Intent
I set out writing this document to help people learn that your email address does not necessarily dictate what email program you're forced to use. Granted, there are some exceptions, but generally you are free to make a choice on how you want to get your email. Whether a friend set you up or your Internet Service Provider sent you a disk that set everything up, you don't have to be stuck with the default crappy program they gave you! Don't like the user interface? Want more options? Want it to be prettier? Change your email client!

College students--- did your school set you up with a Unix account and you're using Pine or elm to read your mail? Don't think your college email address "sucks" because you think you're forced into one mail client, you're not!

It's just like browsers...
Most people are aware that they can choose what browser they use to browse the web. Some people like Netscape, other people prefer Internet Explorer. However, very few people try out different email clients to find a one they really like. This could be because importing your messages and address book between different programs is a pain, I don't deny that, but it's certainly worth it if you're getting sick of your client.

Background
The Internet was founded on standards and interoperability. The idea is that any one type of service (Web, email, etc...) will speak a common language and as long as the server computer and your client computer understand that language and can talk it, no problem! For email, there are two main standards: SMTP and POP. SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and is responsible for sending mail. Picking up your mail is the responsibility of POP, Post Office Protocol. A superior alternative to POP is IMAP, the Internet Message Access Protocol, but that is still catching on.

Prerequisites
So, to use any standards-based email client, you must have access to an SMTP server to send your mail and access to a POP server to get your mail.

SMTP
The SMTP server can be anywhere. Some companies block access to their SMTP servers to stop spammers from sending email through their servers but generally you can use any SMTP server out there. Ask your ISP what server to use if you can't find one. If you're already using a mail client, try to dig through the Options/Preferences to find what SMTP server you're already using.

POP
The POP server is specific to your email address. Whoever you have your email through must be running a POP server that you can access.

Switching Clients
Once you know your SMTP and POP servers, simply download the new mail program you'd like to use and put in the POP and SMTP server names when you're asked for them. It's pretty easy.

The Unfortunate Ones
If you're using AOL, Hotmail, Juno, or any of those other commercial bastards' services, you're out of luck. They don't like to use Internet standards because they're either too stupid (as is the case with AOL) or they want to feed you advertising and don't want to let you use a mail program that would hide their pretty banner ads (as is the case with Juno and all those web-based email places).

Joining the POP/SMTP World
So, you don't have access to a "real" Internet mail account and are stuck reading your email over the web or through AOL? Bummer. AOL's mail client is probably the worst... it doesn't let you do nearly anything: the address book is clumsy, it's slow, you can't filter your mail, it doesn't support HTML mail correctly, it has a whole slew of problem. And if you're reading your mail from the web, that's even worse! Hotmail and Yahoo and all those web-based email places are full of security holes. Worst of all, you have to put up with their stupid banner ads.

If you want an email address that lets your read your mail through POP, contact nearly any Internet Service Provider around. Most charge between $2.50-$5.00 per month for unlimited email with no banner ads, no size restrictions, no maximum messages, and best of all... no restriction on what email program you use. If you need help, contact me and I can help you join the Free World of email. <grin>