[Lvlug] Mail Handling Recommendations

[Tom Walsh]

Randy Kramer wrote:
> 
> Does anybody have recommendations for an email client or utility that
> would make it easy to do the following:
> 
> -Store email in a format that is directly usable by a compact but
> functional email client with a GUI front end.  What functions am I
> looking for?  Filters, a 3 pane window (folders, contents of one folder,
> email).
> 
> -Allow the email to be sorted into folders (manually, and perhaps even
> automatically based on filters)


Look into using IMAP instead of POP3 for fetching / managing your mail. 
IMAP allows the use of folders to be stored on the mail server into
which you can move your messages around between folders.  DO NOT attempt
this with Micro$oft's Outlook, it is a badly broken implementation of
the IMAP spec (they refuse to leave mail on the server and insist on
storing it locally).

I used many (about eight) mail clients in an effort to find one that
was: 1) graphical, 2) flexible, & 3) reliable.  After many terrifying
moments (switching between clients) I gave up on POP3 and switched to
IMAP.  As to the client itself, for all its warts & lockups, Netscape
mail (netscape version 4.75) gives the best performance for me.  In
Netscape Mail, I can automatically route mail into IMAP folders based
upon various conditions, this is important to me as I subscribe to
several list servers.

The downside of IMAP is that it can consume a lot of space on the server
(especially if you have relatives that insist on sending you the "photo
of the day").  I run my own domain(s) (cyberiansoftware.com,
openhardware.net) and I have about 4G free on the mail spool...

BTW, as you are interested in getting more involved into linux, why not
register a domain for your purposes (experimentation) and dedicate that
phone line to making a 24/7 connection with a linux box?  You can use
the machine as a router for your other machines to access the Internet
through, host your own mail server (I recommend Qmail, get rid of
Sendmail!).  You don't need a static IP in order to run a server on the
'net, there are a number of ways to use a dynamically assigned IP to
host a server (I have three machines out there on the 'net that do just
that).


TomW



-- 
Tom Walsh - WN3L - Embedded Systems Consultant
'www.openhardware.net', 'www.cyberiansoftware.com'
"Windows? No thanks, I have work to do..."