[CLUE-Tech] IMAP vs POP

[Nate Duehr]

Angelo Bertolli wrote:

> Like you said, it might be Mozilla.  But Mozilla is my client of 
> choice. So, are there any sites which describe how IMAP handles your 
> mail on the server (folder, etc.)?

Hi Angelo,

The answer to your question is : It's configurable by the system 
administrator for each of many different types of IMAP server. 

(Note: xinetd is not an IMAP server.  You mentioned it in your last 
e-mail.  Xinetd is a newer version of inetd, a daemon that answers 
network requests for numerous services on Unix.  Most ISP's do not run 
their IMAP or other critical services under inetd, but perhaps yours does.)

IMAP is just a transport protocol between your MUA (mail program like 
Mozilla or mutt or whatever...) and the server.  In practice, even 
though they don't have to be configured this way, IMAP stores your mail 
on the server whereas most POP3 setups encourage you to take the mail 
off the server and into your machine's local cache every time something 
new arrives.

How a particular server operates is mostly a function of how it's set 
up, if you're looking for information about where they store your mail 
files, etc.  .

For a server you don't run yourself, he best people to ask are the 
server administrator(s).

Nate Duehr, nate at natetech.com