Last week we dealt with how computers go about finding websites. This week we'll touch on how your email works through the Internet.

There are two standard protocols (sets of rules on how communication will occur) for sending and receiving e-mail. POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) deals with the receiving of email. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the protocol for sending email from your computer.

POP3 is a client/server protocol in which e-mail is received and held for you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or internal email server, such as the Microsoft Exchange Server, Lotus CC:Mail or the Linux Sendmail or QMail systems. Periodically, you or your e-mail application checks your mailbox on the server and downloads any mail.

SMTP is limited in its ability to line up messages at the receiving end, it's usually used along with POP3. Users typically use an email program that uses SMTP for sending e-mail and POP3 for receiving at the same time.

Depending on your email program, an email message deleted locally (on your computer) is normally not available on the server. Email kept on the server could be recovered in the event of a system crash or application error. Your email application can be configured to leave mail on the server for this purpose, but don’t do it if you have large email folders; you’ll simply run out of space very quickly.

It is a good idea to contact your ISP or Website Host to check their policy, as ISPs vary on how much space (for email) they allow you to store on their servers and if they purge email based on time.

Cheers!
The Editor
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