See an unfamiliar term? Check the newsletter glossary.
newsletter://mv.com
August 2002
UNIX Shell server mail software
On or about August 19, 2002, we'll be replacing the email transport
software on our UNIX shell server. The software in use prior to that date,
sendmail, will be replaced with an alternative called qmail. This is part
of a general reworking of the email system that began when we embarked on
our antispam project -- for a brief recap and summary, see the "antispam"
section that follows.
This particular change only affects UNIX shell users; however if there
are no problems, a similar change to the main mail server will follow.
We've made an announcement to shell users in advance. You can see the
original notice by looking in the newsgroup mv.forum.shell or by going to
our web page at "http://www.mv.com/" and selecting "Latest News" in the "MV
Information" section. More information can also be had by going to the MV
Customer Service web page at "http://home.mv.net/" and going to the Tech
Support section. There you will find a link to the "Shell Qmail" change.
Upcoming mail server software change
The change to the mail software on the shell server, mentioned above,
only affects UNIX shell users. However, assuming that this changeover goes
well, we'll be following it with a similar change to our main mail and
mailbox server used by other MV customers. We've mentioned previously that
there would be some changes of this nature coming soon, and we're getting
closer. We'd like to reassure you that we expect this upcoming change to
have little or no effect on the way you retrieve your mail via POP or IMAP,
or on the way you send mail through our main mail server. It will only
prepare the way for some further options that we will be bringing you as we
continue working on this overall effort.
WHAT WILL CHANGE: We talked about this in a prior newsletter but it
bears repeating. If you have personal web space (as all dialup users are
entitled to have), you currently upload your web files by using a file
transfer protocol (FTP) program, instructing it to log into your mailbox
account. Now (before the change) your FTP login puts you right into your
webspace. After the change, you will need to go into your web subdirectory
before uploading your web files. So please anticipate this change happen-
ing some time in the future.
The ANTISPAM project
This is our standing mention of our antispam project and the general
mail project containing it. As you know, a few months ago we decided to
embark on an effort to provide you with some tools to help filter and
select the mail that gets through to you. After a fairly short period it
was clear that the best thing we could do would be to take a step back and
reevaluate the mail services that we provide. That is, our goal was not to
hack some system-wide spam controls onto the existing system, but to
revisit the way we handle email from beginning to end: from the underlying
transport mechanism to the controls that you have over delivery, selection,
and access to your email, to the ways that we store mail and provide you
access to your mailboxes. One goal of course is to minimize the impact on
those of you who do not make use of any new capabilities, but to provide
those capabilities in a convenient way to those who want it.
We outlined a few of our mailbox server goals in our last newsletter:
including giving you long-term storage of multiple mail folders and of
other files. We also wanted to update the way your incoming mail is
stored, using a new format that is better suited to handle the large mes-
sages that are more common now. (This change in format will not be visible
to you: you'll be able to access your mailbox via POP and IMAP in the same
old way you are doing now.)
The replacement of mail transport software on our shell server, men-
tioned above, represents a necessary first step. Because we're looking at
the email environment from end to end, we wanted to choose the underlying
transport software before making other specific changes.
New DSL areas
We have received word that some areas will be opening up for DSL/V
service in New Hampshire. Nearly 20 more towns are slated to be added by
the end of the year. We've put a list of the towns and the projected
install dates on our DSL web page (go to "www.mv.com", find the DSL infor-
mation under "Rates and Services").
Domain registration scams, again, and domain locking
We'd again like to urge you to be careful if you receive expiration
notices about your domain names. Some domain registrars have taken to
sending notices that are designed to fool you into thinking you are cur-
rently doing business with them, and asking you to renew your domain name.
However when you send in the agreement in response, you've really agreed to
transfer your domain to them. If you read the fine print you can spot
them, for example, if they say things like "This is not a bill" or "This is
not a renewal notice" -- but you must be vigilant.
If you've registered a domain using our registration services (affili-
ated with OpenSRS), or have transfered a domain to this service, we may
have the ability to "lock" it. (Some domain types cannot be locked, but
most can.) When your domain is locked, you can still transfer the domain
to another registrar if you wish, but you have to first unlock it from our
service. This provides a vital check mechanism against accidentally trans-
ferring a domain when you didn't mean to (for example, if you inadvertently
respond to one of the above-mentioned misleading notices), while letting
you unlock and transfer your domain if that's what you really want to do.
It can also help to prevent other kinds of domain transfer hijinks. We are
locking domains in our registration service by default if we can. But even
if you use another registrar, we are recommending that you strongly con-
sider putting these locks in place.
Instant messaging
We've seen some advertisements from certain large providers promoting
instant messaging. Instant messaging (IM) can be a very useful tool for
such things as personal messages, business discussions and alerts, stocks,
weather, bulletins, and other information sources. But most IM facilities
are Internet-based: that is, you can use them from your favorite Internet
provider (us!).
Watch our Customer Service website ("http://home.mv.net/") for a dis-
cussion of IM clients and where to get them.
Continuing specials
We continue to have specials on DSL and colocation accounts, as well
as a new back to school account promotion for students. All specials run
through September 30, 2002.
DSL/C: the normal $100 setup fee is applied to your usage charges;
DSL/V: When you order DSL/V and purchase the modem through us, we'll take
$80 off the modem price.
Colocation: Pay the basic setup fee, get your first two months colocation
(base rate) free.
Back to school: A student registering a new dialup account will receive a
50% discount on charges (except setup fee) through January 1, 2003.
MV Communications, Inc. PO Box 4963, Manchester, NH 03108 (603) 629-0000