37.1. Introduction to Internet Email
When you use a mail client program like Outlook or Evolution to send email, the program simply passes the message to a mail server for delivery to the destination. This server (also known as the MTA or Mail Transfer Agent) locates the correct system for the destination address, connects to the MTA on that system, and transmits the message. When the other server receives the email, it checks to make sure it is truly destined for this system and, if so, stores it in a local mail file.
Later, when the destination user checks his email, the file is read by a program such as Elm, Pine, or Usermin, or by a POP3 server. Mail clients like Evolution and Outlook are usually run on a different system from the mail server, ...
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