...Learning E-Mail (3 of 5) -- Responding to E-Mail

     In the Unix mail program, you can respond to a message, delete it or
save it.  To respond, type a lower-case "r" and hit enter.  You'll get
something like this:

          To: adamg
          Subject: Re:  test

     Note that this time, you don't have to enter a username.  The
computer takes it from the message you're replying to and automatically
addresses your message to its sender. The computer also automatically
inserts a subject line, by adding "Re:" to the original subject.  From
here, it's just like writing a new message. But say you change your mind
and decide not to reply after all. How do you get out of the message? Hit
control-C once. You'll get this:

          (Interrupt -- one more to kill letter)

If you hit control-C once more, the message will disappear and you'll get
back to your mail's command line.
     Now, if you type a lower-case "d" and then hit enter, you'll delete
the original message.  Type a lower-case "q" to exit your mailbox.
     If you type a "q" without first hitting "d", your message is
transferred to a file called mbox.  This file is where all read, but
un-deleted messages go.  If you want to leave it in your mailbox for now,
type a lower-case "x" and hit enter.  This gets you out of mail without
making any changes.
     The mbox file works a lot like your mailbox.  To access it, type

           mail -f mbox

at your host system's  command line  and hit enter.
     You'll get a menu identical to the one in your mailbox from which
you can read these old messages, delete them or respond to them.  It's
probably a good idea to clear out your mailbox and mbox file from time to
time, if only to keep them uncluttered.
    Are there any drawbacks to e-mail?  There are a few.  One is that
people seem more willing to fly off the handle electronically than in
person, or over the phone.  Maybe it's because it's so easy to hit R and
reply to a message without pausing and reflecting a moment. That's why we
have  smileys !  There's no online equivalent yet of a return receipt:
chances are your message got to where it's going, but there's no absolute
way for you to know for sure unless you get a reply from the other
person. Also, because computers are quite literal, you have to be very
careful when addressing a message.  Misplace a period or a single letter
in the address, and your message could come back to you, undelivered.