KMail is KDE's mail client, it is both full-featured and easy to use. This section focuses on KMail's common features, we encourage you to refer to the integrated help to learn more about its advanced features.
Launch KMail by choosing + → from the main menu.
The first time you run KMail a wizard appears to help you set up the mail account you will use with KMail. You only need to enter some connection data; press the button to validate the information you entered and proceed with the setup.
Select the account type from the proposed list and advance to the next step. Please bear in mind that the POP3 protocol downloads messages to the local computer (they can be kept on the server too) while the IMAP protocol doesn't. Both IMAP and POP3 accounts setup are the same.
Then you are asked to provide your account information, fill in your personal data. Note that the name you input in the Real name field is the one that will appear on your outgoing mails.
You are then asked for the account credentials, enter your login and password. Your ISP or system administrator should have provided this information together with your email address.
You are finally asked to provide mail server
parameters. Again, your ISP or system administrator should have
provided you with the incoming and outgoing mail server information. Outgoing
servers are usually of the smtp.provider.net
form. Incoming POP3 servers are usually of the
pop.provider.net
or
pop3.provider.net
forms. Incoming IMAP
servers are usually of the imap.provider.net
form. The mail.provider.net
form is also
common for both incoming and outgoing mail servers.
Toolbar. Where the main action buttons lie. See Table 2.1, “KMail's Toolbar Buttons”.
Message List. Where information (subject, date, sender, etc.) about messages stored in the currently selected folder is displayed.
Message View Panel. Where the currently selected message's contents are displayed.
Folder List. Where all folders
are listed. The default folders are inbox
(incoming messages), outbox
(unsent
templates), sent-mail
(already sent
messages), trash
(deleted messages) and
drafts
(draft messages).
The following table shows the most important buttons available in KMail's toolbar, their equivalent keyboard shortcuts and a brief explanation of the functions they provide.
Table 2.1. KMail's Toolbar Buttons
Toolbar. This is where the main message composition buttons reside. See Table 2.2, “Message-Composition Toolbar Buttons”
Message Body. The area where you will type the content of your message.
Message Recipients. The list of all recipients of this message. The following options are shown:
CC
(Carbon Copy): not-hidden “secondary”
intended recipient(s) of this message. All recipients
will have access to the mail addresses to which this
message is sent.
BCC
(Blind Carbon Copy):
these recipients are also “secondary” but are
hidden from the other recipients of this message. No
recipients of the message will have access to the other mail
addresses to which this message was sent.
The following table shows the buttons which are mostly used in the message-composition window, their equivalent keyboard shortcuts and a brief explanation of the functions they provide.
Table 2.2. Message-Composition Toolbar Buttons