Re: mailx (Re: CVS commit: src/usr.bin/tip)

[Robert Elz <kre%munnari.OZ.AU@localhost>]

    Date:        Tue, 25 Apr 2023 13:46:27 +0300
    From:        Valery Ushakov <uwe%stderr.spb.ru@localhost>
    Message-ID:  <ZEevg7d/fsOg7kL0%pony.stderr.spb.ru@localhost>

  | The last time I used mailx as my main mail reader was 30 years ago, so
  | I don't remember anything.  I *guess* that "x" used to stand for
  | "extended",

mailx is the SysV (or POSIX) invented name for Mail since they didn't
want commands with names that differed only in the case of the chars
(I believe).   POSIX still specifies a mailx command (which their
rationale says they invented .. the name that is) and has no command
named mail.

  | but I don't remember what mailx did that mail didn't.

The original mail was an incredibly primitive mail reader, with
almost no capabilities at all.   It did however handle receiving
and delivery of mail, which Mail did not (Mail has always been
much like we currently have it - there have been a few extensions
over the hears, but the basic set of commands are largely unchanged).

The receiving & delivering part has now migrated to mail.local
(in /usr/libexec, as it isn't really expected that humans will run it). 

  | If someone remember that history, please, can we add a HISTORY section
  | that briefly mentions it and then says that nowadays mailx is just a
  | link.

If anything, mailx perhaps should be the preferred name, and mail "just
a link for backwards compat".   It is certainly the standard name.

kre

ps: I still find myself typing Mail when I (for some reason) have a need
for that MUA.