Lost In AutoShare


AutoShare, a freeware EIMS companion application.
A list server and auto-responder for the Macintosh.
This document is copyright © 1997 Mikael Hansen.

It would seem impossible for the author of some software to pretend that he is about to look at it for the first time through the eyes of a user. And while it probably is, I figured I would give it at least a try. Give it a fresh look without getting too lost along the way...
Once upon a time, I was the administrator of a mail server running on a Macintosh. The mail server software was entitled (big surprise!) EIMS (formerly AIMS and MailShare). I had heard much about list server lists, forums in which subscribers would discuss a given topic by posting e-mails to a list server, which in return would distribute copies of the contribution to all of the subscribers on the list. I had also heard about how a user could send an e-mail to a server and have an automated auto-response returned immediately, even if everyone was asleep.

There wasn't much memory on the SE/30, so it seemed only right that I'd be looking for a list server requiring little memory, even when the situation may call for many lists. Support for the small built-in monitor was a must, as was the price (it had to be free). One day I'd upgrade, so a PowerPC version would be nice. The auto-response module just had to be a part of the software, and as I wasn't sitting by the server all day, both scripting and remote administration by e-mail would definitely be a major plus as would the robustness of the server software. The only software appeared to be (bigger surprise!) AutoShare.

So far, so good. I knew what I wanted, and it appeared to be available. My browsing on the net had paid off, and I wasn't lost yet. I downloaded AutoShare and opened the top-level folder. A SimpleText document located to the left was entitled Read Me First. Sure, why the heck not? "Please fetch your favorite web browser and drag the Read-Me-First.html document onto the browser's icon.", it said. "Cool!", I said. And took the dive into what appeared to be the first of many HTML documents in the AutoShare documentation.

A quick double-click, and the grand Overview of the AutoShare documents was in front of me. Not bad, not bad! The 1.0 Documentation, the 1.3 Addendum, blah, blah... Okay, here we go: the AutoShare Samples, which illustrate a simple configuration. That would seem right for a fellow with an empty stomach and the next meal about an hour away. Click!

To be continued...
Last updated on April 30 1997 by Mikael Hansen