>OK, first I gotta apologise for the mail I posted earlier.

[snip]

<shrug>  No problem.

>Secondly, you'll be glad to know I have, following your advice, 
>jacked in trying to do DNS. It seems if I can get hosts to work 
>across all machines on the network it'll be fine. Thanks for 
>pointing me in the right directions.

You don't have to *abandon* the idea of using DNS.  But, tackling
that *now* when you don't have a pressing *need* AND are still
trying to get all the other "basics" sorted out seems foolish.
Get a better feel for some of the other things that you can
or might want to do -- then tackle DNS when you've "nothing better
to do..."  :>

>Thirdly, is it possible to use it as an automated mail server 
>instead? Maybe have it check every hour and not get too upset if it 
>fails? I can't see it being THAT big a strain. I would then need it 
>to regurgitate the mail to an IMAP or POP3 (which ever is easier 
>but tell me both and I will decide :) ) server (too much strain?) 
>so I could read it in the civilisation of my work computer.

I would imagine you could configure fetchmail (?) to pull down your
mail for you by firing it off a cron job.  But, admit that I
(deliberately) don't use any of my UN*X hosts for that sort of
work (until I have a *very* robust firewall in place and can
risk "exposing" my systems to the 'net)

If you are looking for uses for the LC III, you might (eventually)
consider:   [based on my assumptions that it is essentially a
LC II on steroids]
- DNS (big grin)
- time server (there be dragons here)
- print/plot server
- firewall/router (assuming a serial port modem; BFDs!)
- file server (i.e. for a CVS repository; low performance...
  assumes big external drive)
- X terminal (under MacOS *or* {Net,Open}BSD)
- BOOTP/TFTP/DHCP server
- [tape] backup server (assuming a big enough staging area)
- specialized "appliance" (i.e. doorbell, alarm system, etc.)

<shrug>  I've been stymied trying to find a use for LC's,
LC II's, etc.  Nice, small machines.  But, either *too*
small (i.e. can't add a second NIC) *or* too *slow*...
I already have most of the above facilities implemented
on SPARCs so the Macs feel "unwanted" and "neglected"... :-/

It's a small box.  Get it bootable and then slide it under 
your bed (or other suitable dust collection area :>) until
you can figure out what to use it for...  Or, if you have
a wife/SO, leave it on the dining room table for a few months...
that's *always* sure to start a few firey arguments!!!  
(heh heh heh... as he slinks off to remove the IIci from
the kitchen table...)

--don