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I'm personally using a combination of fetchmail-ssl, procmail, and kmail.  
Handles everything I need it to, and a lot more!

> - Must be able to handle multiple IMAP-based accounts.  (not necessarily
> on the same server)

fetchmail.  Check out the webpage http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/fetchmail.  VERY 
east to set up and get working.  My biggest problem with it was making it 
play nice with the SSL auth on my IMAP server, but that was only a problem 
because I'm a moron.

> - Must be able to easily change which account I'm sending email from,
> ideally selectable from the individual message composition screen.

KMail all the way.  Set up as many inboxes as you like, and they'll all be 
viewable Outlook-style from the main screen.

> - Must support caching of IMAP messages to local folders (i.e. offline
> mode) no -- POP3 won't work for me.

I use fetchmail, so I'm cheating...my messages have to be local for me to 
even see them (KMail doesn't support IMAP yet).  But the transfer is 
invisible to me.

> - Must be able to provide a view similar to Outlook's folder list that
> shows me, *at a single glance* how many unread messages I have in each
> of my IMAP accounts.  No switching around, no multiple keystrokes -- one
> screen.

Definitely.  Almost identical to the Outlook folder list.

> - Must have preview pane capabilities or, at the very least, something
> similar to Outlook's show first 3-lines capability.

You got it.

> - Must have sophisticated filtering/rules capabilities.  (pretty sure
> procmail can fulfill this)

KMail actually does support it's own quite sophisticated filtering set, which 
I use in lieu of Procmail.  I generally just use Procmail to recognize PGP 
sigs/encrypts.  (Did I mention that KMail seamlessly integrates PGP?)

> - Must support automatic spell-checking of emails.
Hm.  If by automatic you mean "squiggly red line", then no.  But spell-check 
is just a keystroke away.

> - Must seamlessly handle MIME attachments (meaning I click on the "add
> attachment" button/key, select the file from the hard drive and send the
> email message with no other farting around.)
Yessir, as long as your mime.types are set up correctly.  I have yet to run 
into problems.

> - Must have integrated address book (or seamlessly integrate into
> another address book program) This includes auto-completing email
> addresses as they're entered and the ability to enter actual names and
> have the address program substitute the email address upon sending.

Abbrowser supported, as well as it's own internal addressbook browser.  I 
think it's extensible for more, as well.

> - Must have integrated calendaring program (or seamlessly integrate into
> another calendar program)

Now that it won't do, to my knowledge.  But check out the way it works 
with the KOffice calendar (which I don't use).

> - Must synch up with Palm Pilots (at least address book and calendar --
> don't care about synching email)

Can't help you there...I sync my m505 via Windows because I can't figure out 
how to make Linux recognize the USB cradle (enlighten me?).

> - Address book must support exporting for use in other programs.

Several different export layouts.  I use the .kab version myself.

> - Nice to have a debian package, but not required.

apt-get update; apt-get install fetchmail-ssl kmail procmail

> - Nice to be free, but not necessarily required.

> - Be as stable (or more) as Outlook 2002.

Goes without saying, I think.

> - Does not have to be one single program, but does have to integrate
> reasonably simply.  I'm not willing to write custom code or spend 12
> hours on fiddling with things to get them interoperating correctly.
> (especially as this is not something I have to do with Outlook)

On Thursday 12 July 2001 12:28, Kurt Lieber wrote:
> OK, I've read with great amusement all the chest-thumping going on about
> MUAs, MTAs and how Microsoft email products are things that you scrape
> off the bottom of your shoe.
>
> I, for one, am brand-spanking new at Linux and have yet to find a Linux
> MUA that meets my needs.  I really do like Linux and would like to
> transition over to it for my desktop machine, but because of it's
> weakness on the MUA side, I haven't been able to do so.  ("weakness" is
> my perception - you can prove me wrong by continuing to read)
>
> So, here's a list of my requirements and I'm hoping you guys can point
> me to an MUA that meets them.  If so, I'll gladly switch over to Linux
> full-time and forswear Microsoft forever. :)
>
>
> These are, IMO, very reasonable, standard requirements and they are
> things that I *rely* on to get my job done.  Again, I really hope that
> there's a package (or set of packages) that will allow me to do what I'm
> looking for.  So far, I haven't seen it.  And yes, I will gladly
> sacrifice a *little* stability in order to achieve these features and
> capabilities.
>
> If there isn't, then I hope the person who stated "anyone who uses MS
> email products is ignorant" will reconsider their statement.
>
> Thanks.
>
> --kurt

- -- 
my card...
  _______________________________________________
 |                                               |
 |            Jason Rashaad Jackson              |
 |  ____   ____                                  |
 | |    \ /    |  UNIX Systems Administrator     |
 |  |         |   2032 Dana Building             |
 |  |  |\ /|  |   (Office) 734.615.1422          |
 |  |  | . |  |   (Mobile) 734.649.6641          |
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