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Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.mail,net.mail.headers
Subject: Re: user-editable mail headers
Message-ID: <4231@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 18-Aug-84 18:10:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.4231
Posted: Sat Aug 18 18:10:02 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Aug-84 18:10:02 EDT
References: <1293@ihuxl.UUCP>, <969@ulysses.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 15

> Please note that the Rand MH system -- distributed with 4.2bsd -- has had
> that ability for years.  When you want to send a letter, it pops you into
> the editor of your choice; when you're done, it parses the header to see
> who it's addressed to.

I have no direct experience with MH, but this is *clearly* the right way
to do letter composition.  A mail system is a mail system:  it should not
try to be a text editor as well.  Partly because it complicates the mail
system unnecessarily, partly because it means the poor user has to learn
two different editors, but mostly because mail-system editors are lousy
editors!  Text editing is a complex task; writing a good text editor is
not easy.  Mail-system authors should leave this job to specialists.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry