werkmail v0.1.1
author: jule p riede <jule@e-werk.at>
this document and werkmail itself are available at 
http://www.e-werk.at/werkmail/

have fun! :)

overview:

    1) features
    2) requirements
    3) how to install
    4) things to know
    5) credits
    6) version history

1) features

werkmail is a browser-based mail client handling imap and pop3 mail servers.
werkmail is distributed under the gnu general public license, please read
the gnu-gpl.txt file included.

2) requirements

to run werkmail you need a web server which supports PHP3/4 server based 
scripting. 
please make sure that your webserver is handling mime types correctly - extensions 
used in this distribution are "php", not "php3". if you are not allowed to change your 
httpd.conf, rename all files ending in "php" to ending in "php3".
this will not result in troubles with running this software.

the user can then connect to werkmail (and to his mailbox) from every computer
in the world that has an internet connection and a web browser.

if you want both sending and receiving your mail working correctly, you must have
an existing mx (mail exchange) record on the machine hosting werkmail. this is not 
necessary if you just want to receive your mails or if you are sending mails only 
within your local area network.


3) installation

linux: 

you need a webserver with php support built --with-imap.
be sure to have smtp runnig if you want to send mail (and an existing mx record, 
once again).

-copy this folder (webmail) to a web server accessible directory on your
web server machine.

-make the reuired changes in type.inc (relating to paths to store tempfiles).

4) things to know

a) security
your login information is passed only once. documents are NOT cached. if this seems
not secure enough to you, you should enable ssl connections to your web server.
a session id (sid) - transfer id (tid) pair used should prevent from http connection 
hijacking.
sid and tid are stored in files in a place you are invented to change in type.inc, if 
you wish. if people are not logging out correctly their sid- and tidfiles will stay in 
this directory - we will fix this in one of the next releases. maybe you do a cronjob 
deleting all dead files ad midnight or so ;) or you have to do it manually. 
files are pretty small (about 1k), so you don't have to be afraid of full harddisks, as 
long there is no excessive use of werkmail.

b) sending mail
sending mail is only possible if the web server machine on which werkmail is
installed has a configured SMTP server running.
if you are sending mail to somebody outside your LAN, you should have an properly 
configured mx record (we can not stress this enough ;)

c) multiple recpients
it is possible to send mails to multiple recipients by using cc and bcc fields - but
just one per field. multiple recipients in one field might be implemented in further 
versions of werkmail.

if you are reading mail its possible to see who else was in the 'cc' field.

d) forward
just use the 'forward' button ;)
text is quoted inline.

e) attachments
its possible to send and view attachments. 

-viewing and saving
to view an attachment, just click on the 'attachment' icon. its only present if 
there _is_ an attachment, like you might have expected ;)
if the mime type is not recognized, your browser will prompt you to save the file. 
actually the original file name is present until you leave the 'read' section of 
werkmail - if you are saving the file you will get the name of the php file instead 
of the original name. but it can be seen beneath the attachment icon in the read 
section - please do a simple cut+paste.

-sending attachments
it is currently possible to send one attachment. sending _multiple_ attachments will be 
implemented in the next version of werkmail. attachments are sent with the original 
filename included.


5) credits

thanks to:
- bernard m piller <bernard@bmpsystems.com> for the mime functions used in 'mime.php'
- stefan heinecke <sh@x3n.de> for his suggestions on preventing http connection hijacking
- peter rodinger <peter@generator.at> for raising my php skills, friendly support and
  hosting e-werk.at, werkmails home base, for free.


6) version history

0.1 2000-07-30
launch.

0.1.1 2000-08-12
security features implemented, the login informations are passed only once now.
attachment support enabled.
cc and bcc fields working.


