Messaging software

really there is no cheep way with a peer-to-peer network.
if you really want to go cheep, get a spair computer and set up linux, run sendmail and use a pop client to get your email from it.
otherwise there is always setting up an nt server and running exchange, or novell server with groupwise, or lotus notes an well, just about anything. In the end though the linux box would cost the least because the only thing you need to get is the hardware, everything else is free.

You will have to set up a server for email, there is no getting around that unless you use an ISP for your email. There are plenty of shareware or freeware email servers available. Try going to the download section of www.cnet.com and type in "mail server" in the search box. You will be pleasantly surprised. The thing to remember when using such programs is that support may be difficult to come by. You may want to look for one that you can get support for easily.

George

You could also go the route of an email hosting provider. Of course, this is not an internal system. The cheapest is Linux/sendmail, or various other email servers, as mentioned above.
Otherwise, you are looking to a more expensive solution UsingNovell or MS products.

Jordan