How to read mail under Linux in few easy steps
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Of course the simplest way would be to connect with a client
to a remote server which stores your mail:
remote server -> client
The problem here is that your linux system may send some mail
to you if some things go wrong ... so you want a local server:
remote server -> local server -> client
You may also read mail from several locations, unfortunately some
do not push the mail to you, you have to pull it, no problems:
remote server -> fetchmail -> local server -> client
By now you have lots of email so you need a tool to process and archive
the important mail. procmail to the rescue:
remote server -> fetchmail -> local server -> procmail -> client
With lots of mail came lots of spam so we need to call an external
filter from within procmail:
remote server -> fetchmail -> local server -> procmail -> spamassassin -> procmail
- client
You are almost an expert now, you want to read your mail from wherever,
with whatever. The easiest way is imap (of course you would use in
fact imaps):
remote server -> fetchmail -> local server -> procmail -> spamassassin -> procmail
-> imap -> client
At this point I am beginning to be short on ideas. Of course you could
add some fluff here and there like archivemail to auto-delete old mail, etc.
_The mail must flow_
Cheers,
--
Ryurick M. Hristev mailto:ryurick.hristev@;canterbury.ac.nz
Computer Systems Manager
University of Canterbury, Physics & Astronomy Dept., New Zealand
