Re: help needed with emacs. mule, euc-japan

[SL Baur <steve@example.com>]

Mike Fabian <mfabian@example.com> writes in tlug@example.com:

> "Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull@example.com> writes:
>> (2) Switch to Gnus.  Gnus supports MIME internally, but is somewhat
>> complex to use.  Gnus can use a file-per-message storage format,
>> but I don't know if it is mh-compatible.

> Gnus can use a mh-compatible format with the 'nnmh' backend:

gnus-info> `nnmh' is just like `nnml', except that is doesn't
gnus-info> generate NOV databases and it doesn't keep an active file.
gnus-info> This makes `nnmh' a _much_ slower backend than `nnml', but
gnus-info> it also makes it easier to write procmail scripts for.

> But as it is slower than 'nnml' it is probably not a good idea
> to use 'nnmh' unless you need the mh-compatibility.

nnmh is probably usable.  I managed to use it for quite awhile when I
was transitioning to Gnus from mh, despite the fact that it stressed
previously only lightly used features of XEmacs.

nnmh and nnml are nearly identical with respect to diskspace usage. nnml
adds a newsy .overview file to the mh folder that speeds up index creation
on entry to the group.  .overview files can be created from existing mh
folders by a special Gnus function: `gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases':

`gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases' is an interactive compiled Lisp function
  -- loaded from "gnus-cache"
(gnus-cache-generate-nov-databases DIR)

Documentation:
Generate NOV files recursively starting in DIR.


Unfortunately, you lose any mh markings, including readedness status.
This may or may not be a big deal depending upon how much archived
mail you keep around.

One last point, while Gnus claims to be a netnews reader, it does not
really need a source of netnews to operate.  It's been several years
since I last connected to an nntp server.  If you have to deal with a
high volume of email, like from multiple mailing lists, etc., Gnus is
wonderful.