Introduction

Elm is a text-based email client commonly found on Unix systems. It became popular as one of the first email clients to use a text user interface, and as a utility with freely-available source code. The name elm originated from the phrase ELectronic Mail.

Dave Taylor (currently with Intuitive Systems) developed elm while working for Hewlett-Packard. Development later passed to a team of volunteers. The latest (as of June 2012) public release occurred in August 2005, version 2.5.8 (available via the site below).

Other popular email readers which followed elm and took it as an inspiration include the Mutt and Pine programs. From about 1995 elm slipped in popularity and functionality, and it now sees relatively little use.

Bill Pemberton of the University of Virginia currently maintains elm. A former Elm Coordinator was Sydney Weinstein from the Myxa Corporation.

References

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elm_%28e-mail_client%29
2. http://www.instinct.org/elm/
3. % man elm