Private Eudora email on a Shared Computer

You share a computer with others, but you want your email to remain private.

Overview of how to do it:

1. You will need to have a private folder, e.g., on the file server,
2. put the Eudora files (especially the Eudora Settings file) in it
   
3. and, for convenience, make an alias of the settings file to put on the shared computer.
4. Finally, what you need to do to keep your mail private.

Here is the step-by-step procedure:

1. How to create a private folder on the server:
   1. Log into your lab's volume on Microb Server
      • Go to the chooser, select 'Appleshare' in the upper left pane, double-click on 'Microb Server' in the right pane
      • Type in your username and password to log into the server.
        (If you don't have an account, ask Heinz to create one for you).
      • A list of volumes appear. Double-click your lab's volume
        (Every lab has a volume on the server, and all members of the lab has access to it).
      • The icon of the lab volume appears on the desktop.
        Close chooser, as you are done with it.
      • Double click on the icon of the lab volume.
        You should see a number of folders.

   2. You need to have a personal folder

      If you already have a folder with your name, skip this step, and proceed to the next.
      

      • Making sure that the window for lab volume is in the front
        (the window title is in bold, not dimmed),
      • create a new folder ('File' menu, 'New Folder')
      • immediately type your name. The name of the new folder changes from 'untitled folder' to your name.

   3. Set the access privileges to your folder, to make it private.
      • Single-click on your folder to select it
      • Go to the 'File' menu, and choose 'Get info Sharing...' (Older MacOS: 'Sharing...')
        A window appears, with info about who owns the folder, and who has access to it
      • Uncheck the 'Use enclosing folder's privelege' box if it is checked.
      • In the box 'Owner', type your username, if it is not already there.
      • Choose 'Read and write' privilege next to the 'Owner' box
        (You yourself should be able to see folders and files and make changes to your own folder!)
      • Choose 'Write only' next to both 'User/Group' and 'Everyone' boxes
        Nobody else is permitted to see or copy your private files and folders.
        They can still drop a file or folder into your private folder,
        but once it gets in, they can no longer see it.
      • Close the window, and confirm that you want to save the changes.

2. Set up Eudora to store your email in your private folder
   • Copy the Eudora folder, that is usually in the system folder
     and contains all the mailbox and settings files, to your private folder
     
   • Open the Eudora folder in your private folder, and find the Eudora Settings file.
   • When you double-click the Eudora Settings file in your private folder to startup up Eudora,
     it will use the info in it (username, etc.) to log into the mail server,
     It will also save any email to the private folder where the Eudora Settings file is kept

3. Create an alias to make it more convenient to check email

   It is a pain to log into the server,
   open various folders to get to the Eudora Settings file,
   and double-click it to use email.

   Here is a shortcut, by creating an alias of the Eudora Settings file.

   • Single-click the Eudora Settings file in your private folder to select it
   • Choose 'Make Alias' (command-m) in the 'File' menu.
   • A new icon appears, called 'Eudora settings alias'.
     Note that its name is in italics. Aliases always have italicized names.
   • Give the alias an informative name, e.g. 'Bill's email'.
   • Copy it to the shared computer you are working on.

     When you double click on the alias on the shared computer,
     you are asked to log in to the file server, and Eudora starts up.

4. Keeping your email private

   Nobody can get into your folder
      unless they can provide your username and password.

   However, anyone can get into your folder,
      if you are already logged in,
      since you have already provided the username/password.

   Therefor:

   • Always quit Eudora, and log out of the server when you are done.

Instead of the above,
you could instead put the Eudora folder on a floppy or other removable drive (and keep it locked up when not in use).

The advantage of the server approach is that you can check your email from any computer that has Eudora installed.
You don't have to have the removable at hand.