On 2000-03-01 23:09:22 +1100, Chuck Dale wrote:
> One way to make things clearer would be to have sections like
> [colors]
> [keybindings]
> [mailboxes]
> [lists]
> [folder_hooks]
You are completely free to create a set of configuration files, and
then source them. For instance, create a very simple ~/.muttrc
looking like this:
source ~/.mutt/settings
source ~/.mutt/colors
source ~/.mutt/keybindings
source ~/.mutt/mailboxes
source ~/.mutt/lists
source ~/.mutt/hooks
source ~/.mutt/aliases
set alias_file=~/.mutt/aliases
You can then modularize all your configuration with the aid of these
files. Actually, I think there are even some samples of this
flowing around.
You are also free to provide _and_ _maintain_ reasonably documented
sample files fitting into this pattern.
> 1. Sectionalise the config file to make the options easier to
> find.
See above.
> 2. Provide a graphical tool for newusers in the vein of
> fetchmailconf. As Mikko suggested.
You are free to write one, as is everyone else.
> That's a bad argument. Of course you are never going to make it
> "dead easy". But you just keep trying until it is as easy as
> possible. And the current Mutt configuration requires way too
> much initial effort to understand.
I beg your pardon? It's quite sufficient to know that the muttrc(5)
manual page exists (as of 1.1 ;), and to remember this fact. You
can then easily search for key words and will, in most cases,
immediately find the option you are looking for. The same thing is
true for the manual's reference section.
>> So you think it would be nice to learn things "little by
>> little"? Sure, that's possible too, start with no .muttrc at
>> all. Then when you run into something you'd like to change,
>> read the manual and add the relevant sections to your .muttrc.
> But it's very difficult to learn little by little with Mutt.
I beg your pardon?
> Because Mutt makes very little sense to do even basic mail stuff
> the first time you use it. Apart from sending and receiving mail
> that is.
Hey, that's what mutt is about!
You can then easily go to the web site, fetch other users' commented
configuration files, browse through them for interesting settings,
and start working with them.
> There are so many things that are non-intuitive: using folders,
What do you mean by "using folders"? The hooks? Or changing to
folders? Defining mailboxes?
> the help (I don't consider three screens of tersely described
> shortcuts to be "help"), and more (I'll think of them later..).
Once again, you are free to create a context-sensitive help syste,
provided you promise to maintain it, and provided it doesn't bloat
the code without end.
> The counter to this is that the Mutt user will already have to
> know a fair bit about email to get anywhere at all with Mutt.
> i.e. have configured fetchmail to get their mail from a POP
> server, configured sendmail to send out mail correctly
> masqueraded etc.
Sorry, but these issues are just far outside of mutt's scope. Mutt
is a rather traditional Unix mail user agent, just like elm, mailx,
mh, mush, and the like. That is, it leaves jobs which can be done
by the underlying system to that system, and doesn't try to
duplicate functionality which is present at other places on the
system.
Getting the mail system configured, getting fetchmail to work (BTW,
there is some basic POP support in Mutt), and the like are issues
which should be solved by system suppliers.
--
http://www.guug.de/~roessler/
