Programming Internet Email

Trends with Web-based Mail

The late 1990s saw a new type of email service, coupled with a new economic model for such services: Web-based email. These mostly free services are generally supported by advertising revenue and so incorporate advertisements into the user interface. A combination of HTML frames, tables and client-side JavaScript is used to present a modern, if clearly Web-oriented interface. They are, as stated earlier, properly MUAs. They connect to standard MTAs and MRAs in order to send and display messages. MUA functions are simply distributed across multiple machines; read and write functions are on the server while the user interface is interpreted and executed within a Web browser.

Since most new Internet protocols in the standards track are being defined with a URL access syntax, this model could become the basis for a new face on network services. The Web browser, designed to be a nearly universal interface, is a perfect single application for small network appliances. Cellular telephones, PDAs, and palmtops would surely benefit from such a model when connected to the network.

The development of this model has slowed since the end of the Microsoft-Netscape browser war, but one should probably view it as a hiatus in the conflict rather than a true browser peace.

Web-based email has already become a favorite for traveling executives and salespeople for use while on the road. As useful as it is, more needs to be done to integrate these services into a corporate lifestyle. ...