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Rick Millhollin
rickm@oregon.uoregon.edu
Spencer Smith
spencera@oregon.uoregon.edu
Occasionally, we get reports of problems when Oregon users try to access their
email via classic WebMail from Infinite.com (http://webmail.uoregon.edu).
Sometimes the indexes on the WebMail box itself get scrambled, and sometimes
the scrambled indexes are those created by the VMS mail server software on Oregon.
You can tell your mailbox indexes have been corrupted if you have problems opening
your messages. Once this happens, the only solution is to write system@oregon.uoregon.edu
and ask us to delete one or both sets of indexes. The indexes will then be recreated
properly the next time you access your mailbox.
To avoid problems, it's a good idea to use only Internet Message Access
Protocol (IMAP) rather than POP (Post Office Protocol) mail clients to access
your mail. The main difference between POP and IMAP is where they keep their
mail files. POP brings the mail onto the local machine (the machine you're
using to read your email), and manipulates that email locally. IMAP keeps all
the email on the server (e.g., Darkwing, Gladstone, Oregon) and manipulates
the email files there.
WebMail is IMAP only. Eudora Pro is an example of an email program that uses
IMAP as well as POP, and most new email programs can be configured to use either
IMAP or POP. Mixing protocols (e.g., using a POP client like old POP3 -only
versions of Eudora at work, and using WebMail at remote locations) can get you
into trouble, as can using command-line programs like VMS MAIL in conjunction
with WebMail.
If you're going to read your email at multiple locations, IMAP is the best
choice because it stores all your mail in one place and retains any changes
you make to your mail folders when you read, delete, or reorganize your messages.
In addition, the remote server that stores your IMAP mail is backed up frequently,
so even if your local computer crashes, your email is still safe.
If you're unsure what protocol you're using for email, contact a Microcomputer Services consultant at 346-4412, or send email to microhelp@lists.uoregon.edu