Users of MSU's Pilot e-mail system have a new option for checking their messages - they just don't know it.

A new Web site, mail.msu.edu, will replace the 10-year-old Pilot system. The site features faster Web-based mail access, a spell check tool and an address book feature.

While the site was accessible today for sending and receiving mail, students and staff should not be able to sign up at this time, a Computer Center employee said.

"If it's letting people in, it shouldn't be. They're testing it," Rich Wiggins said.

MSU's Instructional Computing Technology Committee made the decision to switch to the new system last fall, said Danielle DeVoss, a committee member.

But she also didn't know that the new system was already available.

"There are 40,000 students, the American Thought and Language assistant professor said. "Then pack on 1,000 professors and about 1,000 staff members. It's going to take a while for everyone to switch over."

The old system, which allows users to check e-mail through Telnet software or the Web-based TWIG program, will be phased out by the end of 2003.

For more on this story please see Thursday's edition of The State News.