Mr Hood, I've read your comments about using MHonArc -- it seems you have
some familarity with message/discussion software -- and would like to ask
if you have looked at any other software that handles internet mail/e-mail
messages, threads, etc.
Not extensively.
I've looked at Hypermail, MHonArc and Proxicom's Forum, have heard about
but not seen Digital's AltaVista and Cold Fusion's Allure, and am looking
for tools to encourage discussions in small groups in the federal financial
systems community.
Each of the tools vary on there intended use. For example MHonArc
and Hypermail are meant to be Web mirrors of conventional Internet
communication methods: e-mail and (USENET) newsgroups. I.e. To
use them as aids to discussion forums, you still need to use the
underlying mailling list and/or newsgroup software. MHonArc
does allow you to integrate your own Web forms to provide Web created
messages to the forum, but you do that yourself.
Proxicom appears to provide an already integrated system for Web
based discussion forums with a Web interface for user interaction.
It definitely has more development support and is more polished
(in a commercial sense). Its applicability depends on your
needs. If you want to support communications like e-mail and
USENET-like newsgroups, you'll need to see if Proxicom supports
gateways to such facilities.
--ewh
