Using Mail on 10.3 "Panther" or Earlier
Overview: Apple Mail in 10.3 or less
Using Apple Mail in OS X (10.3 or less)
The following images show the basic layout of the Mail interface on OS X.
- The blue bulb indicates that the message has not yet been read.
- Clicking on a message from the list will highlight it. Double-clicking it will bring up a new window containing the message.
- The bar at the bottom of the window separates the inbox from the preview pane. Drag the bar upwards to view the preview pane, or all the way down to remove it.
- Click on the Mailboxes button to show or hide the drawer on the right.
- Click on the arrow to show a list of mailboxes residing on the IMAP server. If there is no arrow next to In, you should verify your operating system version and if necessary, carry out a Bugfix.
- These are the special folders. Each has the following function:
- When you specify an Out mailbox, any messages you send will be moved there before being sent into the Internet.
- When you specify a Drafts mailbox, any messages you compose but do not send will be stored there.
- When you specify a Sent mailbox, all messages you send will be copied there.
- When you specify a Trash mailbox, deleted messages will be copied there instead of removed completely.
Dealing with Spam
Though Apple Mail offers spam identification and filtering features, we strongly recommend that you use Webmail to manage your spam.
Creating a Signature
- From the Mail menu, select Preferences.
- Select the Signature tab. Click Add Signature.
- Enter a description and content for the signature. Click OK. The signature will now be included at the bottom of every email you send. If you wish to remove the signature, select it from the Signatures tab and click Remove.
Backing Up Your Email
Email on Reed's IMAP server is regularly backed up. However, if you save messages locally (On My Mac), those emails are only accessible from Apple Mail on your computer and are not backed up. If you decide to save messages locally, it is recommended that you make regular backups of your Mail folder.
- From the Mail menu, select Quit Mail to close the application.
- In a Finder window, browse to Macintosh HD:Users:Library.
- Copy the Mail folder to another location, such as an external backup drive, your Home Server, a CD, etc.
Quota Management
For a brief overview of the quota system in Reed's IMAP based mail, see Quota Information. You need to periodically delete messages or download them and store them elsewhere in order to keep your account below quota.
To delete messages, select them in the message list and press the Delete button on the toolbar. This will move them to the Trash folder. Messages in Trash continue to take up space on the server, so to free up space, you must empty the Trash by deleting its contents. To do this, you may control (or right) click on the Trash folder and select Erase Deleted Messages.