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Reacted to suggestions by Aaron Mueller.
author markus schnalke <meillo@marmaro.de>
date Mon, 09 Jul 2012 23:42:59 +0200
parents 8b411125645d
children f102dcc06bb9
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163:0628571d32d7 164:5c01017be420
36 Two years later, in 1979, Bruce Borden took the proposal and implemented a 36 Two years later, in 1979, Bruce Borden took the proposal and implemented a
37 prototype of MH. 37 prototype of MH.
38 Before the prototype's existence, the concept was 38 Before the prototype's existence, the concept was
39 believed to be practically unusable. 39 believed to be practically unusable.
40 But the prototype proved successful and replaced MS thereafter. 40 But the prototype proved successful and replaced MS thereafter.
41 In replacing MS, MH grew to an all-in-one mail system. 41 In replacing MS, MH grew to provide anything necessary for emailing.
42 .P 42 .P
43 In the early eighties, 43 In the early eighties,
44 the University of California at Irvine (UCI) started to use MH. 44 the University of California at Irvine (UCI) started to use MH.
45 Marshall T. Rose and John L. Romine then became the driving force. 45 Marshall T. Rose and John L. Romine then became the driving force.
46 They took over the development and pushed MH forward. 46 They took over the development and pushed MH forward.
81 received (i.e. transfer format). 81 received (i.e. transfer format).
82 The files are named with ascending numbers in each folder. 82 The files are named with ascending numbers in each folder.
83 The specific format of the mail storage characterizes MH in the same way 83 The specific format of the mail storage characterizes MH in the same way
84 as the format of the file system characterizes Unix. 84 as the format of the file system characterizes Unix.
85 .P 85 .P
86 MH tools maintain a \fIcontext\fP, which includes the current mail folder. 86 MH tools maintain a \fIcontext\fP, which includes for instance the
87 current mail folder.
87 Processes in Unix have a similar context, containing the current working 88 Processes in Unix have a similar context, containing the current working
88 directory, for instance. In contrast, the process context is maintained 89 directory, for instance. In contrast, the process context is maintained
89 by the Unix kernel automatically, whereas MH tools need to maintain the MH 90 by the Unix kernel automatically, whereas MH tools need to maintain the MH
90 context themselves. 91 context themselves.
91 The user can have one MH context or multiple ones; he can even share it 92 The user can have one MH context or multiple ones; he can even share it
92 with others. 93 with others.
93 .P 94 .P
94 Messages are named by their numeric filename, but they can have symbolic names, 95 Messages are named by their numeric filename,
95 too. These are either automatically updated 96 but they can have symbolic names, too.
97 These are either automatically updated
96 position names such as the next or the last message, 98 position names such as the next or the last message,
97 or user-settable group names for arbitrary sets of messages. 99 or user-settable group names for arbitrary sets of messages.
98 These names are called sequences. 100 These names are called sequences.
99 Sequences can be bound to the containing folder or to the context. 101 Sequences can be bound to the containing folder or to the context.
100 .P 102 .P
101 The user's \fIprofile\fP is a file that contains his MH configuration. 103 The user's \fIprofile\fP is a file that contains his MH configuration.
102 Default switches for the individual tools can be specified to 104 Default switches for the individual tools can be specified to
103 adjust them to the user's personal preferences. 105 adjust them to the user's personal preferences.
104 Multiple versions of the same command with different 106 Additionally, a single command can be linked under different names
105 default values can also be created very easily. 107 with different default values easily.
106 Form templates for new messages or for replies are easily changeable, 108 Form templates for new messages or for replies are easily changeable,
107 and output is adjustable with format files. 109 and output is adjustable with format files.
108 Almost every part of the system can be adjusted to personal preference. 110 Almost every part of the system can be adjusted to personal preference.
109 .P 111 .P
110 The system is well scriptable and extensible. 112 The system is well scriptable and extensible.
175 MH predates the Internet; it comes from times before networking was universal, 177 MH predates the Internet; it comes from times before networking was universal,
176 it comes from times when emailing was small, short and simple. 178 it comes from times when emailing was small, short and simple.
177 Then it grew, spread and adapted to the changes email went through. 179 Then it grew, spread and adapted to the changes email went through.
178 Its core-concepts, however, remained the same. 180 Its core-concepts, however, remained the same.
179 During the eighties, students at UCI actively worked on MH. 181 During the eighties, students at UCI actively worked on MH.
180 They added new features and optimized the code for the then popular systems. 182 They added new features and optimized the code for the systems
183 popular at that time.
181 All this still was in times before POSIX and ANSI C. 184 All this still was in times before POSIX and ANSI C.
182 As large parts of the code stem from this time, today's nmh source code 185 As large parts of the code stem from this time, today's nmh source code
183 still contains many ancient parts. 186 still contains many ancient parts.
184 BSD-specific code and constructs tailored for hardware of that time 187 BSD-specific code and constructs tailored for hardware of that time
185 are frequent. 188 are frequent.
229 .\" XXX Explain more 232 .\" XXX Explain more
230 233
231 234
232 .H1 "mmh 235 .H1 "mmh
233 .P 236 .P
237 .\" XXX which version did I ``fork''?
234 I started to work on my experimental version in October 2011, 238 I started to work on my experimental version in October 2011,
235 at a time when there had been no more than three commits to nmh 239 at a time when there had been no more than three commits to nmh
236 since the beginning of the year. 240 since the beginning of the year.
237 In December, when I announced my work in progress on the 241 In December, when I announced my work in progress on the
238 nmh-workers mailing list, 242 nmh-workers mailing list,
245 nmh-workers vixie edginess 249 nmh-workers vixie edginess
246 .] 250 .]
247 After long years of stagnation, nmh became actively developed again. 251 After long years of stagnation, nmh became actively developed again.
248 Hence, while I was working on mmh, the community was once more working 252 Hence, while I was working on mmh, the community was once more working
249 on nmh, in parallel. 253 on nmh, in parallel.
254 .\" XXX interaction between nmh and mmh
250 .P 255 .P
251 The name \fImmh\fP may stand for \fImodern mail handler\fP, 256 The name \fImmh\fP may stand for \fImodern mail handler\fP,
252 because the project tries to modernize nmh. 257 because the project tries to modernize nmh.
253 Personally however, I prefer to call mmh \fImeillo's mail handler\fP, 258 Personally however, I prefer to call mmh \fImeillo's mail handler\fP,
254 emphasizing that the project follows my visions and preferences. 259 emphasizing that the project follows my visions and preferences.
312 easily be tried out without the need to discuss changes beforehand. 317 easily be tried out without the need to discuss changes beforehand.
313 In fact, revolutionary changes are hardly possible otherwise. 318 In fact, revolutionary changes are hardly possible otherwise.
314 .P 319 .P
315 The mmh project provides the basis on which the aforementioned 320 The mmh project provides the basis on which the aforementioned
316 ideas can be implemented and demonstrated, 321 ideas can be implemented and demonstrated,
317 without the need to change nmh or its community. 322 without the need to change the nmh project or its community.
318 Of course, the results of the mmh project shall improve nmh, in the end. 323 Of course, the results of the mmh project shall improve nmh, in the end.
319 By no means it is my intent to work against the nmh project. 324 By no means it is my intent to work against the nmh project.
320 325
321 326
322 .U2 "Target Field 327 .U2 "Target Field
337 .\" XXX Naturally, he uses ... 342 .\" XXX Naturally, he uses ...
338 They naturally use modern email features, such as attachments, 343 They naturally use modern email features, such as attachments,
339 non-ASCII text, and digital cryptography. 344 non-ASCII text, and digital cryptography.
340 They are able to setup email system components besides mmh, 345 They are able to setup email system components besides mmh,
341 and actually like to have the choice to pick the ones they prefer. 346 and actually like to have the choice to pick the ones they prefer.
342 They have a reasonably modern operating system that complies to standards, 347 They have a reasonably modern operating system that complies to the
343 like POSIX and ANSI C. 348 POSIX and ANSI C standards.
344 .P 349 .P
345 The typical users invoke mmh commands directly in an interactive 350 The typical users invoke mmh commands directly in an interactive
346 shell session, but they use them to automate mail handling tasks as well. 351 shell session, but they use them to automate mail handling tasks as well.
347 Likely, they run their mail setup on a server machine, 352 Likely, they run their mail setup on a server machine,
348 to which they connect via ssh. 353 to which they connect via ssh.
383 This includes the mail submission and mail retrieval facilities. 388 This includes the mail submission and mail retrieval facilities.
384 Choice should be reduced to the main options. 389 Choice should be reduced to the main options.
385 All tools should be tightly shaped. 390 All tools should be tightly shaped.
386 .IP "Modernizing 391 .IP "Modernizing
387 Mmh's feature set needs to become more modern. 392 Mmh's feature set needs to become more modern.
388 Better support for attachment and digital cryptography should be added. 393 Better support for attachments, digital signatures and message encryption
394 should be added.
389 MIME support should be integrated deeper and more naturally. 395 MIME support should be integrated deeper and more naturally.
390 The modern email features need to be readily available, out-of-the-box. 396 The modern email features need to be readily available, out-of-the-box.
391 On the other hand, 397 On the other hand,
392 bulletin board support and similar obsolete facilities can be dropped out. 398 bulletin board support and similar obsolete facilities can be dropped out.
393 Likewise, ancient technologies should not be supported any further. 399 Likewise, ancient technologies should not be supported any further.