NetMAX Newsletter - May 2005

1. [New!] NetMAX Desktop Beta is Available!
2. [New!] NetMAX Demo in Flint
3. [Tips and Tricks] Third-party e-mail Clients and NetMAX
4. [General] Let's Hear From You

1. NetMAX Desktop Beta is Available!

We told you last month that we were working on something new and
different from what you are used to from the NetMAX Team, and now
it's here: the free NetMAX Desktop is now available!

The NetMAX Desktop distribution seeks to fill the role of a fully-functional enterprise class desktop system without licensing fees, and includes best-of-breed applications for standard desktop needs such as desktop publishing, web surfing, and multimedia features. In contrast to many other live-CD distributions, the NetMAX Desktop has been designed to be intuitive enough for non-computer savvy folks to use – and even includes integrated Windows application support. The distribution can be used on most computers without harming their contents via a bootable CD, or can be installed to a hard drive as a permanent operating system replacement.

More information on the NetMAX Desktop Project, including free downloads of the bootable CD itself, can be found on the NetMAX
Desktop project website:

http://www.netmax.org

2. NetMAX Demo in Flint

The Flint Area Computer Enthusiasts (F.A.C.E.) are a group of people just like you who meet each month to learn more about IBM compatible computers. Their members range from home hobbyists to corporation members, and from students to professionals. This month, the NetMAX Team will be visiting their June meeting to demonstrate the NetMAX Desktop.

The NetMAX Desktop demonstration is scheduled for the June 14, 2005 meeting at Kettering University. F.A.C.E. meetings typically start at 6:30 PM and last around 2 hours, so if you are in the area and interested in learning about the NetMAX Desktop or F.A.C.E., we hope to see you there!

More information on this, including maps to Kettering University, may be found on the F.A.C.E. website:

http://www.gfn.org/FACE/

3. Third-party e-mail Clients and NetMAX

When running third-party email client software like InterScan ScanMail, Pegasus Mail or Eudora 6.2 with NetMAX you could have the following problems:

1. Getting bounced mail

2. Getting Blacklisted (Open relay)

Check the following items:

Before installing third-party software, check to make sure
you won’t have conflicts with your NetMAX. If you have
already installed the software and are experiencing the
stated issues above with your email, check the software to see what is installed -- you could have a conflict.

For example, Interscan ScanMail has it's own version of a sendmail client that it uses, and those settings can cause the open relay mail issue.

Also check the following items:

2. Check the domains to make sure they had a netmask of /24 or higher -- because the lower your netmask is, the higher the possibility your network will be used as an open relay.

3. If you are using 172.X.X.X./XX make sure the netmask is 24 or higher. You may be under the impression that this a
private network, but this is a known starting point for most networking software.

4. After checking for conflicts and netmask settings, and once any needed adjustments have been made to either or both, check the IP of your mail server to see if it is listed as
an open relay at a site such as www.abuse.net.

4. Let's Hear From You!

We would very much like to hear from you -- especially about how you use NetMAX and Linux in your business, and how we can make NetMAX better suited to your needs. Contribute your input to the NetMAX Forum at:

www.netmax.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi

or to our general NetMAX contact form at:

www.netmax.com/partners/contacts.html

Let us know about your likes, dislikes, and general comments. We are especially interested in the type of additions to NetMAX that you would like to see as we continue to develop the NetMAX line.

Thank you!