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Probably it all starts when I get lonely.

Install

Install GNU mail

apt install mailutils
dpkg-reconfigure exim4-config

Add notifications

Remove the mail check from ssh greeting editing /etc/pam.d/sshd

# Print the status of the user's mailbox upon successful login.
#session    optional     pam_mail.so standard noenv # [1]

Also remove the mail check from pam config (not when you login via ssh?) editing /etc/pam.d/login

#session    optional   pam_mail.so standard

And finally create our super greeting via message of the day script

# nano /etc/update-motd.d/90-mail

#!/bin/sh

mbox=$(id -un $(cat /proc/self/loginuid))
if [ "$mbox" = "root" ]; then
    mbox=mail
fi

#echo "whoiam: "$(whoiam)
#echo "id    : "$(id -un)
#echo "USER  : $USER"
#echo "SSH_USER : $SSH_USER"
#echo "loginuid: "$(id -un $(cat /proc/self/loginuid))

box_file=/var/mail/$mbox
[ -e "$box_file" ] || exit 0
count=$(grep -c '^From ' "$box_file")
[ "$count" -gt 0 ] && echo "\n📬 You have $count mail message(s). Type 'mail -f /var/spool/mail/$mbox' to read.\n"

Quick send

echo "Hello Tony, this is a test." | mail -s "Test subject" tony
echo "I just installed 'mail' (mailutils). This is a test to check a new motd script :)" | mail -s "Test motd on root" root

mail interactive commands Cheat Sheet

Usually you don't need to specify the file for your user. But just in case, this is where you can find it:

mail -f /var/spool/mail/nikolay
  • t <n> – Type (show) message n.
  • n – Show next message.
  • h – List message headers (current screenful).
  • z – Show next screenful of headers.
  • z- – Show previous screenful of headers.
  • p – Print current message again.
  • d <n> – Delete message n (marks for deletion).
  • u <n> – Undelete message n.
  • s <n> file – Save message n to a file (usually in mbox format).
  • w <n> file – Write message n to a file (just body, no headers).
    • x – Exit without making changes (abort session).
  • q – Quit, saving changes (deleted messages removed, saved ones moved).
  • file filename – Switch to another mailbox file.
  • /string – Search for messages containing string.
  • ? – Print help for commands.

Sending / Replying

  • m address – Mail a message to address.
  • r – Reply to sender.
  • R – Reply to sender and all recipients.
  • f – Forward (resend) current message.

Special Notes

  • Messages are numbered within the current mailbox.
  • You can give ranges: e.g., d 1-5 deletes messages 1 through 5.
  • Deleted messages aren’t removed until you quit (q).

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