We have installed a number of email programs on Unix Systems. You may also read email from your Unix Systems account using a pop mail reader such as Netscape's Mail, Eudora, or any other pop-mail reader. The programs installed and usable once you are logged into Unix Systems are:
All text-mode email readers also require you to use a separate editor to compose outgoing messages. This default editor on Unix Systems is Pico. Mail, mailx, and mail all require you to ask for the editor by typing "~e" in the first 2 columns of a blank line. elm and pine automatically start the editor for you when you start composing a message.
Help for all of these programs is available in the form of man pages. Type man progname, where progname is the name of the mail program for which you want help.
Text-mode Mail readers
| mail - The most rudimentary of the original Unix email readers |
| mailx - This is a little easier to use in that it and Mail offer subject lines for your mail message. |
| Mail - This is actually the same program as mailx with a different name. |
| pine - This is a mail reader which offers menus to you and allows you to easily use an editor to write your outgoing email. |
| elm - It also provides an easy-to-use list of unread and read email messages. It is not 'Y2K' compliant, but will continue to function anyway. |
X-window based email readers - you can use these email readers if you are using the eXodus or the eXceed X-window server on your PC. These mail readers provide a list of messages/mailboxes and pull-down menus to perform the various functions you will need to do such as read, send, attach files and so on.
| dtmail - The CDE (Common Desktop) interface mail reader. |
| dxmail - The DECwindows-based email reader. |
Remote Email readers. These assume that your system administrator has installed a 'pop' or an 'imap' email server on the system.
| Eudora |
| Netscape Communicator Mail |
| Internet Explorer (has mail client functionality) |
| Claris Mail |
| Microsoft Mail and Outlook from Win95 and NT desktops |