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Author Topic:   POP3 mail servers
freebsd_dude
Geek Larva

Posts: 24
From: WV,USA
Registered: Nov 2001

posted March 21, 2002 14:46     Click Here to See the Profile for freebsd_dude   Click Here to Email freebsd_dude     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
well i just got an email from yahoo saying that if i wanted to keep using a mail client with my email address that i would have to pay for it starting in april sometime.

so i got to looking, it seems that yahoo was one of the few "free" email servers that allowed you to use a mail client. hotmail will let you use outlook, but thats just not an option for me for many reasons. one of which is there is not outlook for *BSD

so my question is this. can someone recommend a mail service that is free, and allows me to use a mail client? if not, i'm thinking of buying a domain name and setting up personal web/mail server(in true geek fashion). yea that costs money, but i'd rather spend my money on myself and learn something at the same time than give it to yahoo, or whoever else.

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+Andrew
Super Geek

Posts: 198
From: Boston, MA, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted March 21, 2002 16:37     Click Here to See the Profile for +Andrew   Click Here to Email +Andrew     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If you have an always-on connection and a static IP (or even a dynamic IP that doesn't change too often), you can host email yourself with a dynamic DNS service like DHS. I have a server on a DSL line that acts as a mail exchanger for amedico.dhs.org. The IP is dynamic but updates are handled automatically by a script when it changes (every few weeks, usually). It's not fancy, but it works just fine and I get complete control of the server and an unlimited supply of email addresses (good for tracking which sites sell your email address to spammers).

-Andrew

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tafkact
Highlie

Posts: 614
From: nowhere, man
Registered: Jan 2000

posted March 21, 2002 17:40     Click Here to See the Profile for tafkact     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
i've been using onebox.com for the last year or so - just after zdnetonebox cancelled their service, and a few days ago i got the same message

they want 29.95/mo for fucking EMAIL!!!

i found 2 free pop and smtp email addresses in about 10 minutes after that

www.gmx.net good if you can read german, or translate - the sign up is a bitch, but worth it

www.hotpop.com - so far so good

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TrygveLode
Neat Newbie

Posts: 13
From: a plateau southwest of Denver, Colorado, USA
Registered: Dec 2001

posted March 21, 2002 18:03     Click Here to See the Profile for TrygveLode   Click Here to Email TrygveLode     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Nyx ( http://www.nyx.net ) does offer pop3 email service; it takes a little time and effort to get validated (you have to mail in some kind of proof-of-identity) and it's limited to personal/non-commercial use, but it's free. Same thing with personal webpages--no ads, required code, or pop-ups.

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Trygve Lode
www.trygve.com

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Bregalad
Super Geek

Posts: 203
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Registered: Jan 2002

posted March 21, 2002 18:06     Click Here to See the Profile for Bregalad     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I did what +Andrew suggested, bought a domain name and set up a mail server at home. I run a free product, SIMS from www.stalker.com, on one of my old Macs. My registrar, EasyDNS, provides free DNS service with Canadian domain registration. The software that was supposed to do dynamic IP updates never worked, but the cable company almost never changes my IP number so it's not a big concern.

Unlike Andrew, I NEVER use my own domain addresses for anything except communication with friends. I let my webmail addresses and main ISP address collect the spam. I don't want my connection to deal with a lot of incoming mail and I don't want any excuse for some spammer to look me up in the domain registry to get my address and phone number. Email spam is much easier to deal with than phone spam and it doesn't fill my recycling bin like postal spam does.

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macadddikt18
SuperBlabberMouth!

Posts: 1126
From: In a world beyond your understanding
Registered: Jan 2002

posted March 21, 2002 18:24     Click Here to See the Profile for macadddikt18   Click Here to Email macadddikt18     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
well apples. itools uses imap and pop3. But you need a mac when you sign up, then you can use any computer. It is free, so that is always an option.
Nayt

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c:/dos
c:/dos/run
run/dos/run

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quantumfluff
Highlie

Posts: 672
From: the ether
Registered: Jun 2000

posted March 21, 2002 19:47     Click Here to See the Profile for quantumfluff   Click Here to Email quantumfluff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Bregalad:
Unlike Andrew, I NEVER use my own domain addresses for anything except communication with friends. I let my webmail addresses and main ISP address collect the spam. I don't want my connection to deal with a lot of incoming mail and I don't want any excuse for some spammer to look me up in the domain registry to get my address and phone number. Email spam is much easier to deal with than phone spam and it doesn't fill my recycling bin like postal spam does.


Well that's not so easy. You should not use free webmail accounts for DNS contact addresses because those accounts are subject to the whim of the provider. You can use an ISP account if you believe they will not suddenly be out of business. I always set a separate administrative and technical contact for my domains, and make sure the addresses are not on a single point of failure connection. The reason is that you want to make sure that the email addresses assigned as the DNS contacts work if the mail server handling your domain is dead.

As far as spammers getting my address and phone number - I always use a PO Box for the address, and I often give a blank or incorrect phone number. I also have a separate phone line which I use for people who I have to give a # to, but that I don't really trust. I don't put an answering machine on that line, nore do I answer it at night. The upshot is that I get some junk mail, but not a lot, to the DNS contact addresses. I never get phone calls from them.

Anyway, for freebsd_dude, Andrews's solution is fine if he has a DSL line or a cable modem (unless, the ISP blocks access in on ports 80 and/or 25, as happened to my friends in Boston for a while). You can run sendmail, bind and a little web server from your BSD box. No problem. Use secondary.com for your second DNS server. One of the banner ads on this site is for dirtcheapdomains.com, where you can buy your domain cheaply.

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Angry Rooster
Assimilated

Posts: 376
From: Coeur d'Alene, ID, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted March 21, 2002 23:24     Click Here to See the Profile for Angry Rooster   Click Here to Email Angry Rooster     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
http://www.myrealbox.com

It's like Hotmail, but done by Novell, they allow POP3 access and have an excellent uptime/virusfree record, highly recommended.

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--Angry Rooster
"Eagles may soar, but roosters don't get sucked into jet engines."

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iballoondesign
Alpha Geek

Posts: 283
From: Midland, TX
Registered: Dec 2001

posted March 22, 2002 10:38     Click Here to See the Profile for iballoondesign   Click Here to Email iballoondesign     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Sign up at www.mac.com to get free pop3 mail. It required to running on Mac computer for sign up. Then you can download/upload mail with any inbox on Mac or PC. I've done it before when I brought iBook and tried on my PC desktop. I used Netscape Message for Windows. It's work. Now, I'm sell my desktop through ebay.com. Goodbye PC - Hello Mac.

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MacManKrisK
Super Geek

Posts: 132
From: Southwest Lower Michigan, USA
Registered: Oct 2001

posted March 22, 2002 14:42     Click Here to See the Profile for MacManKrisK   Click Here to Email MacManKrisK     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
www.flashmail.com

I have not used this service, but two of my friends swear by it. It's all free, they have web-based and POP access and they even have shell accounts (or so I'm told).

www.email.com just changed many of their services over to "premium" services. I used to use a forwarding account from there to my main address, but now they charge like $30 a year or something for that. Even if it was $5, I'm against the principal of it! It looks like the day is coming when there will be NOTHING free on the web/internet.

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HA!
unregistered
posted March 22, 2002 18:18           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by MacManKrisK:
[B.....It looks like the day is coming when there will be NOTHING free on the web/internet. [/B]


<s>warez</s> software will always be free!!

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MacManKrisK
Super Geek

Posts: 132
From: Southwest Lower Michigan, USA
Registered: Oct 2001

posted March 22, 2002 19:11     Click Here to See the Profile for MacManKrisK   Click Here to Email MacManKrisK     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by HA!:

<s>warez</s> software will always be free!!

Legally free?

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Geordie
Super Geek

Posts: 148
From: Fairfax Station, VA, USA
Registered: Nov 2001

posted March 22, 2002 20:42     Click Here to See the Profile for Geordie   Click Here to Email Geordie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by MacManKrisK:
Legally free?

No, legality free.

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