Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!mgweed!prg
From: prg@mgweed.UUCP (Gunsul)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.misc
Subject: Re: mail notification at login
Summary: You have mail..
Message-ID: <8568@mgweed.UUCP>
Date: 7 Feb 91 05:08:41 GMT
References: <1991Feb6.233621.16164@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Organization: AT&T Montgomery Works, Montgomery, IL
Lines: 25

In article <1991Feb6.233621.16164@nntp-server.caltech.edu>, allen@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Scott R. Allen) writes:
> Hello -
> 
> I am experiencing an anomoly with mail that I don't quite
> understand and I would greatly appreciate it if someone could
> explain this to me.  Here is the scenario:
> 
> It is my understanding that this test for mail is internal to
> the 'login' program.
> 
> Scott Allen
> allen@tybalt.caltech.edu

I don't know much about Sun systems, but on our 3B's, the check for
mail is done in the /etc/profile, with an "if mail -e then echo
you have mail".

It also sounds like your check on the mail uses the "access" time
on the file rather than the "creation" time, or some combination of
the two...

There is no reference to the mail command in "login" as far as I
can see.

Phil