Costas asks,

> I know some of the HP3000 fans/users/gurus are also experienced PC and
> Windows fans/users/gurus and so I'd like to ask about the
> various www sites
> that offer email accounts. I know of two. I've signed on to
> one thinking
> that it would be nice to be able to receive all my email thru
> that account,
> especially when I'm abroad. All I'd need is a local internet
> connection. I
> figure on leaving my work PC on 24hours (it is anyway) and setting up
> Outlook Express to forward all emai to my www account. I've
> tried it and it
> works great :) BUT :

<rest snipped>

Costas,

First, the freebie e-mail accounts are great except for the fact that
eventually, they become SPAM havens and eventually blocked by SPAM filters.
For example, someone attempting to e-mail us with a Juno or Hotmail account
today, will not get through we have in effect, blocked both domains, except
for certain mail addresses that I know of (Netmail can do that easily and
effectively).

As for having access while abroad, one thing I have in my back pocket is an
account with SpryNet.  SpryNet, while now an AOL company because of their
acquisition of CompuServe, still uses the CompuServe Worldwide Network, the
most extensive network there is.  I can only think of two places in the US
where the call was not a local call, and there are points of presence all
over the world.  In the UK, for instance, it is a "National Local Call" -
one number covering the entire nation, and billed at the local call rate in
effect.

With the SpryNet account, I can access this e-mail account and with PPTP,
tunnel through into the network - through the firewall - and wherever I am
in the world, it's as though I'm in the office (just a bit slower - 56KB or
less instead of 10MB).

If you travel a lot, I would check it out.  The cost is US$19.95 per month.
Check it out at http://www.sprynet.com

Best Regards,
Joe

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