IMAP vs POP?

punchdouble · July 7th, 2008, 9:03 AM

hi all

im getting a new phone this week on which ill be checking my email
at the same time i want the email to come into my mail app (mail on mac) too

ive always been using pop but someone suggested to me using imap
im pretty much a noob when it comes to these things though so could someone explain to me what the differences are and how it would be useful for me? would it keep everything synched?
thanks in advance

H · July 7th, 2008, 10:35 AM

OMG! Let's totally turn this into a controversy to make Fred happy.

I'm going to blindly side with IMAP because it ROCKS!

**puckchaser** · July 7th, 2008, 11:23 AM

to my knowledge, IMAP leaves the mail on the server, and is good for remote access from many locations.

Pop on the other hand is good for downloading the mail, although, it can be stored on their as well...

On the third hand, IMAP appears to be better suited to mobile devices...

And on the fourth hand, Steve Jobs coded IMAP when he was in the third grade, although, there are claims he stole the code from Woz...who was actually looking over Bill Gate's shoulder at the time.. Or so Xerox PARC will have you believe... Oh, and he packaged it exquisitely.

(most of the above statements are true, some may incite controversy)

IMAP

POP

punchdouble · July 7th, 2008, 6:52 PM

thanks for the information/links

so i have my email account set up as a pop3 in mail right now
can i just delete that and set it up as imap?

if i understand correctly id have issues using pop3 if i want to receive mail on both my phone and computer, unless i set the pop3 to leave the mail on the server?
but are there rules as far as how much space imap can take up?

im trying to see what exactly the advantage of imap would be in my situation

**fury** · July 7th, 2008, 6:54 PM

My phone (Audiovox PPC6700) runs Windows Mobile, and it uses POP3 for email. Most clients have the option to leave the mail on the server when you download them to your phone. My Outlook Mobile does not actually have a check box for it, but the messages are only deleted if I send them to the Trash AND empty it. Otherwise they stay on the server until I run Thunderbird on my PC.

July 7th, 2008, 9:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
punchdouble Registered User Seasoned Poster Joined in Jan 2004 Lives in The Netherlands Hosted on SH106 62 posts Gave thanks: 11 Thanked 2 times	IMAP vs POP? hi all im getting a new phone this week on which ill be checking my email at the same time i want the email to come into my mail app (mail on mac) too ive always been using pop but someone suggested to me using imap im pretty much a noob when it comes to these things though so could someone explain to me what the differences are and how it would be useful for me? would it keep everything synched? thanks in advance __________________ punchdouble.com [dior]

July 7th, 2008, 11:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
puckchaser He shoots.. He scores! Super #1 Joined in Feb 2007 Lives in A room with no windows. Hosted on SH110 1,442 posts Gave thanks: 46 Thanked 140 times	to my knowledge, IMAP leaves the mail on the server, and is good for remote access from many locations. Pop on the other hand is good for downloading the mail, although, it can be stored on their as well... On the third hand, IMAP appears to be better suited to mobile devices... And on the fourth hand, Steve Jobs coded IMAP when he was in the third grade, although, there are claims he stole the code from Woz...who was actually looking over Bill Gate's shoulder at the time.. Or so Xerox PARC will have you believe... Oh, and he packaged it exquisitely. (most of the above statements are true, some may incite controversy) IMAP POP __________________ SH110

July 7th, 2008, 6:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
punchdouble Registered User Seasoned Poster Joined in Jan 2004 Lives in The Netherlands Hosted on SH106 62 posts Gave thanks: 11 Thanked 2 times	thanks for the information/links so i have my email account set up as a pop3 in mail right now can i just delete that and set it up as imap? if i understand correctly id have issues using pop3 if i want to receive mail on both my phone and computer, unless i set the pop3 to leave the mail on the server? but are there rules as far as how much space imap can take up? im trying to see what exactly the advantage of imap would be in my situation __________________ punchdouble.com [dior]

July 7th, 2008, 6:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
fury Surpass Fan Excelling Contributor Joined in Dec 2005 Lives in MN > USA Hosted on pass84 798 posts Gave thanks: 41 Thanked 34 times	My phone (Audiovox PPC6700) runs Windows Mobile, and it uses POP3 for email. Most clients have the option to leave the mail on the server when you download them to your phone. My Outlook Mobile does not actually have a check box for it, but the messages are only deleted if I send them to the Trash AND empty it. Otherwise they stay on the server until I run Thunderbird on my PC. __________________ fury™ - not helping the situation since 1987 robmonroe.net \| \| bullsux.com

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July 7th, 2008, 10:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
H after g, before i Resident. Joined in Jul 2004 Lives in N,BC,CA 8,058 posts Gave thanks: 48 Thanked 129 times	OMG! Let's totally turn this into a controversy to make Fred happy. I'm going to blindly side with IMAP because it ROCKS!

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