On Wed, 31 Oct 2001, Paul Schwebel wrote: Ok, no problem! Let's see what I got....
definitions: postifix = MTA (mail transport agent) procmail = MDA (mail delivery agent) (optional) fetchmail = ??? (it's really a MDA but with different features) pine = MUA (mail user agent) The real problem for us to understand Linux and/or its software is that, most of them.... do more than one thing! Think of postfix as your post-office! procmail as your 'local'(your building) postman (selects,filters and rejects) fetchmail is the one responsible to check your mail box and pine the tool to read/write email! Although Pine can send email for your (but not fetch! that's way we need fetchmail!), we usually rely on our post-office, especially because it is specialist on the subject! Also because it's very safe and comprehensive! But if you want to use only pine and fetchmail, it's OK! Just go on pine Setup -> config and on the 2nd line (I think!) you have the smtp place for definitions! Just enter your smtp provider there, save, exit the config and test sending an email to yourself! (if you have an alternative email the better!) Famous post-office progs are: postfix, sendmail and qmail! being sendmail the most famous and qmail as the safest! Ok, fetchmail you know already! it really does what the name says! fetch your mail! ;-) (again, do not forget the features!) Procmail, has many definitions but, I prefer to consider as a mail delivery agent with an excellent 'filtering' system! But, as it happens to fetchmail and pine, the problems start when you try to 'deal' with the configuration files!!! I try not to! Except for minor changes that I am absolutely sure that, no harm will happened! Of course, before any change I learned to backup the files I deal with! (just in case!);-) As I understand, You got mdk8.1, right? So you must have all the mentioned above (except for qmail) installed on your system! I usually locate my software with a simple command, and easy to remember: "locate". I just type on a terminal: locate postix You should have several lines as answers! All belong to postfix, and if you pay attention, you will see a 'sendmail' command in there (on the list from "locate"), for compatibilty purposes postfix kept this comand (most 'old' Linux boxes use sendmail (the full program)! for instance, I just start with postix because it was the default on mdk8.1!!! After locating your postfix (it should be ....wow! I just typed: locate postfix! there are lots of 'locations'!!!) Let's see.... If on your systems, you get something like:/usr/sbin/postfix! Just type: postfix start (or service postfix start) And you should see a message telling that it is starting! Now with postfix on (like fetchmail), we can receive all your emails at your box (through pine!) And you have to take a decision! How do you want to have this services started? As I prefer the text mode, I can tell you how to use it, but we have several ways to do it! use drakconf OR on graphics, like KDE! Choose Mandrake control center (it will ask you your root password) -> system -> service. there is a pannel on the right, showing all 'services' Status and 'at boot'! (please as I am using my mdk8.1 on Brazilian Portuguese, maybe the names are slightly different!) Just select postfix to start at boot time! On this pannel you can select and see the status af all services!!! Just one thing, try not to 'change' too much the original config, unless you know what you are doing! **AND** remember that the more services you start 'at boot time' the longer will be the boot! Keep just the essentials! Sorry for the loong email! If I can help, feel free to ask! I'll send this to the list, just in case somebody has anything to add! Or any other in doubts! And, of course, if I had committed any mistakes... please correct me! regards, Ricardo "just trying to be clear" Castanho ;-) ps:does anybody know why there are so many acronym? ;-) >Yes, this helps me learn the workings of email under >Linux. One more question, if you don't mind: >You wrote: >> If you use postfix, you have to start it with: >> service postifix start (as >> root) >What is postfix? How do I know if I'm using it? What >does it do in relation to fetchmail? >Thanks, >-Paul "just trying to figure it out" Schwebel -- ========================================================== Linux user # 102240 => Machine # 96125 => Seti@home user ==========================================================
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