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POP |
IMAP |
| What does it stand for? |
Post Office Protocol |
Internet Message Access Protocol |
| Which protocol would suit me best? |
If you access mail using only one computer e.g. your office PC or a laptop. |
If you want to access your mail from multiple computers or locations. |
| Which mail programs can I use? |
All mail programs or clients have POP capability |
Most mail programs have IMAP capability and
you will also be able to access your mail via a web page using any web
browser. |
| Some Common Tasks: |
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| Check for incoming mail |
By default, incoming messages are transferred
to your local machine when you check your incoming mail. Only new messages
are available if you connect to the server using a PC other than your
normal one. You are connected to the server only for the transfer of messages.
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By default, incoming messages stay on the server when
you check your mail - only headers are transferred with full messages
only downloaded when selected for reading. All your messages are always
available no matter where or how you connect to the server. You remain
connected to the server whilst you deal with mail but some clients allow
for off-line working. |
| Read and respond to mail |
Reading and responding to messages is done
on your local machine. |
You can read and respond to messages directly
on the server but you can also read and respond to messages on your local
machine, after downloading for offline working (depending on client).
When you reconnect, your mailboxes are resynchronised to reflect the changes
you have made. |
| Create mailboxes for storing messages |
Creating mailboxes can be done only on your
local machine. |
You can create mailboxes directly on the
server. By default, an Inbox is automatically created on the server when
you begin using IMAP. The Inbox functions as the master mailbox (or folder)
as well as the mailbox for incoming messages. All other mailboxes, including
a trash box, need to be created within the Inbox. |
| Move messages in and out of mailboxes |
You can move messages in and out of mailboxes
only on your local machine. |
You can move messages in and out of mailboxes
on the server and on your local machine. |
| Transfer messages from local machine to server
and vice versa |
You cannot transfer any messages from your
local machine to the server. Messages are automatically transferred from
the server to your local machine when you check your incoming mail. |
You can transfer individual messages from
mailboxes on your local machine into mailboxes on the server and vice
versa. |
| Delete selected messages on the server |
When using some clients (e.g. Eudora), if
you specified to leave messages on the server, you can delete individual
messages left there. |
You can delete individual messages and groups
of messages directly on the server as well as on your local machine.
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