Using Fetchmail to get mail in text mode

[gore]

Ok, I searched the forums for this and found nothing. So I'm going to show you how to set up fetchmail so you can get your e-mail without having to load X.

So you have your *NIX box loaded and maybe you just dont like GUIs? Or maybe running it on an old machine with not alot of power? Well thats fine, You can still check your mail.

Now for this example/tutorial Im going to be assuming you are using your ISP given e-mail account, and that its pop3.

Almost all ISPs I have used in the last 3 years Iv owned a computer have used pop3 so you should be fine.

Ok, log in as root. If you want to feel leet type init 3 and press enter to do this without X at all like I do

type the following:

vi /etc/fetchmailrc

press enter.

Youll see a blank file, now press "i" on your keyboard to enter insert mode in Vi.

Type this into the file:

(Im using examples here so dont copy this exactly, use your head)



# fetch mail for bob
poll mail.yourISP.com protocol pop3 user gore there
with password "myPassword" is LinuxUser here

Ok, where I said bob, use your name. mail.yourisp.com should be your ISP's information.
user gore would be the name you sign into your e-mail account with, the password would be the password you use to check your mail at your ISP's website, and finally, LinuxUser is the name you use to sign into your *NIX box.

Now, while your staring at your screen thinking how the hell to save it in Vi, press ESC (the escape key) and then type

:wq

and press enter. It saves the file and exits Vi.

Easy so far huh? Well there is a problem, the file now has passwords in it, so your going to want to protect it.

While still logged in as root:

chmod 600 /etc/fetchmailrc

Press enter.

now, while still logged in as root type:

fetchmail -f /etc/fetchmailrc

and press enter, if you have mail youll see some information and it will put in your local mail. type exit to become the user you set up fetchmail for.

Now, open Mutt, Pine, or just type Mail and youll see your e-mail.
Enjoy.

[HTRegz]

Nice tutorial... although maybe for your example you should have put < > around each variable to make it stand out a little more clearly? Also.. .wouldn't it just be easier to set-up pine to check the pop3 account, after all it is the god of email apps

[gore]

Maybe pine is easier but MUTT is way more secure by the way, this is my 900th post