# VM

> popular Emacs mail subsystem

**Wikidata**: [Q113089834](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113089834)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vm-q113089834

## Summary
VM is a popular Emacs mail subsystem that serves as a mail user agent within the GNU Emacs and XEmacs text editors. Created by Kyle E. Jones in 1989, it provides a comprehensive interface for reading and managing email directly within the Emacs environment.

## Key Facts
- VM is a mail user agent designed to work within Emacs and XEmacs text editors.
- Created by Kyle E. Jones in 1989, with subsequent maintenance by Robert Josef Widhopf-Fenk and currently by Mark Diekhans.
- The latest stable version as of December 2025 is 8.3.2, with version 8.3.1 being a bug-fix release.
- VM is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2.0 or later.
- It is part of the NonGNU ELPA package repository since December 23, 2025.
- VM is written entirely in Emacs Lisp, the dialect of Lisp used in GNU Emacs.
- The project is hosted on GitLab at https://gitlab.com/emacs-vm/vm.git and also available through GNU Savannah.

## FAQs
### Q: What is VM and how does it relate to Emacs?
A: VM is a popular Emacs mail subsystem that functions as a complete mail user agent within Emacs. It allows users to read, compose, and manage email directly within the Emacs text editor interface, leveraging Emacs' powerful editing capabilities for email handling.

### Q: Who created VM and when was it first released?
A: VM was created by Kyle E. Jones in 1989. The project has had several maintainers over the years, including Robert Josef Widhopf-Fenk from 2007 to 2027, and is currently maintained by Mark Diekhans as of 2025.

### Q: What versions of VM are currently available?
A: As of December 2025, the latest stable version of VM is 8.3.2 (released December 29, 2025), preceded by version 8.3.1 (a bug-fix release on December 28, 2025) and 8.3.0 (stable version released December 22, 2025).

### Q: How can I install VM on my system?
A: VM can be installed through various package managers including Emacs package repositories (specifically NonGNU ELPA), and distribution-specific packages like Debian's "vm", Ubuntu's "vm", Gentoo's "app-emacs/vm", and others.

## Why It Matters
VM represents a significant contribution to the Emacs ecosystem by providing a sophisticated, Emacs-native email solution. It enables users to seamlessly integrate email management with Emacs' powerful text editing capabilities, creating a unified environment for both coding and communication. As one of the most popular mail subsystems for Emacs, VM has maintained relevance for decades, demonstrating the enduring value of well-designed Emacs packages. Its continued development and integration with modern package repositories like NonGNU ELPA ensure that it remains accessible to new users while preserving the unique Emacs email experience that has attracted loyal users since its inception.

## Notable For
- Being one of the most popular and long-standing Emacs mail subsystems, maintaining relevance since 1989.
- Its complete implementation in Emacs Lisp, making it fully integrated with Emacs' language and environment.
- Its availability across multiple Emacs variants (GNU Emacs and XEmacs) and operating systems.
- Its inclusion in the NonGNU ELPA package repository, making it easily accessible to modern Emacs users.
- Its continued active development with regular version updates as recently as December 2025.

## Body
### History and Development
VM was created by Kyle E. Jones in 1989 and has undergone continuous development since then. The project has had several maintainers throughout its history. Kyle E. Jones maintained it from 1989 to 2003, when the copyright transferred to Robert Josef Widhopf-Fenk who maintained it from 2007 to 2027. As of 2025, Mark Diekhans is the current maintainer. The project has shown remarkable longevity with active development spanning over three decades.

### Technical Implementation
VM is written entirely in Emacs Lisp, the dialect of Lisp used in GNU Emacs. This deep integration with Emacs' language and environment allows VM to leverage Emacs' powerful text editing capabilities for email handling. The software functions as a mail user agent within Emacs and XEmacs, providing a complete interface for email management.

### Version History
VM has seen numerous versions throughout its history. As of December 2025:
- Version 8.3.0 (stable version) was released on December 22, 2025
- Version 8.3.1 (bug-fix release) was released on December 28, 2025
- Version 8.3.2 (stable version) was released on December 29, 2025, and is the current stable release

### Distribution and Installation
VM is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2.0 or later. It is available through multiple channels:
- NonGNU ELPA package repository (since December 23, 2025)
- GitLab at https://gitlab.com/emacs-vm/vm.git
- GNU Savannah at https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/viewmail/

The software is packaged for various operating systems and distributions:
- Debian and Ubuntu: "vm" package
- Gentoo: "app-emacs/vm" for GNU Emacs and "app-xemacs/vm" for XEmacs
- FreeBSD: "mail/vm" port
- openSUSE: "emacs-vm" package
- NetBSD: "mail/vm" package

### Community and Support
VM has an active community with mailing list archives available at:
- https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/viewmail-info/ (general users)
- https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/viewmail-dev/ (developers, since July 2024)

The project uses GitLab's issue tracker for bug reporting and feature requests at https://gitlab.com/emacs-vm/vm/-/issues.

## References

1. [Source](https://mail.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-diffs/2009-06/msg00102.html)
2. [Source](https://lists.libreplanet.org/archive/html/help-gnu-emacs/2007-10/msg00268.html)
3. [Source](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2025-12/msg00054.html)
4. [Source](https://gitlab.com/emacs-vm/vm/-/blob/main/HISTORY.md?ref_type=heads)
5. [Source](https://metadata.ftp-master.debian.org/changelogs//main/v/vm/vm_8.2.0b-11.1_copyright)
6. Free Software Directory
7. [[NonGNU ELPA] Vm version 8.3.0. 2025](https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnu-emacs-sources/2025-12/msg00043.html)
8. [[NonGNU ELPA] Vm version 8.3.1. 2025](https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/viewmail-info/2025-12/msg00003.html)
9. [[NonGNU ELPA] Vm version 8.3.2. 2025](https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/viewmail-info/2025-12/msg00005.html)
10. [Source](https://elpa.nongnu.org/nongnu/vm.html)
11. Nix
12. [Source](https://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/viewmail-info)
13. [Source](https://lists.nongnu.org/mailman/listinfo/viewmail-dev)