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IMAP Mail Service |
What is IMAP?
IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. It is a method of accessing email that are kept on a mail server. In other words, it permits a "client" email program to access remote message stores as if they were local. For example, email stored on an IMAP server can be manipulated from a desktop computer at home, a workstation at the office, and a notebook computer while traveling, without the need to transfer messages or files back and forth between these computers.
The currently used Post Office Protocol (POP) works best when you have only a single computer, since it was designed to support "offline" message access, wherein messages are downloaded and then deleted from the mail server. In other words, with IMAP, you can keep and access your messages from the server. You can choose when to delete a message. With POP, you have to delete the message once it is downloaded. Therefore, you can access your IMAP account everywhere using any computer without worrying how to synchronize mails between multiple computers.
NetHK supports both POP and IMAP at the same time for all users. Each user will get a POP account and an IMAP account. Both accounts can access the same set of your mails. If you use a POP client software, mails will be downloaded and deleted from your account. But if you use a IMAP client, you can read mails online and keep them in your account. Therefore, there is no change in your habit if you still prefer to use POP client.
IMAP clients include Eudora 4.0 and above, Netscape Communicator 4.0 and above. However, NetHK recommends use of Eudora as it has better and more reliable support of the IMAP4 protocol. Using Eudora 4.0, you can select to access your mail with either POP or IMAP.
If you have any questions, please feel free to write to us.
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