For a while now Gmail has been the central plank to my emails set-up. All of my six or seven email accounts, both web and POP based, are configured to forward copies of emails to my main Gmail address, taking advantage of Google’s large and increasing storage and unparalleled search facilities.
This arrangement integrates well with Thunderbird for when I’m using my home PC and has the additional advantage of allowing the composition and forwarding of mail from any of the constituent accounts, either within the Gmail web interface or from inside Thunderbird (and, as far as I know, from Outlook and Outlook Express).
The advantages of accessing email from any PC (and for that matter a telephone) either via the web, or from the familiar surroundings of Thunderbird, just got better. I’ve seen no comment in the British media yet, but Google have introduced an IMAP service for their American Gmail users. They are, I understand, gradually rolling it out worldwide.
If reading and organising emails on a central server, no matter how or where you access your accounts appeals, there is an easy workaround for UK users to get IMAP now. Simply log into your Gmail or Googlemail account, click settings and, on the General tab, change your language from English (UK) to English (US). Bobs your Uncle!
There is a real advantage to this if, like me, you access email from several computers. Move emails to a special inbox folder in Thunderbird – say to one named “holidays” - and it will automatically generate a “holidays” label in Gmail. Read and delete a message once at work and your home Inbox won’t be cluttered with the same email (if you want to read it again it will be neatly filed away under “All Mail”.
There are Howtos on the Gmail site or on the Internet if you fancy giving this a try.