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?"

Comments

Imap is the way to go

[CAPSLOCK2000]

Your IMAP suggestion is the way to go.
Here's the recipe:

use fetchmail to get your mail from all the mail accounts you might have,
use spamassassin to check your mail for spam,
use clamav to check for virusses (if you are on Windows, like you are),
use procmail to filter the mail to seperate folders,
set up imap so you can read the mail from any mailclient without removing it from the server,
install some kind of webmail so you can reach your mail from internet-kiosks and other places with browser-only access.
Finally, BACK IT UP! Bacula is quite good.