MH & xmh: Email for Users & Programmers, Third Edition

By Jerry Peek
Third Edition   
Pages: 782
ISBN 10: 1-56592-093-7 | ISBN 13: 9781565920934

This book is OUT OF PRINT.

Book description

This book explains how to make MH do things you never thought an email program could do. It covers all the MH commands as well as three interfaces to MH: xmh (for the X environment), exmh (written with tcl/tk), and mh-e (for GNU Emacs users). Also features configuration tips, customization and programming examples, and a description of the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) and how to use it with MH.
Full Description

There are lots of mail programs in use these days, but MH is one of the most durable and flexible. MH gives users the ability to combine email and shell programming capabilities to create powerful and customized mail environments. Best of all, MH is freely available on almost all UNIX systems. MH has spawned a number of interfaces in addition to the shell command line, too. This book covers three popular interfaces: xmh (for the X environment), exmh (written with tcl/tk), and mh-e (for GNU Emacs users). MH & xmh: Email for Users & Programmers first gives the reader the basic information needed to get started. The information in these "quick tour" chapters is expanded in later chapters so that users can go beyond the basic functions of a mailer and create a customized email environment. This book contains useful examples, tips, tricks, and documented and undocumented features that the author learned in thirteen years as an MH user, instructor, programmer, and system administrator. This book has been described as the "MH bible" because of its complete treatment of MH and its interfaces. The book contains:
  • A quick tour through MH, xmh, exmh, and mh-e for new users
  • Configuration and customization information
  • Lots of tips and techniques for programmers -- and plenty of practical examples for everyone
  • Information beyond the manual pages, explaining how to make MH do things you never thought an email program could do
In addition, the third edition describes the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) and how to use it with these mail programs. MIME is an extension that allows users to send graphics, sound, and other multimedia formats through mail between otherwise incompatible systems.

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Media reviews "Other than being terse, the UNIX mail command is not very UNIX-like. It combines a large number of functions into one program and, while it is possible to shell out between operations, the ability to perform specific tasks relies upon lengthy command line switch sequences, rather than being the default. MH is much more akin to the UNIX culture, with a variety of logical commands for specific operations which can be combined, as necessary, into shell script or programming routines. "Thus, it would be understandable to see MH as, primarily, a programmer's toolkit. With the explosion in UNIX-based Internet providers, the MH commands would provide quick tie-ins to BBS front-end menus, or even such ambitious tasks as a fully tutorial, but fully functional, email 'lesson.' "The perception of MH as only a development tool would, however, be unfortunate. As Peek's book very clearly shows, MH is fully viable alongside mail, though probably more demanding than elm or PINE. The tutorial section manages to give a clear picture of a basic mail system, in very short order. "Peek has done an admirable job with this book. It manages to be not only a tutorial, but a solid technical reference as well. The material is approachable without ever becoming sappy; accurate without being pedantic; and, complete without being verbose. The content is *very* thoughtful: at one point a command is given which would invoke an editor, and the editor's exit command is given for those who might be unfamiliar with it. The UNIX system is assumed but knowledge is not, and any rational reader would be able to understand this work in full. "This book is recommended for those developing mail 'front ends,' for UNIX users wanting another (very functional) mail operation, or for technical writers wanting an excellent example of documentation." --Copyright Rob Slade, Author of Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses

"MH and xmh is the definitive resource on this powerful and flexible pair of mail interfaces. It starts with tutorials for users and administrators and then moves to customization issues. The book includes a detailed section on xmh and 200 pages of appendices. At nearly 700 pages, MH and xmh is substantial, even imposing. The clear writing makes the topic approachable, however, and the book serves as both an introduction and a reference work."

--Richard Morin, Unix Review, August 1993

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