The Linux Mail User HOWTO

Eric Steven Raymond

esr@thyrsus.com

This is version 3.1

$Date: 2025/02/20 10:59:30 $

Revision History
Revision 3.1	8 December 2025	Revised by: esr
Mention Mailman.
Revision 3.0	12 August 2025	Revised by: esr
First DocBook version.

This document is an introduction to the world of electronic mail (email) under Linux. It focuses on user-level issues and typical configurations for Linux home and small-business machines connected to the net via an ISP.

You need to read this if you plan to communicate locally or to remote sites via electronic mail. You probably do not need to read this document if don't exchange electronic mail with other users on your system or with other sites.

For information on configuring and administering mail, see the Mail Administrator HOWTO.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1. New versions of this document
1.2. Hardware requirements for email programs
1.3. Software sources for email programs

2. Mail User Agents

2.1. Setting your mail editor
2.2. mutt
2.3. elm
2.4. pine
2.5. Netscape
2.6. Emacs rmail/smail and vm.
2.7. BSD mail
2.8. Other user agents

3. Advanced topics

3.1. Aliases
3.2. Forwarding
3.3. Auto-answering
3.4. Mailing lists
3.5. Mail filters
3.6. Coping with spam

4. Other sources of information

4.1. USENET
4.2. Books
4.3. Periodic USENET Postings
4.4. Where not to look for help

5. Administrivia

5.1. Feedback
5.2. Copyright Information
5.3. Standard Disclaimer
5.4. Acknowledgements