Developing a Hypercard-UNIX Interface for Electronic Mail Transfer

Abstract

The Hypercard-UNIX electronic mail system (HUES) was programmed using Hypercard version 1.2.5 on a Macintosh computer system. HUES was created as a user-friendly way for U.S. Army Human Engineering Laboratory (HEL) employees to transfer electronic mail, as well as files of various types and formats, to anyone connected to the Internet. (Note: The Internet is a collection of many networks that service universities, private industry, and the Department of Defense.) The system is essentially an interface or shell, which receives information from another computer system (in this case, a UNIX system) and displays the information in a format that allows easier user interaction with the UNIX system. The system receives information from another computer by using a group of transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) code resources developed by Apple Computer, Inc., for use with Hypercard and Macintosh computer systems. This transfer of information allows users to take advantage of the Macintosh's point-and-click user interface to perform desired procedures, instead of having to type UNIX commands. The system was designed to be expandable, with two different means of establishing a connection to a host computer (i.e., modem or TCP/IP). The system also allows direct manipulation of UNIX files, (i.e., deleting, viewing) and the option of directly sending UNIX commands.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA262401

Entities

People

  • Troy Kelley

Organizations

  • Human Engineering Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Application Protocols
  • Computer Communications
  • Computer Networks
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Directories
  • Electronic Mail
  • Engineering
  • Host Computers
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Internet
  • Local Area Networks
  • Network Protocols
  • Operating Systems
  • Serial Ports
  • User Interface

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Computer Networking
  • Database Systems and Applications

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems