On Friday 4 October 2024 09:01:00 BST Dale wrote: > Wols Lists wrote: > > On 03/10/2024 12:33, Michael wrote: > >> Usually this is a POP3 setting. Instead of deleting a message from > >> the server > >> once it is downloaded by your client, you can configure it to delete the > >> downloaded message with some delay. With IMAP4 you have to delete the > >> messages from the server yourself and such deletion will be mirrored > >> on your > >> local storage too. Deleted message will be gone, unless you have > >> copied/ > >> archived such messages to a local folder first. > > > > Don't confuse the poor lad. POP3 (typically) downloads the message and > > uses local mail client for storage. IMAP4 leaves everything on a mail > > server.
Heh! I didn't mean to cause confusion. :-) Modern POP3/IMAP4 implementations offer various options, which enhance their basic functionality. Another way to think about the two protocols: POP3 suits using one device to download, store, read your messages. Downloaded messages are deleted from the server's INBOX automatically, either immediately or if configured they are deleted after some delay. If a second client accesses the POP3 server it will find any downloaded messages which have not yet been deleted marked as 'Read'. The POP3 protocol was designed at the time of intermittent dial up internet connectivity. IMAP4 keeps the messages on the server and these can be accessed and downloaded by any number of different client devices. In addition, an IMAP4 server allows the creation of a multi-folder hierarchy akin to a user's filesystem, where messages can be stored manually or by means of server-side filters. Clients can be configured to perform a number of functions, including: - Synchronize the content of server side folders to local folders bidirectionally. Messages can be moved to folders at either end. - Enable only selected folders to be synchronized between server and client(s). - Choose to access messages online only, or configure your client to download messages for offline reading and local storage automatically, or selectively. Local changes will be synchronized with the server the next time the client is online. - Archive copies of messages locally, copy/move them to client-side only folders, copy/move them to some other IMAP4 server's folder configured on the client and perform all this manually or automatically via filters. For the above reasons it is obvious IMAP4 is a more flexible protocol, while POP3 reflects the needs of email usage in the 1980s. > >> Think of IMAP4 and its associated MAILDIR folders storage structure > >> as being similar to using a file manager (e.g. Dolphin). > >> > >>> Then I only > >>> have the local copy with Dovecot or whatever. This would seem to be > >>> the > >>> easiest way to use any mail program I want. I really need to switch > >>> from Seamonkey. > > > > Yup. That's what you want as far as I can tell. I think 'the easiest way' would be to try out any number of email desktop clients with your existing Gmail account. Emerge any number of email clients and give them a spin for a few weeks. At some point you'll decide on a client you are prepared to live with, one with the least amount of pain and transactional friction. Then you can invest some time exploring alternative email service providers to assess their offerings. Finally, migrate your messages to the new provider - if you want to keep your messages stored online. None of the above requires installing and configuring local email servers, fetchmail, smtp, etc. *unless* you have an interest in using such a local setup. > >> Ah! This a new requirement. We started from I don't like Google > >> snooping > >> through my messages, to arrive at I am looking for a different email > >> desktop client. > > > > Dale's been talking about this for ages. Possibly just didn't mention > > it this thread, but it's been obvious to me he wanted a > > client-agnostic solution. > > > > Cheers, > > Wol Apologies, if it was mentioned I missed it. > Exactly. At some point, I expect Seamonkey to stop working and I'll be > forced to use other software. Right now, I have no idea what that will > be. I used Kmail ages ago. It developed issues and I switched to > Seamonkey, back then Seamonkey was like Firefox or Chrome today. I also > a while back test drove Thunderbird. One would think it is the closest > to Seamonkey but it's different. I think at some point waaaaaaay back > it was the same but has since been developed enough that it is a > different thing entirely. T'bird has gone through 2 or 3 reincarnations, none as catastrophic as Kmail. T'bird users have complained things going awry at each major 'profile' upgrade, but most issues should be resolved if you start afresh with a new empty profile. I think today it is mostly OK, for most desktop users anyway. Kmail went through a terrible period after the move to KDE4 - it was released on an unsuspecting community without loud enough health warnings. Many users who did not keep extensive email backups lost messages. I tried to move away from Kmail, but ended up spending more time trying to configure and tweak different clients to work as I wanted, than using them to access my email. Eventually I gave up and returned to Kmail. Today its performance is tolerable, for my needs at least. There's a couple of quirks when setting up new accounts with some types of IMAP4 server implementations and its asynchronous message re-indexing can be quite sluggish when too many actions are queued up, but otherwise it just works as expected - YMMV. > I think if I can get something local, Dovecot maybe, then I can switch > from Gmail more easily and then just test drive email software until I > find one I like. Email is so complicated that at times it is hard to > know where to start. I think, might be wrong, setting up Dovecot first > and then I can switch providers later, just add account to Dovecot, and > then switch email software until I find one I like once that is done. I > could start with the IMAP thing and then switch to pop if I needed too. > One thing I like about current setup, I have folders and filters. > Everything gentoo-user goes into a gentoo-user folder. Things I order > from Ebay goes into a Ebay folder. I have sub folders for things I > don't get emails from to often. I'd like to do the same with IMAP but > I'm not real sure how IMAP works. I need to go find a video on Youtube > or something. What you are describing above is the basis of the IMAP4 folder structure. What protocol are you using to access Gmail? I suggest you get your head around POP3 Vs IMAP4 first: https://support.google.com/a/answer/12103?hl=en
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