Jim, Thanks for the questions/feedback and please keep it coming. My answers/comments are contained in the email below. If you or anyone would prefer to talk with me directly versus over discuss, you can reach me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 416 531 5584. I'm always interested in hearing more from our resellers, especially at this time as we are in the process of finalizing features for our summer release.
Bruce Dorland Email Product Manager office: 416 538 5481 -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jim McAtee Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 3:57 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: More questions about email Well then, in light of Peter's go-ahead, I'll ask a few more questions. ----- Original Message ----- From: "R. Peter Ejtel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "TMJ" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 9:24 AM Subject: RE: More questions about email > Hi Todd, > > 1) Email Forwarding > ---------------- > Unfortunately as with any email system, in order to have a domain use email > on it's own it would need to be activated in some type of email system, and > for ours it would require at least one pop box per domain in order to > function. Once a domain is activated for email, this could be accomplished > through email forwarding, which we plan to release in the June timeframe. > If the user did choose to purchase one pop box for every domain (Not > necessarily through us), they could POP them into one mail interface using > Remote POP, which is found under WebMail Options, Remote POP. If all pop > boxes were purchased on our system, then they can accomplish this > additionally through the folder sharing option that is available. I'm amazed that you'd release the product without forwarding. Or maybe I misunderstand. Are you saying that you don't even have the ability right now to forward mail from one of the paid mailboxes? As a small web hosting provider, I'd estimate 90% of our customers have their email forwarded to a mailbox elsewhere. ----We do have full forwarding functionality within WebMail that allows users to a)forward specific email to other mailboxes manually and b)set-up automated rules that forward specific or all mail to other mailboxes. Regarding Email Forwarding that forwards all email for an email address (that is a real mailbox or simply [EMAIL PROTECTED]) to another real email address ([EMAIL PROTECTED]), that functionality will be included in a release that is coming in the June timeframe. Our email software currently permits us to create 'synonym' domains, in which domain 'B' is exactly equivalent to the real domain 'A'. It's very convenient, since many organizations use numerous domain names for their web site and people will get email addressed to any one of them. This doesn't require the creation of aliases, forwarders, or mailboxes. I'd suggest you implement something similar and perhaps charge a nominal annual fee for each domain synonym. Charging for a mailbox in each domain, just to have it forwarded to another mailbox on the same server would be highly unacceptable. Not to mention a pain in the butt to manage. -----The ability to create synonym domains is a feature that we are considering currently. Our email software also allows us to create synonyms, however we have not implemented it at this point. The solution does behave as you have explained without the need to create aliases, forwarders or mailboxes. Do you offer any kind of secondary (backup) email service? This might be a worthwhile product attractive to ISP's. Perhaps charged by domain per year. ----Currently we don't offer any secondary email service. However, Tucows Email operates on a fully redundant server architecture to ensure maximum uptime and reliability. I would agree that offering a secondary email service may be of value to some resellers and is something will be driven based on larger volumes. I think offering secondary DNS would be another good idea, chargeable also by domain. There are a few companies offering these services, but it would be nice to get it all under one roof, with good service and well-written web user interfaces. -----Another good idea that is under consideration at this point. Jim
