Mutt, GMail, POP3 and IMAPS

[Marius Gedminas]

On Sun, Dec 23, 2007 at 03:04:16PM -0500, Paul Fortin wrote:
> I'm using Mutt to read and post to this mailing list.  Here is what I
> added to my .muttrc file:
> 
> set imap_user = "pauldesktop at gmail.com"
> set smtp_url = "smtp://pauldesktop@smtp.gmail.com:587/"
> set imap_pass = "---"
> set smtp_pass = "---"
> set from = "pauldesktop at gmail.com"
> set folder = "imaps://imap.gmail.com:993"

Nice.  I'd probably also add 'set envelope_from' so that bounce messages
can get back to you (instead of being sent to yourusername at localhost or
whatever).

> However, I'm scared...because it's working. :)
> 
> I'd like to ask a few questions to try and get my head around what it
> is I'm doing, exactly.
> 
> Does my .muttrc file determine how I _send_ mail?

Yes, but only how you send mail _from mutt_.

> Before adding this stuff to my .muttrc I didn't have 
> anything listed and it was using sendmail...how, I'm not sure.

Mutt by default calls /usr/sbin/sendmail to send outgoing mail, if you
don't set smtp_url.

> Am I now sending mail through google's smtp server?

Yes.

> What is IMAP?

It's a protocol for accessing your email stored on a remote server.
Somewhat like POP3, but much more powerful.

> My .fetchmailrc file has an entry for gmail, but it is as follows:
> 
> poll pop.gmail.com protocol POP3 and options no dns user "pauldesktop"
> password "---" options ssl
>
> So, am I using POP or IMAP?

When you run fetchmail, you're using POP3.  When you run mutt, you're
using IMAP.  It makes little sense because all fetchmail does is fetch a
copy of your email and store it somewhere in your machine, but then you
ignore that copy and read email directly from GMail's servers.

I'd ignore fetchmail and just use mutt.  It's the simpler solution if
you don't want to read your email when you're offline.

Cheers!
Marius Gedminas
-- 
Beware of bugs in the above code; I have only proved it correct, not tried it.
                -- Donald Knuth
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