FAQ

1.Performance 

FocalMail is using a very power Server side script call PHP. This script allows
special function within regular HTML page. However, this script requires web
server to parse (process) the PHP coded pages. This will reduce the over
server performance, and luckily PHP is currently one of the fastest server side
script. We also fine-tune FocalMail code to allow it run faster in PHP enabled
web server environment. 

A Pentium 166MHz with 32MB RAM can support up to 50 concurrent user
logons. Please see Sizing Issue for details.

2.Security Issue 

First of all there is no security system that cannot be hacked. FocalMail is a
web server base email interface that access IMAP mail stream and report the
information back to the user using HTTP protocol. Since FocalMail only allows
user to check local servers or ISP preset IMAP server, it should consider to
be in a trusted environment where only system administrators have the access
to monitor this traffic.

FocalMail will use standard cookie to store user login and password
information in clients browser. FocalMail itself cannot and will not store any
users login information. FocalMail will ask the browser to store the
information in a special cookie name that will reduce security risk. Cookie that
store in clients browser may still be able to be reviewed but chance are very
slight. FocalMail also will use a time out setting to force cookie to expire, and
reduce the security risk.

To ensure HTTP transaction secure, you may have to use the SSL to help
secure the HTTP protocol to that no one can easy tag your connection.

Due to the Encryption exporting laws, FocalMail cannot not support PGP at this
moment.

3.Sizing Issue 

FocalMail has been fine-tune for heavy usage. This is very import for ISP. As
you can use a regular Pentium 166MHz with 32MB RAM computer to running
MySQL, IMAP, and Apache web server, it can still support over 50 concurrent
users. In reality, it can roughly serve 200 FocalMail pages / minutes. FocalMail
can gain better performance with a faster CPU, and more RAM. With A
Pentium PRO 200 and 64MB RAM, the throughput can be up to 400 FocalMail
pages / minutes. 

4.Error when running FocalMail 

a.Fatal error: Call to unsupport function 
This means that your PHP is not successfully install with MySQL or
IMAP.

b.Displaying raw code 

This means either you have not setup PHP correctly or you have not edit
srm.conf file.

Most of the error may case by improper PHP and Apache installation.
Please double check such setting before actually install the FocalMail

5.Send attachment 

FocalMail 1.2 include send mail with attachment.  However, not matter how well
we design FocalMail, there is always a security risk of allowing others to upload
files to your server.  For such reason, we have a detail document about attachment
setting.  Please read attachment.txt