[comp.mail.mh] migration to mh

chris@wg.estec.nl (chris rouch) (04/16/91)

Hi,

We're currently running on a mixture of Sun 3's and Sun 4's using the default
mial setup (i.e mail as the mail reader and sendmail as the deliverer). I
would like to migrate to mh, not least because I prefer the functionality and
would also be able to use xmh. I think I would also then be able to let users
get their mail on their own machines (using pop) rather than on the mail
server. 

I'd be interested in knowing if there are any good reasons for not migrating,
and if there aren't where I can get the source for the latest version.

Thanks for any help,

Chris
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Rouch                                                   chris@wg.estec.nl
Serco Space Ltd.                                            Tel: +31 1719 84672
ESTEC, The Netherlands.                                     Fax: +31 1719 84192

"They can take my lungs and kidneys, but my heart belongs to Daphne"

ziegast@ENG.UMD.EDU (Eric Ziegast) (04/17/91)

chris rouch writes:
>We're currently running on a mixture of Sun 3's and Sun 4's using the default
>mial setup (i.e mail as the mail reader and sendmail as the deliverer). I
>would like to migrate to mh, not least because I prefer the functionality and
>would also be able to use xmh. I think I would also then be able to let users
>get their mail on their own machines (using pop) rather than on the mail
>server. 
>
>I'd be interested in knowing if there are any good reasons for not migrating,
>and if there aren't where I can get the source for the latest version.

We are also a Sun3&4, sendmail, site.

1. Define migrate.  You don't want to use MH as the only mail system on
   your machines.  Sendmail is a much better transport agent.  If you
   install MH, it should be as a front-end to sendmail.  That way, people
   can use both MH and normal mail and you won't be forcing anyone to
   switch.

2. MH is a better front end than UCB mail, but some people (especially those
   not used to Unix (csh, pipes, command line arguments), might find MH to
   be too much to learn and would prefer just:

	dp
	dp
	dp
	r
	dp

   to go through their messages.

3. Some people here swear that they don't need MH.  I pity them, because
   they get so much mail and don't know how to organize it.

4. There are several utilities to handle UCB mail spools including
   mailtool (sun/Xview), xmail, elm, and others.

5. Here's probably the most practical reason not to use MH...
   Mail is stored in your home directory and not the mail spool.  This
   will count toward someone's quota (if they have one).

There is no reason whay you can't install MH as a mail front-end.  Once
you install MH, you can use packages like xmh.  You should not consider
MH as a replacement for sendmail or UCB mail.

You can get MH from several sites.  The one I use is ics.uci.edu, but
that's on internet.  If no one sends you mail on how to get MH, e-mail
jromine@ics.uci.edu  <wg!esatst!hp4nl!mcsun!uunet!ics.uci.edi!jromine>
He might be able to tell you if there's a UUCP site you can transfer
from.  Of course there's 1/4" tape too.  You can e-mail him for that
too.
________________________________________________________________________
Eric W. Ziegast, University of Merryland, Engineering Computing Services
ziegast@eng.umd.edu - Eric@(301.405.3689)