Can you suggest to them that they create some sort of free program/html program that can read one of VB's exported formats and maintain it's own local (user's PC) version of the mail system.
I think it would be quite cool.
The idea is to be able to export messages into a similar mailbox format that VB uses. It would have to support other VB forums as well. A file per forum would be fine).
or for that matter, to utilize the exported XML format.
So, it would really need a "Open local mail (.xml) file", a "Close local mail (.xml) file" and export changed to
"export/merge with local XML file". It might need an "Index local .xml file" option too.
Initially, I said "stand alone application", but maybe that's not necessary.
e.g A webpage that calls a JAVA based app that uses a local file containing the exported mail" An index file might be necessary and could be created automagicly.