1 .. _email_clients:
2
3 Email clients info for Linux
4 ============================
5
6 Git
7 ---
8
9 These days most developers use ``git send-emai
10 email clients. The man page for this is quite
11 end, maintainers use ``git am`` to apply the p
12
13 If you are new to ``git`` then send your first
14 as raw text including all the headers. Run ``
15 then review the changelog with ``git log``. W
16 the patch to the appropriate mailing list(s).
17
18 General Preferences
19 -------------------
20
21 Patches for the Linux kernel are submitted via
22 inline text in the body of the email. Some ma
23 attachments, but then the attachments should h
24 ``text/plain``. However, attachments are gene
25 it makes quoting portions of the patch more di
26 review process.
27
28 It's also strongly recommended that you use pl
29 for patches and other emails alike. https://us
30 for information on how to configure your prefe
31 listing recommended email clients should you n
32
33 Email clients that are used for Linux kernel p
34 patch text untouched. For example, they shoul
35 or spaces, even at the beginning or end of lin
36
37 Don't send patches with ``format=flowed``. Th
38 and unwanted line breaks.
39
40 Don't let your email client do automatic word
41 This can also corrupt your patch.
42
43 Email clients should not modify the character
44 Emailed patches should be in ASCII or UTF-8 en
45 If you configure your email client to send ema
46 you avoid some possible charset problems.
47
48 Email clients should generate and maintain "Re
49 headers so that mail threading is not broken.
50
51 Copy-and-paste (or cut-and-paste) usually does
52 because tabs are converted to spaces. Using x
53 xcutsel may work, but it's best to test this f
54 copy-and-paste.
55
56 Don't use PGP/GPG signatures in mail that cont
57 This breaks many scripts that read and apply t
58 (This should be fixable.)
59
60 It's a good idea to send a patch to yourself,
61 and successfully apply it with 'patch' before
62 mailing lists.
63
64
65 Some email client (MUA) hints
66 -----------------------------
67
68 Here are some specific MUA configuration hints
69 patches for the Linux kernel. These are not m
70 software package configuration summaries.
71
72
73 Legend:
74
75 - TUI = text-based user interface
76 - GUI = graphical user interface
77
78 Alpine (TUI)
79 ************
80
81 Config options:
82
83 In the :menuselection:`Sending Preferences` se
84
85 - :menuselection:`Do Not Send Flowed Text` mus
86 - :menuselection:`Strip Whitespace Before Send
87
88 When composing the message, the cursor should
89 should appear, and then pressing :kbd:`CTRL-R`
90 to insert into the message.
91
92 Claws Mail (GUI)
93 ****************
94
95 Works. Some people use this successfully for p
96
97 To insert a patch use :menuselection:`Message-
98 or an external editor.
99
100 If the inserted patch has to be edited in the
101 "Auto wrapping" in
102 :menuselection:`Configuration-->Preferences-->
103 disabled.
104
105 Evolution (GUI)
106 ***************
107
108 Some people use this successfully for patches.
109
110 When composing mail select: Preformat
111 from :menuselection:`Format-->Paragraph Styl
112 or the toolbar
113
114 Then use:
115 :menuselection:`Insert-->Text File...` (:kbd:`
116 to insert the patch.
117
118 You can also ``diff -Nru old.c new.c | xclip``
119 :menuselection:`Preformat`, then paste with th
120
121 Kmail (GUI)
122 ***********
123
124 Some people use Kmail successfully for patches
125
126 The default setting of not composing in HTML i
127 enable it.
128
129 When composing an email, under options, unchec
130 disadvantage is any text you type in the email
131 so you will have to manually word wrap text be
132 way around this is to compose your email with
133 it as a draft. Once you pull it up again from
134 word-wrapped and you can uncheck "word wrap" w
135 wrapping.
136
137 At the bottom of your email, put the commonly-
138 inserting your patch: three hyphens (``---``)
139
140 Then from the :menuselection:`Message` menu it
141 :menuselection:`insert file` and choose your p
142 As an added bonus you can customise the messag
143 and put the :menuselection:`insert file` icon
144
145 Make the composer window wide enough so that n
146 KMail 1.13.5 (KDE 4.5.4), KMail will apply wor
147 the email if the lines wrap in the composer wi
148 disabled in the Options menu isn't enough. Thu
149 long lines, you must make the composer window
150 the email. See: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.
151
152 You can safely GPG sign attachments, but inlin
153 patches so do not GPG sign them. Signing patc
154 as inlined text will make them tricky to extra
155
156 If you absolutely must send patches as attachm
157 them as text, right click on the attachment an
158 and highlight :menuselection:`Suggest automati
159 inlined to make it more viewable.
160
161 When saving patches that are sent as inlined t
162 contains the patch from the message list pane,
163 :menuselection:`save as`. You can use the who
164 if it was properly composed. Emails are saved
165 you will have to chmod them to make them group
166 them elsewhere.
167
168 Lotus Notes (GUI)
169 *****************
170
171 Run away from it.
172
173 IBM Verse (Web GUI)
174 *******************
175
176 See Lotus Notes.
177
178 Mutt (TUI)
179 **********
180
181 Plenty of Linux developers use ``mutt``, so it
182
183 Mutt doesn't come with an editor, so whatever
184 used in a way that there are no automatic line
185 an :menuselection:`insert file` option that in
186 unaltered.
187
188 To use ``vim`` with mutt::
189
190 set editor="vi"
191
192 If using xclip, type the command::
193
194 :set paste
195
196 before middle button or shift-insert or use::
197
198 :r filename
199
200 if you want to include the patch inline.
201 (a)ttach works fine without ``set paste``.
202
203 You can also generate patches with ``git forma
204 to send them::
205
206 $ mutt -H 0001-some-bug-fix.patch
207
208 Config options:
209
210 It should work with default settings.
211 However, it's a good idea to set the ``send_ch
212
213 set send_charset="us-ascii:utf-8"
214
215 Mutt is highly customizable. Here is a minimum
216 using Mutt to send patches through Gmail::
217
218 # .muttrc
219 # ================ IMAP ==================
220 set imap_user = 'yourusername@gmail.com'
221 set imap_pass = 'yourpassword'
222 set spoolfile = imaps://imap.gmail.com/INBOX
223 set folder = imaps://imap.gmail.com/
224 set record="imaps://imap.gmail.com/[Gmail]/S
225 set postponed="imaps://imap.gmail.com/[Gmail
226 set mbox="imaps://imap.gmail.com/[Gmail]/All
227
228 # ================ SMTP ==================
229 set smtp_url = "smtp://username@smtp.gmail.c
230 set smtp_pass = $imap_pass
231 set ssl_force_tls = yes # Require encrypted
232
233 # ================ Composition ===========
234 set editor = `echo \$EDITOR`
235 set edit_headers = yes # See the headers wh
236 set charset = UTF-8 # value of $LANG; al
237 # Sender, email address, and sign-off line m
238 unset use_domain # because joe@localh
239 set realname = "YOUR NAME"
240 set from = "username@gmail.com"
241 set use_from = yes
242
243 The Mutt docs have lots more information:
244
245 https://gitlab.com/muttmua/mutt/-/wikis/Us
246
247 http://www.mutt.org/doc/manual/
248
249 Pine (TUI)
250 **********
251
252 Pine has had some whitespace truncation issues
253 should all be fixed now.
254
255 Use alpine (pine's successor) if you can.
256
257 Config options:
258
259 - ``quell-flowed-text`` is needed for recent v
260 - the ``no-strip-whitespace-before-send`` opti
261
262
263 Sylpheed (GUI)
264 **************
265
266 - Works well for inlining text (or using attac
267 - Allows use of an external editor.
268 - Is slow on large folders.
269 - Won't do TLS SMTP auth over a non-SSL connec
270 - Has a helpful ruler bar in the compose windo
271 - Adding addresses to address book doesn't und
272 properly.
273
274 Thunderbird (GUI)
275 *****************
276
277 Thunderbird is an Outlook clone that likes to
278 to coerce it into behaving.
279
280 After doing the modifications, this includes i
281 you need to restart Thunderbird.
282
283 - Allow use of an external editor:
284
285 The easiest thing to do with Thunderbird and
286 which open your favorite external editor.
287
288 Here are some example extensions which are c
289
290 - "External Editor Revived"
291
292 https://github.com/Frederick888/external-e
293
294 https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-GB/thund
295
296 It requires installing a "native messaging
297 Please read the wiki which can be found he
298 https://github.com/Frederick888/external-e
299
300 - "External Editor"
301
302 https://github.com/exteditor/exteditor
303
304 To do this, download and install the exten
305 :menuselection:`compose` window, add a but
306 :menuselection:`View-->Toolbars-->Customiz
307 then just click on the new button when you
308
309 Please note that "External Editor" require
310 fork, or in other words, the editor must n
311 You may have to pass additional flags or c
312 editor. Most notably if you are using gvim
313 option to gvim by putting ``/usr/bin/gvim
314 ``/usr/bin``) to the text editor field in
315 settings. If you are using some other edit
316 to find out how to do this.
317
318 To beat some sense out of the internal editor,
319
320 - Edit your Thunderbird config settings so tha
321 Go to your main window and find the button f
322 :menuselection:`Main Menu-->Preferences-->Ge
323 to bring up the thunderbird's registry edito
324
325 - Set ``mailnews.send_plaintext_flowed`` to
326
327 - Set ``mailnews.wraplength`` from ``72`` to
328
329 - Don't write HTML messages! Go to the main wi
330 :menuselection:`Main Menu-->Account Settings
331 There you can disable the option "Compose me
332
333 - Open messages only as plain text! Go to the
334 :menuselection:`Main Menu-->View-->Message B
335
336 TkRat (GUI)
337 ***********
338
339 Works. Use "Insert file..." or external edito
340
341 Gmail (Web GUI)
342 ***************
343
344 Does not work for sending patches.
345
346 Gmail web client converts tabs to spaces autom
347
348 At the same time it wraps lines every 78 chars
349 although tab2space problem can be solved with
350
351 Another problem is that Gmail will base64-enco
352 non-ASCII character. That includes things like
353
354 HacKerMaiL (TUI)
355 ****************
356
357 HacKerMaiL (hkml) is a public-inbox based simp
358 doesn't require subscription of mailing lists.
359 by the DAMON maintainer and aims to support si
360 DAMON and general kernel subsystems. Refer to
361 (https://github.com/sjp38/hackermail/blob/mast
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