R-2367-AF, The MH Message Handling System: Users Manual,
	B. S. Borden, R. S. Gaines, N. Z. Shapiro, November 1979.



PURPOSE: To describe an electronic message handling system.  The report
outlines the implementation and provides complete user level documentation
for efficient utilization of a new computer utility.

RELATED TO: Project AIR FORCE work on command and control, ...


DISCUSSION:  The MH message handling system was designed and implemented
to  provide  comprehensive electronic message facilities.  It implements
no new facilities which are not available in other message systems,  but
its  close  integration  with  the system's command interpreter lends it
more power and flexibility than is otherwise available.  Rather  than  a
standard  implementation  in  which  all  of  the  functions  of message
handling are implemented in one monolithic program, MH is  a  collection
of  loosly  coupled  programs,  each  of  which implement one particular
aspect of message handling.
     This implementation strategy has been found to be very flexible and
easy  to  use.  Rather  than  having  to learn a new set of commands and
conventions for interacting with  the  message  system,  users  use  the
standard  system  command facility which they are already familiar with.
Also, each module is relatively small, easy to debug and modify, and new
modules  are  easy  to  add in a completely transparent manner.  Another
important design feature of MH is its use of the operating  system  file
facilities  directly.  That  is,  there  are  no monolithic message data
bases,  rather  messages  are  stored   as   individual   files   within
directories, which act as message folders.  Thus, all standard utilities
are available on the messages without  having  to  code  them  into  the
message system itself.
     Finally, each user of MH has a personal profile which allows for
tailoring of each command.  With these facilities, users are able to
start using the package immediately, and to enhance their interface as
they gain knowledge of their own usage patterns.