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Here is a message about a Windows IMAP client that may interest you:

Message-Id: <m0mPLXr-000VJNC@isasun-3.edm.isac.ca>
From: steve@edm.isac.ca (Steve Hole)
Subject: ECS Beta available via anonymous ftp
To: ecs-info@edm.isac.ca
Date: 	Mon, 31 Aug 1992 17:52:28 -0600
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL4]

A BETA demonstration version of ECS is available via anonymous ftp from

  ftp.srv.ualberta.ca

in the directory

  /pub/networking/win/mail/ecs.tar.Z

We encourage you to get the software and try it out.  This version of
ecs is released for demonstration purposes only - IT IS NOT IN THE
PUBLIC DOMAIN.  As I have mentioned earlier, we are not currently
charging for the product, and are in the process of evaluating different
forms of funding for the software.

One of the funding strategies that we have discussed is the concept of
"funding groups".  A funding group will be a collection of organizations
that jointly fund the development of a specific set of new mailer
features. 

The idea is to tag the work associated with developing a new set of
features with a cost, then break the cost up into "shares".
Organizations who are interested in getting the features can commit to
one or more shares.  Once all the shares are committed to, work will
begin on the feature set.

For our part, ISA will commit to a development schedule, deliverables,
and support.  Anyone purchasing shares will get unlimited copies of the
software for all time, including all other improvements made by other
funding groups, plus the source code.

For example, we presume that a secure version of the mailer would be of
interest to several organizations - especially if they do any defense
work.   We are going through an evaluation period right now to try to
discover what the effort will be to provide Privancy Enhanced Mail (PEM)
capabilities and secure authorization (via Kerberos and perhaps OSISEC).
Once the evaluation is complete, we will have a good idea what it will
cost us in resources to do this work.  We will then break the cost into
shares and offer it to the customer base.

Obviously there are some problems with this model.  The trick is going
to be identifying feature groups, costs and equitables shares.  Those
groups involved in large feature sets will potentially pay much more
than groups with smaller feature sets, yet everyone gets access to all
the features in the end.  Also, what about organizations or even
individuals that don't participate - should they get the software for
free?  Perhaps some sort of scaled share plan would be better, depending
on the number of machines you run it on.

To my mind, the share mechanism is good way (1) providing funding for
*new* feature development, (2) getting the work that is really in demand
(the high demand features will sell shares more quickly) done quickly,
(3) still provide software that comes with source code and can be given
away.  If an organization is interested in getting a new set of features
right away, and cost is no object, then they may pick up all the shares
in the group, just to get it done.

So, I am looking for feedback on the following items:

(1) What do you think of the interface?   What would you do to improve
it?  What other platforms and environments would you like it to support? 

(2) What do you think of the functionality?   What would you do to
improve it?   Don't be scared to go nuts here ... 

(3) What do you think of the funding group strategy?   Is it viable?
Keep in mind that it is a proposal only, and we are very flexible.   Do
you have some other funding mechanism that might do the trick for us?

Please try to post your responses to the mailing list itself - even if
it is about something that you don't like, or a defect.  Hopefully it
will start some good creative discussion.  Cheers.

-- 
Steve Hole  		        Director of Research and Communications
ISA Corporation			mail:  steve@edm.isac.ca
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada       phone: (403) 420-8081