
   				     LetterBox V1.1.1

LetterBox is a small (80K) but fully functional POP3 e-mail notification program that sits
quietly in your System Tray (apart from on the first run, when it asks for the essential
settings it needs) and, at a preset interval, checks to see whether any e-mail has arrived
for you. Why the need for another such program? I found that none of the other notification
programs I tried worked in quite the way I wanted, so I wrote one that did. Give it a try -
maybe it works the way you want, too.

LetterBox runs under Windows 9x only.

LetterBox is completely non-nagging freeware. In fact, it's more sort of "voluntary
e-mailware", which means that if you use it, I'd quite appreciate a quick e-mail from
you just to say so. I'm not going to bombard you with demands for money or anything, I'd
just like to know. And I suppose I could then tell you if ever I released an updated
version. Anyway, it's up to you. The e-mail address is :

			letterbox@snkewin.demon.co.uk

Bug reports and suggestions are always welcome too, to the same address.

The latest version of this program, meanwhile, can always be obtained at :
		
			http://www.snkewin.demon.co.uk/ultimathule/index.html


	Installation

Extract all files contained in the LetterBox .ZIP archive to a directory somewhere
(C:\Temp is good) and run the Setup.exe program therein. You will then be taken through the
usual setup routine of selecting directories etc. It is recommended that you place the shortcut
to LetterBox in your StartUp group (the default behaviour) so that it runs automatically.
When LetterBox runs for the first time (you can run it now, from your Start button, or wait
until the next time you load Windows), it will request the three essential pieces of information
it needs to operate : the name of your POP3 e-mail server, your POP3 user id and your POP3 password.
If you don't know any of these, contact your Service Provider. All other options may be left as
they are, or changed as required. LetterBox is now configured to run.

Note that whilst all of the details you enter are stored in the Windows Registry, your password
is encrypted so that prying eyes or other applications won't be able to work out what it is.

Note also that the LetterBox archive does not contain the Visual Basic 5.0 run-time files, which
are essential for its operation. They are omitted because they are fairly large and most people
should already have them, but if you do not (eg. you receive messages about missing DLLs), you
will need to acquire them separately and install them onto your machine before installing
LetterBox. It's worth doing anyway as these are generally useful files to have. All of them can
be downloaded from Microsoft and a link to them (the file MSVBVM50.EXE, 1.24Mb) can be found on
the Ultima Thule web site - just download this file and run it.


	Usage

The default options for LetterBox are for it to run automatically on Windows start-up; for
it to check for new e-mail every 10 minutes; for it to stay off-line if you are off-line
when it tries to check (the last thing you want when you're at a critical point in a good
game is for Windows to suddenly start dialling up to the internet); for it to display System
Tray icon tool-tips detailing the number of waiting e-mails; for it to beep when new e-mail is
found; for no other program to be run when new e-mail is found and for the program to start up
minimized. All of these can be configured through the Settings box - to bring this up, just
click on the System Tray icon (or right-click and select Settings from the pop-up menu).

The various settings should be self-explanatory. If you want to play an amusing sample rather
than the default beep when e-mail arrives, choose Play Sample on the Notification tab. One
sample (my favourite) is included with the archive, but of course there are, ooh, millions
of others avaialable around the internet. If you want to run a separate application when new
e-mail is found (such as your actual e-mail client), just use the Run On New Mail option on
the Notification tab.

Check Now (on the pop-up menu or the Settings window) can be used at any time to check for
new e-mail.


	History

1.0.0		First version.

1.1.0		Checks for new e-mail as soon as you go on-line, not just after the check
		interval.

1.1.1		System Tray icon animates when mail is being checked for.

1.1.2		Check interval bug fix.


	Copyright Blah Blah

LetterBox is freeware. It may be distributed and used freely so long as all files contained
in the archive are distributed together and none are modified in any way. LetterBox is used
entirely at your own risk (not that it can do any harm but you have to say these things) and
the author is in no way responsible for any damage, corruption, cataclysm, environmental
destruction or rift in the space-time continuum it causes.

LetterBox is copyright Simon Kewin, 1998 for Ultima Thule Ltd.


Cultural Note : In case you were wondering, a letter box is a slot in your front door through
                which letters are posted by the person who delivers your mail.
