On Mon, Dec 16, 2002 at 11:53:01PM -0800, Dan Robinson wrote: > > Here are the facts: > > > >> Dan does not want to use a graphical user interface (GUI) to > relate to his computer (that means no windows, icons, mice, or > pointers). He has a philosophical/political preference for free (as > in speech) software and would rather not continue using Windows 95 > and its lame Internet Mail program with no spell checking. > > >With the exception of the spell-checking, this is old hat for me, > all of it. I can figure this much out though, relatively simply. > > >> It has been demonstrated at recent EUGLUG meetings that a > text-based mail system is possible with GNU/Linux. Dan actually has > the software on his computer (Debian 3.0). The problem which remains > is figuring out how to configure and use it. (Dan's computer, by the > way, is a desktop Pentium 133, with 32MB of ram, a Matrox SVGA card, > a CD ROM that is not bootable from the BIOS, and a hard disk that's > at least 2GB in capacity.) > > >Indeed; I use one exclusively. > > It sound like "you' the man".
I have simple justification - I'm legally blind, text is easier to work
with than graphics, since terminal windows can be made more readable. I
do work under a GUI (window maker) but I use primarily terminal windows
under it. My mail setup is totally text-based and has been for longer
than I have used Linux certainly.
> >Setting it all up for him is something I am able to do, but it would
> take me a couple of hours at least to produce something which any
> idiot could use. I assume he'd be wise to use a menu system of some
> sort. I can help there as well, though I have not actually used any
> program that might be useful except for pdmenu, which is likely not
> what he would want.
>
> >I would offer my time freely, but experience shows me that:
> 1. If I do what I would normally expect to be paid for freely, then
> nobody will expect to pay me for it.
> 2. My cost of living is higher than my income.
> 3. A small exchange of money for services tends to leave everyone
> feeling that nothing is owed to anyone. I do not like to owe or feel
> like I owe anybody personally, and I do not like to feel as if I am
> owed somethinga.
>
> I doubt there'll be any problem. Where can we connect? Do you come to
> clincs, or live in downtown or near a bus line. I can make other
> arrangements if you don't.
I do; I am the one with the white hair and beard with my nose most likely
buried in a shiny laptop. =) Unless I'm busy telling everyone how
absolutely awesome The Two Towers was, since I will be seeing it Wednesday
at its second showing. =D
I live a block from UO near Sacred Heart, so you don't get much more bus
line than that.
My number is 302-4295, I check messages often though I am seldom here to
receive them when they're left.
> >More information is required really. What exactly does he need?
> More detail means better ability to do what is needed quickly,
> efficiently, and cheaply. ;)
>
> The basics, for a start. I don't know enough about what else is
> available.
Well, to start with you need a way to get mail on your system from EFN or
wherever else. The standard issue program for this is fetchmail. Once
set up, you never need to worry about it again unless you change ISPs.
The syntax of the config files is simple enough that I can include a
comment line explaining how to add a new ISP or edit an old one.
Then you need to get mail from your system to your ISP. There are a
number of programs for this, some simple and most not. I have yet to find
the ideal mail server for a single workstation talking to an ISP, but most
of the full-featured ones can be made to do only that much. I use postfix
which has served me well enough.
You can use whatever editor you prefer for writing your mail. I guess you
already have a favorite? I use vim, which works for me but is certainly
not for the faint of heart. Debian now uses nano as its default editor
because of its onscreen commands which are very simple.
You then need a mail reader program. The two most common choices are mutt
and pine. I found pine's license to be annoying and moved to mutt a few
years ago.
If you want to spell-check your mail, you'll need aspell or ispell. I do
not know how these integrate with mutt yet, but can figure it out.
If you want your mail to not all wind up in your main inbox, you will want
a procmail setup. I can walk you through the mail filter FAQ and help you
get messages filtered.
Also, if you have not discovered screen and minicom, the former I've used
quite extensively and the latter behaves an awful lot like Telix for DOS
did.
--
Joseph Carter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> You're entitled to my opinion
knghtbrd: there may be no spoon, but can you spot the vulnerability in
eye_render_shiny_object.c?
-- rcw
msg12121/pgp00000.pgp
Description: PGP signature
