Transcript Unix email programs

Unix email
and the Internet
Pine Email System and Netscape
1
Email - what is it?

Number of ways to read/send email on
Unix.
– mail
– elm
– pine

We’ll focus on pine as it has the easiest
interface and is found on almost all UNIX
systems.
2
Email addresses

All email addresses look the same:
– [username]@[computer name]
Since it’s based on user name on a given
computer, all email addresses are unique.
 For this class it is your login name

– Ex. [email protected]
3
Email on Unix

Your email file is just a plain text file.
 Usually located in the directory
var/mail/[username].
 When mail is sent to you, the computer
appends it to the end of your mail file.
 The email program opens up that file and
displays its contents to you.
4
pine

Simple to use.
 Made by same people that made pico,
which is a UNIX-based text editor.
 User-friendly interface.
5
Invoking pine
Run from command line: grid: pine
 Runs in the same window.
 Pine is run from menu options.

– Either move around menu with arrow keys, or
type first letter of menu choice.
– Use < , > keys to move between menu choices.
– Available menu options are displayed at the
bottom of the pine window.
6
7
Reading Mail
Choose ‘folder list’ from main menu.
 Taken to a list of folders

– Can create folders for saving/archiving.

Choose inbox to go to current mail.
 Use arrow keys (up/down arrow) to scroll
between messages.
 <Return> to choose.
 Can reply, forward, save and delete.
8
9
10
11
Pine Composing

Choose compose from main menu.
– Use arrow keys to move between fields.
– To send attachment go to attachment field and hit
“<control> t” to go to files (listing of your home
directory).
– Other notables when sending:





<control> x
<control> c
<control> k
<control> u
<control> j
- Send
- Cancel
- (Cut) Delete a line of text
- (Uncut) Paste a last cut line of text.
- Attach a file
12
13
Pine – Quitting
To exit Pine, hit ‘q’ (to quit) at any point.
 At the bottom will be some prompts that you
will have to respond to to successfully exit.
Some examples are:

– Really quit pine?
 (hit y or n)
– Expunge the 1 deleted message from "INBOX"?
 If you marked any messages for deletion. (hit y or n)

In the end, you will be returned to your
command prompt.
14
Mail Forwarding

Create a file in your home directory called
.forward
 In the file, type the address to which you
want your mail forwarded
 Save
 Example: [email protected]
15
Internet on Miller

Netscape currently the only available browser on
our system.
 To run type netscape& at command prompt:
– Example: grid: netscape&

The ‘&’ tells the system that netscape is a process
which can be put in the background. This allows
you to work with other commands/applications
while still having a browser open.
16
netscape

Browse as usual.
 Use delete key instead of backspace
 Click links to save to your home directory.
(Almost no applications to run Microsoft
products on due to the rich text formatting. )
 File -> Print to print from web
– Print command and printer name will need to be
supplied

Acrobat reader installed.
– Example: miller: acroread syllabus.pdf
17