

     MAIL                         1/11/79                         MAIL


     NAME
        
        mail - utility for sending mail to local users
        
     SYNOPSIS
        
        mail [-er] [-listfile] ... [addressee] ...
        
     DESCRIPTION
        
        mail  is  a  tool  designed  to allow the user to send mail to
        fellow users of any system which supports the  software  tools
        shell.  It operates as follows:
        
             The addressees specified in the command line and in any
             mailing  list  files specified are validated.  If there
             were any valid users, the standard input is read up  to
             an  end-of-file and then mailed to each valid user with
             an  appropriate  postmark.  (Note:  if  one  wishes  to
             terminate  the  mail  session without sending any mail,
             type a line consisting of only the letter q [for  quit]
             during  the  input  of  mail.)  Mailing  list files are
             specified with the -l switch in the command line.   The
             structure  of  the  mailing  list  files  is  described
             below.  The -r switch indicates to mail that  the  user
             wishes  to  be  notified  as the mail is posted to each
             addressee ('posted' implying that  the  mail  has  been
             appended  successfully  to  the addressee's mail file).
             The names of valid  users  may  be  obtained  by  prior
             invocation  of  the  users  command.   The -e flag will
             cause the editor "ed" to be invoked, allowing the  user
             to perform complex mail composition.

        The  mailing  list  files  have  a very simple structure: user
        names separated by blanks and tabs, with  as  many  users  per
        line  as  desired.   A  pound sign (#) appearing anywhere on a
        line indicates the start of a comment field, and the  rest  of
        the  line  is  ignored by mail.  This allows the user complete
        flexibility  in   commenting   her/his   mailing   lists   for
        informational purposes.

        Broadcast  mailings  are  supported,  also.   One  must merely
        specify `all' as an addressee in the command line.

     FILES

        mymail - file for storage of each users mail
        mbox - file for storage of saved mail
        three temporary files are used by mail

     SEE ALSO


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     MAIL                         1/11/79                         MAIL


        users - a program to list users on current host
        postmn - a program which notifies user of existence of mail
        msg - the utility for reading and sorting one's mail

     AUTHOR

        mail was written by Joe Sventek

     BUGS/DEFICIENCIES












































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