Chapter 17. Evolution: An E-Mail and Calendar Program

Table of Contents

17.1. Starting Evolution
17.2. Importing E-Mail from Other Mail Programs
17.3. Evolution Overview
17.4. E-Mail
17.5. Calendar
17.6. Contacts
17.7. Public Address Books in Evolution
17.8. For More Information

Abstract

Evolution is a groupware suite created by Ximian. It offers regular e-mail features along with extended features, like task lists and a calendar. The application also provides a complete address book, including the ability to send contact information to others in vCard format.

17.1. Starting Evolution

Start Evolution from the main menu or with evolution. When started for the first time, Evolution offers a configuration assistant. If it is not opened automatically, select Tools+Settings+Mail Accounts and click Add. Click Next to access the assistant. Enter your name and your e-mail address in the respective fields. Additional addresses can be configured later. Click Next.

Select the appropriate incoming e-mail format for this address in Server Type. POP is the most common format for downloading mail from a remote server. IMAP works with mail folders on a special server. Obtain this information from your ISP or server administrator. Complete the other relevant fields displayed when the server type is selected. Click Next when finished.

The next set of information to enter is about mail delivery. This is used for all configured e-mail addresses. To submit outgoing e-mail on the local system, select Sendmail. For a remote server, select SMTP. Get the details from your ISP or server administrator. For SMTP, complete the other fields displayed after selection. Click Next when finished.

By default, the e-mail address is used as the name to identify the account. Enter another name if desired. The field Make this my default account determines whether the account should be used as the default. The default account is the e-mail address initially selected for sending e-mail. Another account can be selected in the message composition window if desired. Click Next.

The time zone information from the next window is used for the calendar functions. It is important to select the correct time zone for using the appointment scheduling functions. Click the dot on the map for a city in your time zone. Selection zooms the display to that area and a change can be made if desired. When the correct time zone is displayed under Selection, click Next. In the next window, click Finish to save the data entered. Use Back to make changes.