diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'doc/tech-notes')
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/tech-notes/index.html | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | doc/tech-notes/tech-notes.txt | 180 |
2 files changed, 1 insertions, 181 deletions
diff --git a/doc/tech-notes/index.html b/doc/tech-notes/index.html index ec9dd49a..855ba3c2 100644 --- a/doc/tech-notes/index.html +++ b/doc/tech-notes/index.html @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ <BODY> <H1>Alpine Technical Notes</H1> -Version 2.20.15, August 2016 +Version 2.20.16, September 2016 <H2><A NAME="TOC">Table of Contents</A></H2><P> diff --git a/doc/tech-notes/tech-notes.txt b/doc/tech-notes/tech-notes.txt index 0c7192b0..8ea8d93b 100644 --- a/doc/tech-notes/tech-notes.txt +++ b/doc/tech-notes/tech-notes.txt @@ -1,184 +1,4 @@ - Alpine Technical Notes - - Version 2.20.15, August 2016 - -Table of Contents - - Introduction - - * Design Goals - * Alpine Components - - Background Details - - * Domain Names - * RFC 2822 Compliance - * SMTP and Sendmail - * Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) - * Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) - * Folder Collections - - Building and Installation - - * Compile-time Options - * Including LDAP Functionality - * Including Kerberos 5 Functionality - * Other Alpine Compile-time Options - * IMAPd Compile-time Options - * Building the Alpine Programs - * Installing Alpine and Pico on UNIX Platforms - * Installing PC-Alpine - * Installing IMAPd - * Support Files and Environment Variables: UNIX Alpine - * Support Files, Environment Variables, and Registry Values: - PC-Alpine - - Command Line Arguments - - * Alpine - * Pico - * Pilot - - Configuration and Preferences - - * Alpine Configuration - * General Configuration Variables - * Configuration Features - * Hidden Config Variables and Features - * Retired Variables - * Tokens for Index and Replying - * Conditional Inclusion of Text for Reply-Leadin, Signatures, and - Templates - * Per Server Directory Configuration - * Color Configuration - * Index Line Color Configuration - * Role Configuration - * Filtering Configuration - * Scoring Configuration - * Other Rules Configuration - * Search Rules Configuration - * Patterns - * Configuring News - Configuration Notes - + Alpine in Function Key Mode - + Domain Settings - + Syntax for Collections - + Syntax for Folder Names - + Server Name Syntax - + Folder Namespaces - + What is a Mail Drop? - + Sorting a Folder - + Alternate Editor - + Signatures and Signature Placement - + Feature List Variable - + Configuration Inheritance - + Using Environment Variables - + SMTP Servers - + MIME.Types file - + Color Details - + S/MIME Overview - + Additional Notes on PC-Alpine - - Behind the Scenes - - * Address Books - * Remote Configuration - * Checkpointing - * Debug Files - * INBOX and Special Folders - * Internal Help Files - * International Character Sets - * Interrupted and Postponed Messages - * Message Status - * MIME: Reading a Message - * MIME: Sending a Message - * New Mail Notification - * NFS - * Printers and Printing - * Save and Export - * Sent Mail - * Spell Checker - * Terminal Emulation and Key Mapping - - Introduction - -Design Goals - - Throughout _Alpine_ development, we have had to strike a balance - between the need to include features which advanced users require and - the need to keep things simple for beginning users. To strike this - balance, we have tried to adhere to these design principles: - - - The model presented to the user has to be simple and clear. - Underlying system operation is hidden as much as possible. - - It's better to have a few easily understood commands that can - be repeated than to have some more sophisticated command that - will do the job all at once. - - Whenever the user has to select a command, file name, address, - etc., the user should be given (or can get) a menu from which to - make the selection. Menus need to be complete, small, organized - and well thought out. - - _Alpine_ must provide immediate feedback for the user with - each operation. - - _Alpine_ must be very tolerant of user errors. Any time a user - is about to perform an irreversible act (send a message, expunge - messages from a folder), _Alpine_ should ask for confirmation. - - Users should be able to learn by exploration without fear of - doing anything wrong. This is an important feature so the user - can get started quickly without reading any manuals and so fewer - manuals are required. - - The core set of _Alpine_ functions should be kept to a minimum - so new users don't feel "lost" in seemingly extraneous commands - and concepts. - - Just as there were goals relating to the look and feel of _Alpine_, - there were equally important goals having to do with _Alpine_'s - structure-the things that users never see but still rely on every time - they use _Alpine_. While _Alpine_ can be used as a stand-alone mail - user agent, one of its strongest assets is its use of the Internet - Message Access Protocol (IMAP) for accessing remote email folders. In - addition, _Pine_ (the predecessor of _Alpine_) was one of the first - programs to support the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) - specification. With MIME, _Alpine_ users can reliably send any binary - file to any other person on the Internet who uses a MIME compliant - email program. - - The decision to use IMAP and MIME reflects the importance of - interoperability, standardization and robustness in _Alpine_. As you - work with _Alpine_ more, you will see other features which reflect the - same values. For example, _Alpine_ enforces strict compliance with RFC - 2822, implements a strong mail folder locking mechanism and verifies a - process before overwriting any files (e.g. addressbook, expunging - messages). - -Alpine Components - - If you have picked up the _Alpine_ distribution, then you already know - that _Alpine_ comes in a few different pieces. They are: - - _Alpine_ - The main code from which the _Alpine_ program is compiled. - _Pico_ - _Pico_ is the name for the _Alpine_ composer. The _Pico_ code is - used in two ways: (1) it is compiled on its own to be a - stand-alone editor and, (2) it is compiled as a library for - _Alpine_ to support composition of messages within _Alpine_. - _Pico_ is _Alpine_'s internal editor invoked when users need to - fill in header lines or type the text of an email message. - _Imap_ - An API for IMAP. Includes the C-Client library, which is - compiled into _Alpine_, and the IMAP server _IMAPd_. C-Client - implements the IMAP protocol and also negotiates all access - between _Alpine_ and the mail folders it operates on, even if - the folders are local. The C-Client routines are used for email - folder parsing and interpreting MIME messages. _IMAPd_ is a - separate server that handles IMAP connections from any - IMAP-compliant email program. When _Alpine_ accesses a remote - mailbox, the _Alpine_ program is the IMAP client and the _IMAPd_ - program is the IMAP server. Of course, _Alpine_ can use any - IMAP-compliant IMAP server, not just _IMAPd_. - Background Details Domain Names |