Email - Pop3 or Imap

[Alex]

I'm doing a complete overhaul on how my systems work and it got me wondering.... should I go pop3 or imap for my emails.

For those who DONT know what either is:

pop3 - Downloads the messages to ONE pc... in essense, you have an unlimited size mailbox. However you can't access the downloaded emails on the move.

imap - Messages are kept online, and you can access them anywhere, also allowing multiple devices to access it too ( PC and Iphone )... in essence it's shared across your devices. The con is, you're usually restricted by your web host on how large your mail box can be.

What do you guys all use?

(Technically this is website help.... but if it's in the wrong forum, I apologise... I can be a bit of a at times)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

pop3 - Downloads the messages to ONE pc... in essense, you have an unlimited size mailbox. However you can't access the downloaded emails on the move.

Well I do and I'm sure mine are pop3!

[Vectis]

I use POP3 but configured to leave messages on the server for 10 days, from all clients that access them (main PC, laptop and iPhone). Therefore each device gets a complete copy and I don't stuff my server.

Backup is achieved from my main PC going to Time Machine, with monthly off-site copies to a floating HDD.

Backup is also inherent on the laptop. The iPhone not so, as it has a rolling buffer.


I chose POP3 over IMAP having spent many years in corporate IT and seeing the levels of issues that IMAP causes over and above POP3. The main one being server side storage and backup, but in my experience IMAP is also less well understood and supported across devices and OSs whereas POP3 is much more robust.

HTH

[Marc J]

I do much the same as Vectis. POP3 with leave on server for 14 days, which means I have 2 weeks (from first retrieval) to access email from as many devices as I want before they're deleted to make room for more. You need a reasonably sized mailbox but nothing huge. If I'm accessing from my phone or laptop and reply to an email, I bcc myself so I get a copy of the sent email the next time I collect from my main PC.

Any decent host will give you access to your POP3 box(es) via webmail, so you can access on the go from anywhere / any device you like.

I also send a copy (via cPanel) of all incoming email to a GMail box, with 7Gb of storage, just for extra backup (although I backup mail from my main PC regularly, with off-site backups as well). I haven't lost an email in 11 years

[Steve the DJ]

Since I had a hard drive crash and lost all of my emails I moved from POP3 to IMAP and I think it is far easier if you like to "set and forget" with the security of a back up.

I have had no issues accessing emails from a variety of machines or devices and with 2GB of storage I doubt I will ever get close to running out of room.

Personal choice I guess.

[Megamix]

I think its horses for courses - IMAP is handy for some people, POP 3 for others.
My missus needs IMAP cos she wants to look at her received and sent mail at Work and a PC at home and her Blackberry.

[discomobiledj]

IMAP all the way.