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This worked fine on a single computer, but when people went mobile with a laptop or smartphone it didn't work as well. Traditionally email clients used the old POP/SMTP protocols which retrieved emails then deleted them on the server. Operating system-based email apps (e.g., Windows 10 Mail, Apple Mail) differ from dedicated third-party apps because simply upgrading the operating system may remove support (i.e., Microsoft provided an email for Vista but not Windows 7 then provided it again with Windows 10). Most refer to Wikipedia pages with additional information about specific programs. Wikipedia's comparison of email clients gives a good overview of the broad range of email clients including their release history, supported operating systems, protocols and authentication methods. Support (or the lack) for specific devices or operating systems often depends upon popularity or developer passions, but vendors tend to be consistent with the operating systems they support.
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There is usually some ability to export your mail and settings or import them into a new email client. Independent email clients (often called apps on mobile devices) tend to focus on specific operating systems. Most people only know enough about servers to configure their email client to retrieve messages.Įmail clients are stand-alone applications that download and store messages on your own computer then delete those messages from the email server. Thunderbird for home users looking for a free alternative to webmail.Įmail programs are either servers (the bigger computer that continually receives and stores emails) or clients (programs on computers or other devices that send and retrieve emails from the server).The Bat! for high volume users wishing more control over their email.
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