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+++ b/man/xemacs/reading.texi	Mon Aug 13 08:45:50 2007 +0200
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+
+@node Reading Mail, Calendar/Diary, Sending Mail, Top
+@chapter Reading Mail
+@cindex mail
+@cindex message
+
+XEmacs provides three separate mail-reading packages.  Each one comes with
+its own manual, which is included standard with the XEmacs distribution.
+
+The recommended mail-reading package for new users is VM.  VM works
+with standard Unix-mail-format folders and was designed as a replacement
+for the older Rmail.
+
+XEmacs also provides a sophisticated and comfortable front-end to the
+MH mail-processing system, called @samp{mh-e}.  Unlike in other
+mail programs, folders in MH are stored as file-system directories,
+with each message occupying one (numbered) file.  This facilitates
+working with mail using shell commands, and many other features of
+MH are also designed to integrate well with the shell and with
+shell scripts.  Keep in mind, however, that in order to use mh-e
+you must have the MH mail-processing system installed on your
+computer.
+
+Finally, XEmacs provides the Rmail package.  Rmail is (currently) the
+only mail reading package distributed with FSF GNU Emacs, and is
+powerful in its own right.  However, it stores mail folders in a special
+format called @samp{Babyl}, that is incompatible with all other
+frequently-used mail programs.  A utility program is provided for
+converting Babyl folders to standard Unix-mail format; however, unless
+you already have mail in Babyl-format folders, you should consider
+using VM or mh-e instead. (If at times you have to use FSF Emacs, it
+is not hard to obtain and install VM for that editor.)