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+ − 1
+ − 2 @node Reading Mail, Calendar/Diary, Sending Mail, Top
+ − 3 @chapter Reading Mail
+ − 4 @cindex mail
+ − 5 @cindex message
+ − 6
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+ − 7 XEmacs provides several mail-reading packages. Each one comes with
+ − 8 its own manual, which is included in each package.
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+ − 9
+ − 10 The recommended mail-reading package for new users is VM. VM works
+ − 11 with standard Unix-mail-format folders and was designed as a replacement
+ − 12 for the older Rmail.
+ − 13
+ − 14 XEmacs also provides a sophisticated and comfortable front-end to the
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+ − 15 MH mail-processing system, called @samp{MH-E}. Unlike in other
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+ − 16 mail programs, folders in MH are stored as file-system directories,
+ − 17 with each message occupying one (numbered) file. This facilitates
+ − 18 working with mail using shell commands, and many other features of
+ − 19 MH are also designed to integrate well with the shell and with
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+ − 20 shell scripts. Keep in mind, however, that in order to use MH-E
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+ − 21 you must have the MH mail-processing system installed on your
+ − 22 computer.
+ − 23
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+ − 24 The @dfn{Everything including the kitchen sink} package @samp{Gnus} is
+ − 25 also available as an XEmacs package. Gnus also handles Usenet articles
+ − 26 as well as mail.
+ − 27
+ − 28 @samp{MEW} (Messaging in the Emacs World) is another mail-reading
+ − 29 package available for XEmacs.
+ − 30
+ − 31 Finally, XEmacs provides the Rmail package. Rmail is (currently)
+ − 32 the only mail reading package distributed with FSF GNU Emacs, and is
+ − 33 powerful in its own right. However, it stores mail folders in a
+ − 34 special format called @samp{Babyl}, that is incompatible with all
+ − 35 other frequently-used mail programs. A utility program is provided
+ − 36 for converting Babyl folders to standard Unix-mail format; however,
+ − 37 unless you already have mail in Babyl-format folders, you should
+ − 38 consider using Gnus, VM, or MH-E instead.
