Since I've been using the Powerbook (which I still need to replace with a newer one now that the "speed bump" is official), I've drastically changed my e-mail habits (personal mail, not work mail). In doing so, I wonder if I'm unusual in this respect.
Previously, I was using mutt for e-mail on my IBM Thinkpad running Linux. If you've not tried it, mutt is really the king of all console-based mail programs. It excels at making it very easy to read (maybe "process" or "manage" is more accurate?) massive volumes of mail every day. Or hour.
And that's the problem. Because mutt makes it easy to handle lots of mail, I found myself on a ton of mailing lists. Remember, easy doesn't mean "requires zero time", so I also found myself spending a lot of time every day processing e-mail--most of which I really didn't read. I just skimmed subjects.
After replacing mutt with Mail.app on Jaguar (no, I'm not running Panther yet--the new machine obviously will have it), I found the need to reduce my incoming mail volume. A lot.
This bothered me at first, because it made me feel like I was using an inferior tool. But having gone through the exercise of cleaning out old folders, fixing a few procmail rules, and unsubscribing from an assload of mailing lists, I'm a lot happier. I spend way less time reading e-mail and really don't miss skimming all that stuff I was never going to read anyway.
Sure, there was an initial period during which it was surprisingly unnerving to check my mailbox every few minutes and not find something new to read, but that didn't last more than a week.
It's kind of like watching TV. Since I stopped, I haven't missed it a bit. I don't even know where the remote control is anymore. More productive and interesting things fill those hours now. And the $12/month (or whatever if costs) from the Tivo subscription can be put to some other use.
Probably Skittles.
Posted by jzawodn at April 23, 2004 05:45 PM
jeremy, you should probably check out Mailsmith from Bare Bones Software.
I'm happy with mail app. It does a creditable job of handling spam. Panther rocks. you will want to update the old system once you are on the new system. It will happen.
I feel the same way about slashdot as you do about television. I weaned myself from TV about 12 years ago, and have not missed it.
The threading UI in Panther Mial.app may make you happier with mailing lists again.
36. Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded bring happiness.
WoW
You actually managed to go over the curve. I need to move away from pine one of these days.
Mail.app is **much** faster under Panther. The speed increase will blow your mind.
You should probably make sure to use a crappy RSS aggregator as well then. :)
Jeremy, you're much further ahead in the 12-step program than I am. I can't see moving to Panther until at least a year after the kid moves out on his own. I've avoided the issue via some nasty Procmail recipes which push the mailing list traffic to blog entries. Until then, group therapy is my only option.
"Hi. I'm Joat. I'm addicted to e-mail..."
Got rid of TV a while ago too. Email remains a problem, though I'm not subscribed to that many lists. I'll have a look at mutt, thanks for the hint.
Mutt without lots of mailing lists should be pretty productive :)
I just wish Mail.app would do more than one layer of threading. I really miss the ability to see multiple levels of replies and follow ups that I had in mutt :(
Well, I still have it as all my personal mail is done in mutt and work mail is done in mail.app....
For all the stuff on the mailing lists that you don't read (but like to keep for the occasional nugget), try Zoë. It acts both as a mail archive and Google for email (some of the features that GMail will bring upon the masses)
I have subscribed to a bunch of lists, but never read them. When I need to know something, I ask Zoë and if there was something on a mailing list about a specific thing, I'll find it.
(And of course, I also find all my other stuff)
This is incredibly old, but maybe someone will google, find the answer, and tell me. :-)
Is there a way to hook the from: address with Mail.app in the same way you can with Mutt? I have done the same thing, but for the first time, I'm using my PowerBook and Mail.app for work and personal email, with about four different accounts.
What's slightly embarrassing is that I'll send emails to people at work from my home address, which I never did with "send-hook @work.com 'my_hdr me@work.com'" in mutt.
Anyway, I've looked through the Mail.app scripting dictionary and nothing leapt out at me, but I'm also not an Applescripter (yet).
