Slashdot Mirror
Email On Both the Desktop and the Laptop?
RapterOfParadox asks: "I recently purchased a new laptop and have everything configured except for my e-mail. I've always liked having a single location where I know my e-mail is safe, secure and gets backed up automatically. If I've needed access to new messages then I use webmail, since I close down the email client when I leave the house. I'm currently using Outlook XP for my desktop and was thinking about using the same for my laptop. My only issue is that I'm a little weary about using only my laptop for storing e-mail, since it's a lot more likely to fail. I've been thinking about just synchronizing my Outlook data directories at login, or even using IMAP. Has anyone seen/bought/built an e-mail client that will allow me to have my main e-mail client on my desktop and then update my laptop e-mail client when ever I'm in range, or through a personal IMAP Server?"
Come on people! There is a protocol to take care of this, it exists in every major email program, and is offered by every major ISP. It's called IMAP, and does exactly what the poster requested, and doesn't require any more work than clicking a different protocol on a drop down menu.
What's next on ask slashdot? "I want to transfer web pages over an encrypted connection!"
Replies: Setup a cgi wrapper script to encrypt all traffic over `openssl`. Setup another daemon to manage public key exchange, and then write a Firefox extension to do the key exchange and decrypt on the fly!
From an Outlook Express user?
This is what I do, it's just really easy, low maintenance and dependable. Also I am 100% sure google does a better job of uptime and backup than I will ever have time to do. Oh, and if I am really concerned about privacy, I encrypt, which is what I do regardless of whether the file I feel is sensitive is on my server or someone elses...
If it were me, I'd keep my mailbox on a USB drive and physically move it between each machine.
Now that's a clever idea.
Better encrypt it, though, since those things get lost easy.
"I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1