eMerge is a simple desktop application that lets you personalize form letters and send them to people on the Internet. You can use our built-in tools to create lists of names and e-mail addresses, or import all the information you need from your existing databases.
— Create direct mail advertising campaigns.
— Customize your product announcements.
— Move your billing system online.
— Make everyone on your mailing list feel like they aren't.
This demo allows you to use all the features of the full version of eMerge, except that you can only send ten messages in any one session; and although you can dredge your entire hard drive for addresses, you can only save the first ten people on your list. Even with these limitations, don't be surprised if you find the demo useful right away. (Don't tell anyone, but we used it this year to send all our Valentine's messages.)
To send more than ten messages, quit the application and start again. Or better still, make everybody happy and purchase the full version of eMerge.
Also, every message sent out will have a short message appended to the end saying that the message was sent by eMerge and giving our company name and web page. If you purchase a full working copy of eMerge, this message will not appear.
Purchasing eMerge
The Macintosh version of eMerge is available online, directly from our website at http://www.galleon.com. We maintain contracts with two online fulfillment centers in order to provide you with a variety of payment methods.
If you wish to purchase a packaged version of eMerge, complete with a printed manual, contact Galleon Software directly for more information on a reseller near you.
One day we'll be selling eMerge for $250.00; but for the time being, we're offering eMerge at a special introductory price of $175.00. All prices are in U.S. dollars.
If eMerge doesn't save you this much money in time alone the first time you use it, then you simply aren't charging enough for your time.
The Windows version of eMerge is under development. Send us a note, and we'll keep you posted as we near completion and things start getting exciting.
What you need
To run this demo version of eMerge you need the following things:
— A Macintosh-compatible computer with at least 4 MB of RAM and running System 7.0, or better. eMerge does not run on the Macintosh Plus, SE, SE/30, Classic, or the Powerbook 100.
— If your system is not running System 7.5, or better, you must install Thread Manager, included in the eMerge folder. To install Thread Manager, drag and drop it on your System Folder. The Finder automatically places it in your Extensions Folder.
— MacTCP or Open Transport
— An IP connection to the Internet. eMerge supports modem or direct network connections. It does not support indirect Internet access through such online services as America Online or CompuServe.
What you get
eMerge comes in a single self-extracting archive containing the following things:
— A demo version of eMerge that runs on all Macintosh computers. You can purchase a version of eMerge optimized for Power Macintosh.
— The complete eMerge manual. To read it, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0, or later. You can download this for free from most online services or Adobe's site on the World Wide Web.
— Some sample eMerge campaigns.
Connecting to the Internet
Your computer may be connected to the Internet through your Local Area Network, or you might connect over the phone using a modem and point-to-point protocol (PPP). Whatever the case, eMerge uses the connection to the Internet you already have in place. When you start sending messages from eMerge, the application connects automatically. There is nothing else for you to install.
If you are not connected to the Internet, contact a local Internet service provider for assistance. Their Technical Support department can help you configure your computer to connect to the Internet.
Note: eMerge only supports direct IP access to the Internet. It does not support indirect Internet access through such online services as America Online or CompuServe. If you are unsure of the type of Internet service you have, contact your Internet service provider.
Configuring eMerge
eMerge comes largely preconfigured. The only fine tuning you may have to do concerns the way eMerge delivers messages. By default, eMerge first attempts to deliver its messages directly to each recipient’s mail server. If your computer is protected by an Internet firewall, however, you will likely encounter problems with direct delivery.
To avoid these problems, eMerge offers three delivery options. To choose the option that is best for you, follow these steps.
1) From the menu bar, select Edit -> Preferences.
2) Click the Application tab.
3) Under SMTP Options, choose the Send Messages option that best suits your needs.
— Direct Only: eMerge attempts to send its messages directly to each recipient’s mail server. The benefits of this method are that you are not charged for e-mail sent directly to mail servers and many servers can tell you immediately whether or not the message was sent successfully. On the other hand, direct connections can be slow, and if they fail, you have to try again manually. Note: You cannot use this method if your computer is protected by an Internet firewall.
— Mail Server Only: eMerge directs all messages through your mail server. This is the method you must choose if your computer is protected by an Internet firewall. The other benefit of this method is that the delivery of all your messages may take less time, since you are letting your mail server do all the hard work of connecting to each recipient’s mail server. On the other hand, mail may actually take longer to get to the recipients, and you may have to wait for as long as two days before your mail server informs you of undeliverable messages.
— Direct -> Mail Server: You get the best of both worlds. eMerge first tries to send each message directly to the recipient’s mail server. If it fails, it sends the message through your mail server. You cannot use this method if your computer is protected by an Internet firewall, except, of course, to send messages to people on your side of the firewall.
4) If necessary, for Mail Server, enter the address of your mail server. You need to do this if you chose either the Mail Server Only option or the Direct -> Mail Server in step 3.
Known difficulties
Some of our customers have experienced long delays and frequent errors when trying to connect directly to some mail servers. This is due to the nature of the Internet, especially when attempting to communicate with sites that are far from your own. If you encounter these problems on a regular basis or for specific addresses, we recommend that you send these messages using the Mail Server Only option described above.
