User Guide - Communications
Fedora can be used to send electronic mail and communicate in real time with people around the world. In GNOME, Evolution is used to send electronic mail (email), Claws Mail is another email client and Pidgin (previously Gaim) is used to send instant messages (IMs) by default.
Evolution can also be used as a personal information manager, or PIM. You can maintain a calendar, manage a list of tasks, and keep an address book of contacts, among other things, using Evolution.
Claws Mail is a simple and intuitive email program with a news reader but without all of the bells and whistles unless you add the plug-ins. Claws Mail will not let you write and send HTML emails.
Pidgin is an instant messaging client that can access Gmail, MSN, AOL, Yahoo!, Jabber, and other IM and chat networks.
In KDE, Kmail is used to send email and Kopete is used to send instant messages. While Kmail does not include calendaring functionality, a calendar application called KOrganizer is included in KDE as part of the KDE PIM suite. There is also an application called Kontact which groups KMail, Korganizer and other KDE PIM tools into a single interface (comparable with GNOME's Evolution).
Pidgin requires an existing account on some of the IM networks, created via the normal account creation process. For example, Pidgin cannot be used to create a Yahoo Instant Messenger account. Instead, visit http://messenger.yahoo.com to set up the account, then access it using Pidgin. This is true for most types of instant messaging, although some protocols - like Bonjour, IRC, or SILC - do not require accounts at all, and Fedora can setup accounts for some types of IM networks.
Evolution
File:Docs DesktopUserGuide Tour redhat-email.png Evolution is a full featured email program. In addition to email it is a personal information manager(PIM), has a calendar, task manager and an address book for your contacts. More documentation for Evolution is available at: http://www.gnome.org/projects/evolution/documentation.shtml
Configuring Evolution
To configure an e-mail account:
- Start Evolution in GNOME, using the Applications > Internet > Email menu entry, or use the application launcher icon from the menu panel:
- Start Evolution in KDE, using KMenu > Applications > Internet > Email menu entry:
- Running the software for the first time displays the Evolution Setup Assistant wizard. Answer these questions using information provided by the ISP or e-mail provider.
- The Identity screen relates to personal information about the account, including Name, Organisation and Address. There is also a Reply-To field, which will allow you to specify that recipients of mail from this account reply to a different address.
- The Receiving Email and Sending Email screens both require information from the e-mail provider.
- To add a new account in the future, or to modify an existing account, launch the preferences dialog from the Edit > Preferences menu entry. In the dialog that appears, press the [Add] button to launch the Evolution Account Assistant again.
Using Evolution
Evolution allows you to create, store and send email by clicking the appropriate buttons located on the menu.
| Button | How the button functions |
|---|---|
| Send/Receive | This will allow Evolution to send and receive all email. |
| New | Open a new email message dialog box. |
| Reply | Reply to the person who has sent you an email. |
| Reply to All | Replace to everyone who was included in the email that you have received. |
| Forward | Forward the email message to another person. |
| Print the email. | |
| Delete | Delete the email. |
| Junk | Mark the email as junk. |
| Cancel | Cancel whatever you are doing. |
| Previous | Move to the previous email in your folder. |
| Next | Move to the next email in your folder. |
Claws Mail
Claws Mail is an email client and news reader, featuring quick response, graceful and sophisticated interface, easy configuration, intuitive operation. The plug-ins ad many of the features found in Evolution and Outlook. abundant features and several plug-ins. It can be installed by going to System > Adnminstration > Add/Remove Software. In the Add/Remove Software window select Claws Mail and any plug-ins you would like. Click [Apply] to install your choices. For more information please visit: http://www.claws-mail.org//
Configuring Claws Mail
- To configure your account you will need your email information from your internet service provider or your e-mail provider.
- Open Claws Mail by going to the menu bar and click on Applications > Internet > Claws Mail.
- The first time that you start Claws Mail, you will be asked a few questions in order to set up an account.
- First you will be asked to fill in your name, (sometimes it is guessed from the operating system), your email address, and the name of your organisation, (optional).
- On the next page you enter details of how to retrieve your mail. The format of the page will be determined by the "Server type":
- POP3: Enter the server address, username, and password. If you don't enter your password here you will be prompted for it each time it is needed.
- IMAP: Enter the server address, username, password, and IMAP server directory. The password is optional, if you don't provide it here you will be prompted for it each time it is needed. The IMAP server directory is also optional, often it is not needed and can be left empty.
- Local mbox file: Enter the location of your local mailbox spool file. Values such as /var/mail/username or /var/spool/mail/username are common, username is your system login.
- On the next page enter the address of your SMTP server (Outgoing Server). You may or may not need to authenticate when sending mail.
- If you chose either POP3 or Local mbox file, the next page will the show the default where it will save your mail.
- You may get a "Security" page, where you can choose SSL encryption to send and receive your emails. If you're unsure leave them unselected.
- Click on the [Save] button to finish the configuration.
Using Claws Mail
Claws Mail allows you to create, store and send email by clicking the appropriate buttons located on the menu. Retrieving your email can be done from the toolbar button named "Get mail" or from the "Receive" submenu of the "Message" menu.
| Button | How the button functions |
|---|---|
| Get Mail | This will allow Claws Mail to receive all email. |
| Send | Open a new email message dialog box. |
| Reply | Reply to the person who has sent you an email. |
| Reply to All | Replace to everyone who was included in the email that you have received. |
| Forward | Forward the email message to another person. |
| Print the email. | |
| Delete | Delete the email. |
| Junk | Mark the email as junk. |
| Cancel | Cancel whatever you are doing. |
| Previous | Move to the previous email in your folder. |
| Next | Move to the next email in your folder. |
If you want Claws Mail to check your mail automatically at regular intervals, you can ask it to do so from the "Mail handling: Receiving" preference page which you'll find in the "Configuration/Preferences..." menu. Just click the "Automatically check new mail every [...] minute(s)" checkbox, and set the interval to your liking.
2.3. Reading your mail
Once you have retrieved your emails, the Inbox folder will contain them. The total number of emails in a folder is shown at the right of the folder's name, along with the number of unread and new emails in it. To see them, click on the folder row in the folder list, and the list of emails in that folder will be displayed in the Message List pane. You can then select an email using the mouse, or by using the Up and Down keys to navigate through the list, and the Space bar to display and scroll emails. You can use other keys to navigate through emails, like P and N (previous and next). 2.4. Writing your first mail
When clicking on the "Compose" button of the toolbar, a composition window will open. This window contains different fields which you should be able to recognise easily: if you have multiple accounts, the From field can be used to select which account you want to use for this email; the To field is for recipient of the email. When you fill it in, a second To field will appear, so that you can send the email to multiple recipients. You can also change the To field to a Cc field or other types of fields, by using its dropdown menu, or by typing in the field that you require. After that, you will be able to set the subject of your email, then type its body.
A little note about an email's subject: Claws Mail will ask you for confirmation if you attempt to send an email with an empty subject. This is because it can be annoying for the recipient to receive emails without a subject, as it doesn't help in handling email. 2.5. Sending your first mail
When you have finished writing your first email, you can either click the "Send" button to send your email immediately, or use the "Send later" button to queue the message for later sending. When using "Send", the composition window will close itself when the mail has been sent; it will stay open if there is an error. When using "Send later", the composition window will immediately close, and your email will be stored in your Queue folder. It will then be sent when you click the "Send" button in the main window's toolbar.
The emails that you send are saved in the Sent folder of your mailbox, so that you can recall what you wrote to whom, or use an already sent email as a template to write another.
Kmail
File:Docs Drafts DesktopUserGuide Communications kmail.png Kmail is the standard email client used in KDE it is installed by default from the live-cd and is also included in the DVD. Loading Kmail in KDE is done by clicking on Kmenu > Applications > Internet > Mail Client menu entry or alternatively Applications > Internet > Kmail in GNOME. Image:Docs_Drafts_DesktopUserGuide_Communications_kmail.png This is the default icon associated with Kmail.
Configuring Kmail
- Running the software for the first time displays the main Kmail page with links to appropriate help locations.
- To configure your account you will need your email information from your internet service provider or your e-mail provider.
- Setting up your account requires you to open the Configure Kmail dialog box from the Settings > Configure Kmail menu entry.
- Selecting Accounts and pressing the [Add] button will launch a dialog that will ask you for the type of account you wish to configure.
- After selecting the appropriate account type you will be greeted with a dialog that shows the different settings available for your account. Add your personal email configuration information to Account Name, Login, Password, Host. The other default settings could be left alone.
To add a new account in the future, or to modify an existing account, launch the configure Kmail from the Settings > Configure Kmail menu entry. In the dialog that appears, select Accounts press the [Add] button to launch the Kmail Account Assistant again.
Using Kmail
Kmail allows you to create, store and send email by clicking the appropriate buttons located on the menu.
| Button | How the button functions |
|---|---|
| New Message | Open a new email message dialog box. |
| Save as | Save the email. |
| Print the email. | |
| Check Mail in | Sends the email. |
| Reply | Replace to the email. |
| Forward | Forward the email message to another person. |
| Previous | Move to the previous unread email in your folder. |
| Next | Move to the next unread email in your folder. |
| Trash | Delete the email. |
| Find Message | Search for a specific email. |
| Create Task | Creates a new task in KOrganizer. |
Kmail has additional options with the green arrow pointing down. While not covered specifically in this topic clicking the button and holding it down for a few seconds will show additional options.
Pidgin
Pigdin is an Internet Messager (IM) included in Fedora. For further information please refer to: http://www.pidgin.im
Configuring Pidgin
To start and configure Pidgin, select Applications > Internet > Internet Messenger from
the menu panel in GNOME or KMenu > Applications > Internet > Pidgin in KDE.
Starting Pidgin for the first time goes directly into the Accounts dialog. To configure a new account follow these steps:
- Click on the [Add] button to bring up the Add Account dialog.
- In the Add Account window, under Login Options, click on the right side of the Protocol dropdown menu to show the available protocols and select the network appropriate for the account being created.
- Enter details for the selected account, including Screen name, Password, and Alias. Select Remember password if desired. Click on the [Save] button to add the account to the account list.
- Once the account is added, the Accounts window displays the new account.
- New accounts can be added in the future by navigating to the Accounts > Add/Edit menu entry in the main Pidgin window.
Using Pidgin
Select one of the enabled accounts to see the Buddy List window. These Menus allow you to add additional IM contacts.
All 16 supported protocols are available at the same time within Pidgin. If you have setup several accounts in Pidgin, such as Yahoo, Google Talk, and AIM accounts, then all of your contacts for each of these accounts will be available to chat with at the same time, in the same contact list.
For more information see: http://developer.pidgin.im/wiki/Using%20Pidgin
Pidgin does not support features of all included protocols. Pidgin is useful for chatting via text across 16 different IM protocols, but not all the features in each IM system are supported. For example, video is not supported at this time.
Kopete
Kopete is the Internet Messenger that is installed in KDE by default.
In KDE Kopete can be found in Kmenu > Applications > Internet > Instant Messenger
In GNOME Kopete can be found in Applications > Internet > Kopete This is the default icon associated with Kopete.
Configuring Kopete
For further documentation on Kopete, refer to: http://kopete.kde.org/
To start and configure Kopete, select Applications > Internet > Kopete from the menu panel in GNOME or KMenu > Applications > Internet > Kopete in KDE. Starting Kopete for the first time takes you directly to the creating accounts dialog. To configure a new account:
- Click the selected messaging service you desire.
- In the Account Information window, enter your details that you are using to connect to the services.
- Make sure to fill out the details on the other tabs.
- Once the account is added, click [Next] and choose the option to connect to the service and then click [Finish].
- New accounts can be added in the future by navigating to the Settings > Configure > menu entry in the main Kopete window then clicking the [Accounts] button after it has loaded.
Kopete comes with a wide range of messaging services such as:
- AIM
- GroupWise
- ICQ
- IRC
- Jabber
- Meanwhile
- MSN Messenger
- Testbed
- WinPopup
- Yahoo
Accounts for these services can be added to Kopete using the steps above.
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