becker@cs.rochester.edu (Tim Becker) (08/16/89)
I'm using bash 1.0.2 on SunOS 4.0.3. Checking mail before shell prompts is a potential problem in NFS environments. As a system administrator, I *need* my shell to work as the walls come tumbling down around me. Yet, if /usr/spool/mail is NFS mounted and that machine is inaccessible, I can't get a shell prompt. Thoughtfully, Bash has a MAILCHECK variable that I can unset. However, bash still checks mail on shell startup if the shell isn't a login shell. I think that this initial mail check should be deleted. If the user has MAILCHECK unset, never check mail. If he has it set, why bother to check it on shell startup? Won't the regular mail check time come up soon enough (right away?)? Tim Becker. becker@cs.rochester.edu ..!rutgers!rochester!becker