@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.)