Chris Bartram wrote:
>  In <d000000000000000@MHS> [log in to unmask] writes:
> > I also love the Local Filing Cabinet in addition to the Server Filing
> > Cabinet. Simply drag & drop messages or complete folders to get them
> > from PC to 3000 or vice versa.
> > Does anybody know if something similar is possible with POP Clients?
>
> The POP protocol has no facility for control (or direct access to) host-
> based "folders". To a POP client, all mail resides in one host-based
> folder, and can only be filed locally (either by downloading messages -by
> setting the don't leave mail on server flag in your client, or with modern
> pop clients that support the UIDL command extension in POP, messages on
> the host can be referred to from folders on the client).

Quite true, and many POP servers don't support UIDL.  UCB's current
"popper" does, the relatively new POP server for OpenMail doesn't (so
I've been told), don't know about 3K's.  If your POP client has options
to "leave mail on server" or any type of filtering (download messages
that are < nn Kb in size) it requires UIDL support.

> Other limitations of POP (version 2 and 3) include lack of access to host-
> based message-store search facilities (searching can only be done on
> messages that have been downloaded to the client); and if you choose to
> not leave messages on the server, moving to another PC and accessing your
> mail can be a bit clumsy.

I have a couple of clumsy workarounds.  One is to define your message
store directory as Win95 briefcase files.  Another is to "mail" yourself
your mail folders prior to signing off - you can generally get them back
where you want.  This is in cases of using pop clients with local
message stores.  UIDL is fine with small message stores, but it adds
more and more overhead to your download sessions as your host-based
message store grows (as I found out on recent out-of-town trip).

> > Is this a limitation of the POP protocol or just of these POP clients?
>
> Yes (as I noted above). IMAP is probably the answer there. It allows you
> to manipulate host-based folders, do searching of your host-based message
> store, and has features that generally make it easier if you switch around
> among PCs accessing your mailbox.

IMAP is an option.  It was also the subject of a recent CERT advisory
for having some security holes.

Another issue I have to deal with is playing "multiple roles" when
reading mail - I need access to several mailboxes.  The newer Netscape
Communicator (Netscape 4) allows multiple user profiles on the same
machine.  This has saved me a good deal of grief, but doesn't sound like
it's applicable to your particular problem.

Jeff Kell <[log in to unmask]>