[derobert]

The mail command has been around for a while, and was intended mainly for human use, not scripts.

For example, just run mail alone with no arguments. It'll display the messages in your local mail box, and prompt you which ones to read, keep, delete, reply to, etc.

The mail command is an MUA, just like mutt or Thunderbird, but much older.

[hdjjhhvvhga]

But it's been used for sending emails via scripts since forever, too.

[xorcist]

Use sendmail for that.