Re: Meta UI: Am I out of my mind?

Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz <spamtrap@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm considering volunteering[1] to set up a mail server for a friend.

Run away.

Am I out of my mind for considering it?

No, but you are risking much future pain. Does it really feel that
good to stop banging your head against the wall?

[3] I understand that you might have to mention some technical
details as background, but what I'm looking for is people
issues.

The primary issue will be dealing with people who don't understand how
mail works and the consequences thereof. The problems you'll inevitably
be asked to solve (or consult upon) will include:

1. mail wasn't delivered to the distant recipient
2. mail wasn't received
3. undesired mail was received
4. deleted mail isn't restorable
5. system downtime
6. explaining delivery delays
7. how to operate the mail user agent

In the 25+ years I ran the campus mail system (30,000 customers), we
eventually had to hire a staff of a senior helpdesker and a raft of
student workers to handle perhaps a hundred such queries each day.

Never again.

Frankly, I'd refuse.
- Brian

PS: The campus is in the process of outsourcing its email service to
gmail. I question the ultimate wisdom of doing so, but I'm sure not
going to stand in the way.
.