Re: They were right -- Gnus is better

[Damien Wyart]

* Hikaru Ichijyo <ichijyo@macross.sdf.jp> in gnu.emacs.gnus:
> I wanted to start using Emacs to handle my mail. I had initially
> decided to use VM, because while I like newsreaders, it didn't seem
> like a rational idea to use a mailreader that tries hard to think it
> can't delete anything.

Did you read about advanced expiration features?
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/gnus/Expiring-Mail.html

> Firstly, it seems possible to setup posting aliases via
> gnus-posting-styles or under gnus-parameters. They both seem to let
> you control where and when the settings get applied. Is there
> a difference or a reason to prefer doing it one way or the other? I'm
> currently using gnus-posting-styles, and it seems to work fine.

I would say posting styles are more "global" and more powerful
(signature can be changed for example) than group parameters. I more see
group parameters as a way of handling exceptions, doing specific things
in some groups which are unusual (for example mailing lists groups
needed specific settings for reply-to). You can even override posting
styles inside group parameters...

To get a better feeling, you could read (again ?) the full details in
the manual:

https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/gnus/Posting-Styles.html
http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/gnus/Group-Parameters.html

> Another question I had is regarding server connections.  Currently, I
> have mail and news pathways setup to let me have:

>      * news via NNTP (primary)
>      * personal email from a local spool,
>        with a POP source also bringing mail
>        into that same spool from another server
>      * an IMAP server that I read separately online

> It's all working fantastic...but here's the question:  If I launch Gnus
> with gnus-no-server, I can read the local spool and avoid connecting to
> NNTP/IMAP/POP, which is great, and I use that often.  What if I want to
> connect to IMAP only with a gnus-no-server session?  Is there a way to
> do that?  If not, it'd be a nice feature in a future version,
> especially since while email is a part of daily life, these days,
> Usenet really isn't.  It'd be nice to be able to have mail-only
> connectability on demand in the menus if that's not possible now,
> for those times when you want to see IMAP but would rather leave your
> news server out of it.

gnus-no-server will start Gnus in level 2, so should contact servers
with groups at level 1 and 2.
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/gnus/Group-Levels.html

See also these discussions:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/gnu.emacs.bug/X89aW39EtuI
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/gnu.emacs.gnus/Xk3P85m_WQ4
http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.gnus.general/11479
http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.gnus.general/82463

-- 
DW