I am DESPERATELY trying to find a PC based e-mail wide area network service
or the necessary network software to establish one myself. While I am aware
there are various BBS's and other similar services avalible (like Compuserve,
Canada Remote Systems etc.) I require fairly specific criteria. In 
approximate order of importance they are:

1) The mail/files/news are read/written locally and batched to the network
   server. (ie. no continuous on-line connection)(NOTE: all users are remote
   and will use modems over conventional phone lines.)

2) Simple. The users I have for the system have very little computer knowledge
   have never heard of Unix, and have very little interest in learning. It is
   essential that the client software is completely pain-free.

3) Cheap. We would prefer not paying high connect fees to an established
   commercial network, just so we can send large files between members of the
   group - hence (1). In addition I would like the network server to be
   something small, simple and inexpensive like a 486. (There are only about
   40 people in the group, so it is not a huge network.)

4) The capability for Internet access (for news/mail).

5) Internet style id's (eg. pwood@math.uwaterloo.ca)


   If anyone knows of a system similar to what I am describing, even if it
doesn't sastisfy all my criteria, and I don't care where it is, PLEASE PLEASE
e-mail me and tell me about it. We are not adverse to making alterations to
an existing system if necessary.