Re: BUG: Tools Meanu -> "Read Mail" is TOO DANGEROUS

[Jari Aalto+mail.emacs]

* Sun 2001-03-04 Eli Zaretskii <eliz@is.elta.co.il> gnu.emacs.bug
* 
<http://search.dejanews.com/msgid.xp?MID=%3C3405-Sun04Mar2001175010+0200-eliz@is.elta.co.il%3E&format=threaded>
| > From: jari.aalto@poboxes.com (Jari Aalto+mail.emacs)
| > Usually MUAs leave the mailbox where it is.
| 
| My experience is different; see Kai's message for some additional
| data points that are contrary to yours.

Well, this is debatable.

| > I believe VM also reads $MAIL and doesn't move it. Gnus also can read
| > $MAIL directly and only if configured, it moves mail to backends.
| 
| As Kai points out, the only practical wau to read mail with Gnus is to
| copy the mailbox to "~".

Still, the implications should be announced to user, not matter which
MUA it were: RMAIL or Gnus.

| > The problem is the format: babyl, which is not know to any other 
| > MUA out there, at lest not to those of mainstream.
| 
| You can convert it back, either with unrmail or with b2m.

"You can undo the effect with X Y Z". Please look at from 
another, user, perspective. How many know this, where is it, does it 
come with Emacs, is it documented, has he compile it (what is this
"compile" he asks next)? 

| > In my opinion the RMAIL should not be the default Mail reader now when
| > Gnus in in Emacs.
| 
| A lot of people still use RMAIL, and it is actively maintained.
| Anyway, this is a separate issue, almost orthogonal to what you
| originally brought up.

The babyl format is what I'm concerned, which I don't know is suported
by any of the major other MUAs (the non-emacs versions). That's why I
more propose Gnus over RMAIL, not because i doubt RAMIL as MUA.

| > | At least Emacs has "M-x unrmail".
| > 
| > Sure, but it has already destroyed $MAIL content. It won't put 
| > the mail back to $MAIL. Poor user if helpless with his mutt, elm, pine
| > even after this.
| 
| The user is not helpless: any reasonable mailer has an option to read
| mail from a file whose name is specified by the user.

Nonetheless, a clear message screen for novice user would clarify
all of these points and suggest remedies if he decided to use RMAIL
after the initial "Opps, my mouse slipped over Tools->Read mail".

The menu is too dangerous at present form.

Jari