Evolution is linux's secure alternative to gui based mail readers such as outlook. Startup evolution by typing 'evolution'. You will see the following screen.

Click next to continue. You will be prompted to enter your full name and email address as shown below. Your email address must be entered as 'username@phys.unsw.edu.au' where username is your username. Note by default this will come up as 'username@astro.phys.unsw.edu.au' - make sure you change it!. Do not put 'username@bat.phys.unsw.edu.au' or 'username@roen.phys.unsw.edu.au' as these email servers will eventually become obsolete and will be shut down. The optional information can be added later if you wish to set up a signature file.

You will then see a screen similar to below.

In the server menu select IMAP. The host should be entered as imap.phys.unsw.edu.auand username should be your username. Check the Use secure connection (SSL) box.

At this point you can configure Evolution to check for mail every 10 minutes or your own specified time frame.

At the next screen select SMTP from the pulldown server menu. DO not use SSL for outgoing mail. You will then be prompted to make this the default account and setup the timezone.

You will then be prompted to import files. You can do this at a later date from evolution menus so leave it for now.

Evolution is now setup and you will be presented with the evolution gui. Click on the inbox icon on the left panel and you will see your local INBOX which is empty. If you click view folderbar you will see the username@phys.unsw.edu.au folder where you access your IMAP inbox. If you have not yet copied over your mail folders to the imap server you can do it now using this guide.

Its a bit annoying that the inbox icon on the shortcut menu point you to you local inbox so lets fix that. Right click on the INBOX icon underneath the SUMMARY icon on the left hand side and click remove. Now right click on you imap INBOX folder in the folders menu and select Add to shortcut bar. Now clicking the inbox icon takes you directly to the inbox on the imap server.

Ximian is a very powerful and fully customizable email reader with other option such as the calendar. To find out more about it visit Ximian Evolution's site: http://www.novell.com/documentation/ximian/evolution.pdf

To find out more about imap in the School of Physics go here.