[oclug] GUI vs cmdline mail (was Top if my head sugestion for enhancment to GUI mailclients.)

[Rod Giffin]

Michael P. Soulier said:
> On 24/06/03 Rod Giffin did speaketh:
>
>> This message was written, and sent, entirely without a mouse, using
>> Evolution.  I can do the same thing in KMail too, I believe.
>
>     I'd love a demonstration, including customization of those
> keybindings.

I don't have any reason to customize them.  It's an intuitive interface. 
Go to the next message... hit the down arrow key.  Want to reply, crtl-r,
send crtl-return.  Cut crtl-x, copy crtl-c, paste crtl-v.  To change those
keybindings would change the intuitive nature of the interface.  You can
also Alt-<key> if you want to see what's in the menu's.  The arrow keys
assist in navigation.

When I read your message, I exited Evolution, then setting my mouse aside,
I started it again, opened the Oclug folder, scrolled to your message,
replied and exited evolution all without touching my mouse.

>> I havn't noticed anything yet that the "cmdliners" say that they do
>> that I can't do with a good GUI email client.
>
>     You failed to address all my points.

I'm not sure what I left out of "I havn't noticed anything yet..."

> Continue please, this is the
> kind of discussion I've been hoping for, instead of the usual morinic
> flamewars.
>     What about remote access? What about macros? Are there fast
> keybindings for say, "delete-thread", piping to external programs,
> editing with external editors?

For remote access I have a few options, I use an imap client from courrier
myself, and access my mail via a webmail client.  I do this because that
way I can access my e-mail from behind firewalls at my clients sites that
don't allow me to access my e-mail otherwise.  I can also share mail with
my PDA, for instance.

To delete a thread, <Crtl><h> selects the thread - "Highlight" is the same
as "select" in a gui - <crtl><d> delete's it.  You can use the arrow keys
to move to the thread if it's not handy.

A macro to do what?  The menu's are awfully complete.  The message sorting
and moving functions are all within a few mouse clicks, or key strokes.

What do you want to pipe to an external program?  For instance for
attachments, Evolution allows you to save, view inline, or view in an
external application.  It uses your OS's mime-type settings to do this.

I'm not necessarily a fan of Evolution, at the moment I'm simply testing
it for use in at a client site.  Other than its footprint in RAM after its
closed, I like it, a lot.

Rod.