This directory (heracles.mit.edu:/mit/mail_repository) contains both programs and data for an experimental mail repository system. The following items are involved: 1) a link named /usr/new_repository --> /mit/mail_repository, because the programs have the directory name /usr/new_repository wired into them. 2) a setuid program in the repository directory named deliver, which is executed by sendmail whenever it receives mail for a repository user. 3) one really obscure-looking alias in /usr/lib/aliases for each repository mailbox; the aliases cause sendmail to run the deliver program. 4) a demon, running as root, executing a program in the repository directory named repository. This program is listening to a tcp port; it allows a workstation that knows a user's mail password to pick up and drop off mail. Currently this demon is NOT automatically started on bootload. Someday it should be added to /etc/rc. Meanwhile, it is restarted by being root and typing /mit/mail_repository/repository -l repo & 5) a sub-directory named users, which contains the actual mailboxes of repository users, in an obscure format. The mailboxes themselves are supposed to be private, accessible only to root. 6) a one-line addition to /etc/services to name TCP port 800 the "repo" service. 7) a small number of management, operations, and debugging tools. At the present time, the only workstation program that knows how to talk to the repository runs on the IBM PC under DOS. Although experimental, this stuff is in use for handling real mail. Please don't tinker unless you discover something running amok, fouling up either the mail system or the quality of life on Heracles. There is quite a bit of documentation in /mit/s/a/Saltzer/repository.new/*.mss The source code is there, too. If you are interested, have any questions, or notice something going wrong, check with Jerry Saltzer E40-391A x3-6016 .