Unix email programs

1
Unix email programs

• What email is, how to send it, and how to read
  it.

2
Email at the command line

• Unix has text based mail programs
• Web-based mail (like Panthermail) is usually
  easier, more intuitive
• Two popular mail programs
• pine
• elm

3
Email addresses

• All email addresses look the same
• username_at_computer name
• Since its based on user name on a given
  computer, all email addresses are unique.

4
Email on Unix

• Your email file is just a plain text file.
• Usually located in the directory
  var/mail/username
• When mail is sent to you, the computer just
  appends it to the end of your mail file
• The email program just opens up that file and
  displays its contents to you

5
pine

• Simplest of the mailers to use
• Made by same people that made pico
• Has the easiest interface

6
Elm

• The preferred mailer of Unix enthusiasts
• Invoked same as pine
• elm

7
mail and mailx commands

• Command line mailer programs on Unix
• See the book for a description
• It's not for the faint of heart

8
Readings

• Chapters 10 in the book.
• Unix Shells