[VM] Announcement: VM 8.2.0b (beta-testing) release

[Uday Reddy]

Happy holidays every one!

I managed to take some time off during the Christmas break to finish up the
work leading up to the 8.2.0 version.  I am doing a "beta-testing" release
because there have been some significant changes since the last
"alpha-testing" release.  Please download it from the Launchpad web site:

  http://launchpad.net/vm

Some highlights:

1. VM can now use the built-in SSL capability of Emacs, for talking to
POP/IMAP servers, e.g., gmail.  Set the variable `vm-stunnel-program' to nil
to get this feature.  The upcoming Gnu Emacs 24 has built-in SSL.  Once you
do this, you won't have to worry about the stunnel program malfunctioning.
(Of course you might have to worry about the built-in SSL malfunctioning.
But that should be less of a problem.)

2. The Help menu has links to the NEWS file and the VM manual.  Please test
this.  We will need to verify whether VM can locate the relevant files in
different installations.

3. `vm-list-imap-folders' vastly improved.  There are also other functions
for working with IMAP servers listed in the manual.

4. `vm-create-virtual-folder-of-threads' (bound to `V T') makes a virtual
folder of entire message threads instead of individual messages.  For
example, I use `V T outgoing' to find all threads in which I have written
something, which is useful while cleaning up mailing list discussions.
(Previously, I would have had to do `V C outgoing', find a message, and then
go back to the original folder to find the whole thread.  Darf.)

There is also an `sexp' selector, which allows you to use arbitrary
combination of selectors.  It was previously malfunctioning, but is now
fixed.  For example, you can say

  V T sexp <RET> (and (author "monnier") (text "memory leak")) <RET>

to find all threads where Monnier has written about memory leaks.

5. Setting the variable `vm-mail-use-sender-address' to `t' allows VM to
pick up the sender of the current message as the recipient of a new message
composition.  (Many people use `reply' to get this functionality, which is
not a right thing to do, as I have mentioned previously in the message
"Don't use the mailbox as an address book".  Now, you _can_ use it as an
address book.)

6. You can sort messages by delivery-date instead of the sent-date.
(user option `vm-sort-messages-by-delivery-date').  This is useful when you
deal with moderated mailing lists, where considerable time might elapse
between the sent-date and the message arrival.  It might be useful to have
both sent-date and delivery-date as independent sort keys, but for now, you
just have to pick one or the other.

Over 200 bug reports have been targeted and fixed for the 8.2.0 release.  I
think we are slowly catching up all the lost time, and re-establishing VM as
the best mail reader there is.

Cheers,
Uday

--------

VM 8.2.0b  (2011-12-28)

  CHANGES

   * New customization variable `vm-spam-score-headers' allows the
     extraction of spam scores.  (Replaces the former variable
     `vm-vs-spam-score-headers' used by vm-avirtual.el.) 

   * The variable `vm-mime-alternative-select-method' renamed to
     `vm-mime-alternative-show-method' to make it clear that it only applies
     to the viewing of messages.  The new variable
     `vm-mime-alternative-yank-method' controls the selection of
     alternatives for citation in replies.

   * `vm-submit-bug-report' now uses Emacs message-mode for composing the
     bug report (whereas it previously used mail-mode with VM-specific
     tweaks).  Please do C-h m to find the functions you might need.

   * Terminology: Interactively created virtual folders are now called
     "Search Folders".  They have a stronger connection to their parent
     folders and inherit some attributes, e.g., the read-only property.

  IMPROVEMENTS

   * New variable `vm-mail-use-sender-address' allows `vm-mail' to pick up
     the sender of the current message as the recipient of a new message
     composition. 

   * See the new info manual section on "IMAP folders" for newly documented
     functions.  In particular, `vm-list-imap-folders' now lists the message
     counts in the IMAP folders.  

   * New variable: `vm-sort-messages-by-delivery-date' allows messages to be
     sorted by the date of their delivery instead of the date sent.

   * New virtual folder selectors added: `message-id', `uid' (for IMAP) and
     `uidl' (for POP).

   * New command `vm-create-virtual-folder-of-threads' (bound to `V T')
     allows you to select entire threads into a virtual folder instead of
     individual messages.  There are also new virtual folder selectors
     `thread' and `thread-all'. 

   * The trace of POP/IMAP sessions are retained in buffers named "trace of
     POP session..." or "trace of IMAP session...".  They are useful for
     troubleshooting any problems with mail server connections.

   * Setting `vm-stunnel-program' to nil asks VM to use the built-in SSL
     functionality of Emacs, available in Gnu Emacs 24.

   * New functions `vmpc-folder-match' and `vmpc-folder-account-match' in
     the vm-pcrisis package.

   * New variable `vm-mail-auto-save-directory' where message composition
     buffers are auto-saved.