[CentOS] Using Thunderbird as local mail reader

[Les Mikesell]

fred smith wrote:
> On Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 11:10:57AM -0500, Johnny Hughes wrote:
>> fred smith wrote:
>>> Hi!
>>>
>>> I'm trying to figure out how to use Thunderbird as a local mail reader.
>>>
>>> So far I don't see any way to configure it other than as a POP3 or IMAP mail reader,
>>> but I get my mail locally and would like to try using Tbird to read it.
>>> What am I overlooking?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance!
>>>
>> Just use mailx on a text console like Russ !
>>
> 
> I actually use mutt. but sometimes when someone sends me an html email with a lot of
> graphics attached it's convenient to use a client that can display it all, directly.
> I've been using balsa, but it isn't being packaged for RHEL/Centos anymore, as far
> as I can figure. 
> 
> I just built a new machine and installed 5.3, so I could use the same Balsa RPM I
> used on the previous machine (also centos 5.3), which was provided to me back when
> 5.0 came out by another kind reader of this list--whose name I no longer remember, 
> but I figured I'd see if some other mail reader that is supported on the platform 
> would work instead.

The nicest approach is to have an imap server that you can access from all 
potential clients.  If you are stuck with a server that doesn't do imap you can 
set up fetchmail to pick it up and move it to a server that you control.  This 
is particularly handy if you have a phone that does email or you have multiple 
machines where you might want to read or download attachments.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com