Messages can be given one or more of the following special characteristics.
Outbound and Saved messages can be given the Memo characteristic with the MODify command (see "expl mail modify"). Memos cannot be deleted. Because of this, you can be certain that you or anyone else won't delete a memo by accident.
To get rid of a memo, you must first use the MODify command to remove the Memo characteristic. You can then delete it in the normal way.
The Confidential characteristic may be used when you are sending secret information like passwords. When you ask to read a Confidential message, MAIL8 warns you that the message is confidential and asks if it is all right to print the text. This makes sure that you don't accidentally print confidential material while someone is looking over your shoulder. There are no other security measures involved -- for example, confidential messages are not encrypted in any way.
Many people use the Confidential characteristic when sending messages to people who often have their mail read by others (for example, to a manager whose mail may be previewed by a secretary). The Confidential marker indicates that the message should only be read by the intended recipient.
Confidential messages do not lose their confidential status regardless of how often the recipient prints them.
The Confidential characteristic can be given to both Outbound and Saved messages.
The Registered characteristic can only be applied to Outbound messages. When you register an Outbound message, you tell MAIL8 that you want to be informed when the recipient reads the message.
MAIL8 does not delete a Registered message when the recipient reads it. Instead, MAIL8 leaves the message in your Outbound drawer until you explicitly ask to delete it. If you use the Summary command to obtain information about the message, MAIL8 tells you whether or not the recipient has read the message. In this way, you can find out when your message is actually read.
Note that the Registered characteristic can only be put on Outbound messages. You can't register a message after you receive it.
MAIL8 only tells you about the first time that a registered recipient reads the message. You don't receive any acknowledgement if the recipient re-reads a registered message.
Outbound messages may be given the AnswerBack characteristic. With this characteristic, the sender indicates that he or she wants an immediate reply to the message being sent.
The first time a recipient reads a message with the AnswerBack characteristic, MAIL8 displays
***An immediate response has been requested***
MAIL8 then begins gathering the text of a responding message as if you had just entered the Reply command. In this way, you are encouraged to respond immediately. If you do not want to create such a reply, you may press BREAK and ask to kill the response message. However, the next time you read the message, MAIL8 again tries to get an immediate answer. MAIL8 only removes the AnswerBack characteristic after you have provided a reply.
Obviously, the AnswerBack characteristic should not be abused. It can be very annoying to the recipient and is only appropriate in a small number of situations.
Copyright © 1997, Thinkage Ltd.