Fastfile Applications

The good news is that we have decide that we will release all Fastfile and Mailkit code under some form of open-source license.

My reasoning for this is that I feel that in all honesty, I cannot recommend anyone to continue using software that is  10 years old.

Today the world is changing exponentially fast, and it is worth reviewing working practices on a regular basis as new technologies become available.

In the “Information Age” – what is needed more than anything else is  intelligence.  I have started a new blog about Science, Technology and Spirituality – which I am sure you will find useful.

The code posted there in due, course, but in the meantime you are free to post any comments or questions here – by posting on the website your questions and answers will bless others. And if another former-client has an answer, you’ll both benefit from the exchange.

We are still thinking and praying through the details and thank you for your patience.

Confidentiality: We want to assure all the former Clients of Fastfile applications and Mailkit – that your private data is completely secure and will remain so.  There have been some requests to put clients in touch with each other.  If you would like to be put in touch with other clients, please contact us and give us your permission.

We understand Royal Mail are changing the prices in April. We have had some queries about what to do. So here is the relevant section from our Manual:

CHANGING THE PRICES

Mailsort prices and public tariff prices are held in a file called RMPRICES.DXT.  If Royal Mail announce price changes to Mailsort or Presstream you can make the necessary changes yourself without needing an update from Fastfile.  But when Royal Mail change the formula then you will need a new copy of Mailkit.

You can alter the prices or factors that go into the formula by clicking the Prices button in either of the Reports programs.

Enter  the new prices, factors and discounts in the pricing panel.  Click on the exit button and confirm you wish to save the changes.

Once the new pricing details have been entered, they will be used for calculating prices on all reports generated thereafter.

The Mailsort price for an item is called the “straight line cost” (SLC) because it is calculated from a formula which gives the price in 1 gram increments rather than large steps as in the public tariff prices.

The formula is :

SLC = postage rate  + price factor (actual weight – fixed weight)

The fixed weight is 60, 100 or 300 grams depending on the actual weight and the service.

The price factor is always less than 1 and may have up to 4 places of decimals. Price factors should be entered in the grid as 100 times their actual value, that is a number with 2 places of decimals.

Do not add or delete rows in the prices grid as this will cause chaos.

We hope you like our new website – we thought it would be helpful to improve this website, so we can more easily tell you about our plans, as we go forward.

Our intention is to be as open as possible and to keep you as informed as we can about what we are doing and planning.  The website will help us do that – and your comments and input are very much appreciated.

We’ll post regularly on this site – so you are kept informed. If you’d like to be notified of new posts as they are placed on the site – you can register to receive emails using the form at the top of  the right-hand sidebar.

We welcome you feedback.

We also wanted to let you know about the Memorial Thanksgiving Service being held for Lindsay in case any of you wanted to come.

A Thanksgiving Service to celebrate the life of Lindsay Scott will be held on

Monday 23^rd November, 4pm at:

Refreshments will be served in the Church annex after the service.

Donations in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)

(An open email to fastfile customers. )

Dear fastfile customers,

Thanks to those of you who have sent messages of condolence, and appreciation for dad’s work with your companies. We’re grateful for these.

We’ve also received various expressions of interest in the code, and we wanted to to let you know that we will be exploring the best way to proceed, either selling the company as a whole or in parts, or licensing the software code to another company, or some other option. Rest assured we’ll do all we can to find a solution that ensures continuity of service, wherever possible.

Lindsay’s son, Daniel, wrote the sorting algorithm at the heart of Mailkit while he was a Mathematics undergraduate at Cambridge some years ago. Although, Daniel hasn’t been involved in FastFile in recent years, he has some knowledge of the company that should help as we explore the next steps in due course. Please be patient however, our first priorities are making sure Lindsay’s widow is cared for, and preparing a thanksgiving service for dad’s life.

If you are interested in exploring the possibility of buying part of the code or business, please be in touch again.

Daniel Scott