Re: package for Email

[Eric Brown <eric.c.brown@mac.com>]

Gottfried <gottfried@posteo.de> writes:

> Hi everybody,
>
> I am using thunderbird for emails.
> My question:
>
> 1. Which Email package do you use?
> Can you tell your experience with your email package?
>

I enjoy using Emacs for email. The main issue is that (corporate/work)
providers seem to be locking down user/password access which precludes
easy connection.

> 2. Does it make sense for me as an emacs-newbie to change from using thunderbird
> to an emacs email package?
>

Not unless you need:

* Advanced Email Processing
* Text-based interface to email (where GUI-restricted thunderbird is not
* an option)

> 3. There are
> Rmail, GNU, Wanderlust, Mu4e etc...
>

I've used all of them, and they are all pretty good. I use Gnus because
I started emacs when Usenet was big.  Gnus can (fortuitously) manage
IMAP and other mail box formats.

I use Gnus for my "email" and Rmail I usually configure to manage the
mail on the current system that I am working on, i.e. the mail spool

> 4. I prefer to habe folders because I like to have an overview.
> Mu4e doesn't have folders.
>

You have to evaluate for yourself if this is a blocker, but that would
sound like one to me.  I'd confirm this to be the case though.

> 5. I want IMAP.
> Do all of them provide IMAP? (does Rmail now provide IMAP)?
>

Yes, practically for Rmail you need mailutils compiled with tls support.

> 6. Wanderlust seems to be more difficult to set up, and I still have trouble
> because I am an Emacs-newbie.
>

No comment.

> 7. Which one is easier to use?
>

No comment, I tried and failed to get Gnus going, but eventually it
clicked and I haven't bothered migrating.

> 8. Should I start with Rmail? and later switch to GNU?
>

They are not alternatives. Rmail has been asserted by at least one
expert to be the default program.  I use both but I could probably do
everything in Gnus, and do so day-to-day.

> At the moment I don't need GNU for reading news etc...
>
> 9. Or is it useful to start with GNU because it has more options and I have to
> learn it anyhow? and I can use it with org-mode?
>

Yes, and yes.  You can draft in org and convert to HTML-based email.
Nice for tables, etc.   I also use org-contacts to TAB-populate To:

> 10. Do all of them have the same or similar keybindings or do I have to learn
> for each one separate keybindings?
>

They share emacs navigation. But I would say Gnus has a more "modal"
keybinding, with a leader key and then another more specific.

G t (Groups)
A t (Articles)
T n (Topics)

etc.

> 11. What are the benefits compared to thunderbird?

It is different.  I also use thunderbird because I like to check email
on my tablet with a stylus.

These are not alternatives.

> A. Only the keybindings of Emacs I can use and in knowing them it will 	      be
> easier in future to handle it?
> B. It is within emacs and uses less CPU
> C......

When Gnus threads (sorts by conversation) it can take a while on groups
with large messages, e.g. loading emacs-help and emacs-devel and
requesting all messages.  e.g. historical research.

Emacs with native-comp has completely changed the game for me, and
allows pretty much care-free browsing of groups without worry about a
lockup during processing.

(I actually use a separate Emacs process for doing this, so my other
activities aren't blocked.)

Best regards,
Eric