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Many people try to switch to Mutt thinking it will be like using gmail but in the terminal. It is not. Mutt is a productivity tool, like vim and emacs, but for
by jvehent 10y ago
Many people try to switch to Mutt thinking it will be like using gmail but in the terminal. It is not.
Mutt is a productivity tool, like vim and emacs, but for email instead of code. You need to invest a lot of time into learning it, refining your configuration, and getting comfortable with its interface. It will originally be as frustrating as giving emacs to a notepad user, but eventually pays off the learning cost in productivity.
Some examples of commands I use all the time:
* shift+D deletes an entire thread. Very useful to delete entire github discussions in one command.
* `t` flags a message, then `;+s` moves the entire flag to another folder
* custom macros. For example, I use `short+C` to move the message under the cursor to folder `foo`. I have 5/6 similar macros for the folders I use most.
GnuPG integration is also a big help (I use it constantly). I'm use many other MUA offer similar shortcuts and configurability, but Mutt is the fastest and most flexible by far. The one thing that I haven't found a good solution for is full text search across multiple folders. I still rely on gmail for that.
- geofft 10y ago> shift+D deletes an entire thread. Very useful to delete entire github discussions in one command. If you enable keyboard shortcuts from Gmail's settings screen, "e" archives the entire thread and moves you back to the inbox. "m" will additionally mute the thread so new replies don't show up in the inbox. You can also use "{" or "}" to archive and move to the next or previous thread, instead of back to the inbox. > `t` flags a message, then `;+s` moves the entire flag to another folder "x" selects the current thread and moves you back to the inbox. Then "v" brings up the menu for typing which folder to move all selected conversations into. > custom macros. For example, I use `short+C` to move the message under the cursor to folder `foo`. I have 5/6 similar macros for the folders I use most. "vfoo" will do that. Gmail is also a productivity tool, and you should also invest time into learning it and getting comfortable with its interface.
- dredmorbius 10y agoMutt is a productivity tool that's learned (or at least practiced) the wisdom that you don't fuck with a productivity tool's UI/UX gratuitously. Google ... hasn't.
- zAy0LfpBZLC8mAC 10y ago> The one thing that I haven't found a good solution for is full text search across multiple folders. https://notmuchmail.org/ https://notmuchmail.org/ ?
- threepipeproblm 10y agoThanks for stating this, because it's almost comically difficult to find out what Mutt it starting from the above link!