Hi.
I finally decided myself to install a software to manage my mails.
So, I think I'll go for mutt: it appears quite often on the list ( so I
might ask if I have problems, before trying another one when everything
will be ok ) and runs into a terminal, which makes it perfect for me
since I use a tiling window managers: it will never spawn ugly dialog in
my face for a reason or another, and for the situations when I simply
want to run a TTY without X, it will fit perfectly too.
But now, it seems ( says this article
http://nongeekshandbook.blogspot.fr/2009/02/mutt-email-client-that-sucks-less.html
) that it needs 2 other tools: one to fetch mails from server, and
another one to send them.
For the fetcher, I am surprised that debian does not seems to recommend
or suggest using one, so I will not spend time on that -for now at
least- and will do as the article says, unless I discover something
interesting in the process.
But for the tool to send mails, things are different: I can count 16
alternatives. Some are obviously wrong for my use, like lsb-invalid-mta,
postfix or exim ( those last ones are probably too big for my simple
usage, they seems designed for big boxes where mailing is an important
task ), but even after removing some obvious ones, I still have a lot of
choice.
So, here is my question:
What would you use as a MTA on a Debian system made for an end-user?
Of course, I could take one of them at random and try to go with it, but
I would like to take the occasion to learn basics about that, without
installing a tool from which I will never use or understand 10% of the
features...
So, I would like something which:
_ supports IMAP, POP3 and SMTP ( this does not sound excessive I think,
but if there are other important protocols, I do not even know their
existences or uses )
_ is not a daemon running constantly: why should I have a daemon running
to send mail when I am not connected to Internet or not taking care of
my mails? Something which is started by the client ( MUA it seem? ) is
good enough for me and does not consume time when starting or shutting
down my computers.
_ is lightweight, because I always aim to have a system which let all
possible resources to my compilers, and which respect my batteries. I
bet that if I can still survive 4H with wifi after 3 years of intensive
use, it is partly because I do not use heavy softwares.
_ is configured by raw text in the good old UNIX way because I have
learn so many from Debian's configuration files and their comments,
which are very useful when you messed everything and can not even access
Internet :)
Does it even exists? If not, what is, in your opinions, the better to
fit those goals?
Thanks.
PS: sorry for the long description of my request, but I tried to be as
complete as possible. Hopefully it makes things I aim for more clear...