BITNET/Internet gateway service.
* Interfaces with DECUS UUCP to provide a single mail interface
to all mail protocols. Can also gateway between UUCP and
other networks.
* Provides a mailing list processor with automatic subscription
requests. Mailing lists can be configured to restrict postings
only to subscribers or list owners, and to restrict the
automatic subscription handling. Internet mailing list
conventions and a subset of LISTSERV commands are supported.
* Supports one or more file servers that can be set up by the system
manager to handle automatic distribution of packages of files using
mail as the distribution medium. Large transfers can be deferred
to off-hours, and daily per-user, per-system, and/or per-server
limits can be placed on each server.
* Provides interfaces for a site-provided custom mail transport
and custom address processing routines.
Files in this directory:
------------------------
MX032.ZIP The installation kits for MX v3.2 (for use
with VMSINSTAL).
MX032_SRC.ZIP Source code, in a zipped saveset.
MX032_DOCS_ONLY.ZIP The MX032.K saveset containing the docs. This
separate .ZIP file is provided for those who
want to start with just the docs.
NOTE: The K saveset of the installation kit contains the documentation for
MX in PostScript, Bookreader, and plain ASCII formats.
<<< You will need the UNZIP program in the [ANONYMOUS.MACRO32] directory >>>
<<< to expand the compressed files. >>>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTACTING THE AUTHORS
Comments, suggestions, and questions about this software can be directed to
the current maintainer at one of the following addresses:
Mail: Hunter Goatley
Western Kentucky University
Academic Computing, STH 226
Bowling Green, KY 421201
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
Phone: 502-745-5251 (e-mail is preferred)
The original author of MX is Matthew Madison:
Mail: Matthew Madison
TGV, Inc.
E-Mail: (Internet) [log in to unmask]
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This software is COPYRIGHT ) 1993, MadGoat Software. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Permission is granted to copy and redistribute this software for no commercial
gain, providing all copyright notices remain intact.
DISCLAIMER
This software is provided "AS IS". The author and their respective employers
disclaim all warranties on the software, including without limitation, all
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness.
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