how to send an e-mail --- (a problem!)

[SERGIE]

Guys,

using 
echo hello | sendmail -s test john.black at vpnmail.ru fails. It stays 
in /var/spool/mqueue or /var/spool/clientmqueue with DERIVED status.
I think that either FROM address & Return-Path are wrong, or the sender's 
address could not be resolved by target SMTP.

How do I send a simple e-mail? sendmail is too complicated. Is there anything 
else (exim and postfix I tried and cried...)