[Novalug] Clearly opaque emacs configuration

[Alvin Smith]

Several years ago I set up a computer to run a CD based Linux distro
called Oralux for a blind gentleman.  The primary application was
Emacspeak, Emacs that run a screen reader.  The user ran w3m for web
browsing and vm for email.  All was well until the hard drive that he
stored his configuration files and "persistent home directory" began
to fail.

Oralux (Knoppix based) is now a dead project.  So, my solution was to
replace the failing hard drive, load a straight Debian system
including Emacspeak, transferring the .emacs and other relevant dot
files over to the new system.  All seemed to be fine until we found
that vm would not send email using the expected smtpmail.

So the system seems to be using the local email system instead of the
configured pop3 and smtp servers.  I am stumped.  The user stated that
the old .emacs configuration file "worked".  BTW he has a dialup ISP.
w3m surfs like a champ.  But vm (which he configured himself the first
time with the help of a third party) refuses to send mail.

Oh, it does retrieve mail from the POP3 server, but it will not send
mail.  So, vm reads the dot file as it pertains to incoming but not
outgoing mail.  Does anyone have suggestions?

Thanks,
-- Alvin