Re: Email client programs
On Tue, Jan 27, 2004 at 09:44:47PM -0800, Curtis Vaughan wrote:
> I know this is not a windows list and I have never yet asked a question
> like this on here before, but perhaps there is someone who knows the
> answer to this question.
>
> Because our vessels have to get mail over lines that are rather shaky,
> we would like them to pull mail in a way whereby once they've received
> a message it is considered downloaded. Earlier we were using ccMail
> (Lotus) which did just that. But now we had them switch over to
> Outlook Express. In the case of Outlook Express, however, let's say
> they received 3 letters and then the line broke. Well, when they
> reconnect they would have to get those 3 letters again, prior to going
> on and getting the rest. Maybe this is just the way POP3 works. Or is
> there a mail client program that acts otherwise? i.e., Mozilla, etc.
I finally cured myself of kitchen-sink email clients. Now I do this:
pop3->getmail->procmail->Maildir type mailboxes<-mutt->nullmailer->smtp
The kitchen-sink email "clients" do all of the above and try to make
your life simple (they're really making you think less).
If you are on a ship with unreliable links (satellite?) then you don't
qualify for the simple way. You need the full control email model.
Start with:
pop3->getmail->Maildir type mailboxes
You can control the deletion of the message at the POP3 server with the
"delete=1" control in the ~/.getmail/getmailrc file. Each email is
deleted as it is retrieved (same as fetchmail).
Good luck. Google is your friend. Every tool listed above has its own
email list and then there's good-ole debian-user. Be sure to work hard
reading manuals, googling, and experimenting before posting questions
and you'll get outstanding help.
Mike
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