Syncing email between laptop and desktop

[TheVrolok]

I've got my laptop, and my desktop, and I'd like to have all my email synchronized between the two. (Thunderbird user) So what not just leave all the mail on the server and DL it from both computers - no biggie? Well, firstly I feel bad leaving email on the server as it's a high volume server - but then just set Tbird to clear it after X days so it won't clutter? Well, in addition I've noticed that even when I have things set to leave messages on the server it doesn't seem to always work. I've noticed certain messages won't get DL'd by the second system even though both computers (and my server-side settings) are set to leave mail on the server - essentially it's like random messages here and there get lost. Probably due to the server clearing mail left behind to keep size down and I'm just not hitting it with both clients before it gets axed.. either way, it's annoying. So what are my options?

Syncing Thunder - looks possibly promising?

I've also been thinking about just picking up a USB flash drive (my current mail folder is around 1 GB) and running Tbird portable from the drive wherever I am.. but I'm pretty lazy, don't know if I'd really feel like dragging a drive around everwhere .. and it almost seems ludicrous to carry a portable drive around to check mail on my portable computer (laptop) but perhaps this is the easiest/most realistic/most headache free solution?

What do those of you in similar situations do?

(Also, sorry in advance to the mods if this post belongs in another forum - could be a number of solutions that seem to apply to a myriad of subforums! )

 

[corkyg]

There are several approaches - but it really depends on what email program you are using. In Eudora, it is duck soup simple. All mail folders have two file components, a TXT and a MBX. Just copy those to the other machine and you've done it.

Outlook Express uses a DBX system - but it too can be copied. But the easiest is to use the File/Export/Messages function. Then on the other end, use the Import function on the created file.

The latter also works for WindowsMail in Vista.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: corkyg
There are several approaches - but it really depends on what email program you are using. In Eudora, it is duck soup simple. All mail folders have two file components, a TXT and a MBX. Just copy those to the other machine and you've done it.

Outlook Express uses a DBX system - but it too can be copied. But the easiest is to use the File/Export/Messages function. Then on the other end, use the Import function on the created file.

The latter also works for WindowsMail in Vista.

Indeed; Thunderbird has a file format in which it stores all mail in each folder for each account, but that'll just overwrite the mail already contained in the destination client. I'm essentially trying to fold mail from both clients together on a daily (or so) basis; something I'm not sure can be easily done with file copying. The more I think about it, the more I'm convincing myself just to use a USB flash drive and keep it on my keychain.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
The more I think about it, the more I'm convincing myself just to use a USB flash drive and keep it on my keychain.

Excllent idea! I do believe that is what I will start doing. Makes for pretty good privacy too.

 

[Nothinman]

I personally run my own IMAP server and leave all of my mail there.

 

[TLScrappy]

Anyone tried a product like this to sync 2 PC's outlook files?

SYNC OUTLOOK FILES

 

[Skeeedunt]

IMAP user here... wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[TheVrolok]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
I personally run my own IMAP server and leave all of my mail there.

I was also thinking about doing that. Where do you host it? I'd probably just host it on my personal internet connection, which wouldn't be awful, but it wouldn't have a 100% uptime either. Though, I suppose if it's down, I wouldn't be checking my email anyway so that by the time it comes back up, I could gather up all my mail and then just DL it from the IMAP server. I'd have to bring up one of my extra computers on which to host it too, then I'd have to pay a bit per month just to keep it always turned on (I pay utilities at my apartment). Wonder if it'd be more/less cost effective than a flash drive. Food for thought. I'll have to decide which route to go, I do like the idea of running my own IMAP tho.

 

[Nothinman]

Where do you host it?

In my apt on my personal Internet line. Comcast here doesn't block any incoming ports so I can run whatever servers I need. Of course my upstream bandwidth is pretty low but it's not a big deal with IMAP.

I'd have to bring up one of my extra computers on which to host it too, then I'd have to pay a bit per month just to keep it always turned on (I pay utilities at my apartment).

Those aren't really considerations for me since my machines are on 24x7 anyway.

Wonder if it'd be more/less cost effective than a flash drive. Food for thought. I'll have to decide which route to go, I do like the idea of running my own IMAP tho.

It'll almost certainly be cheaper but I'd much rather have my own mail server. Server side SPAM checks and automated filing of mail into different IMAP folders are a godsend to me since I'm subscribed to a few mailing lists. And I can check my mail from any machine that has an SSH client which is awesome.At one point I also had Horde IMP installed but I never used it so I didn't install it when I migrated to my new server.