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Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns

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  Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-18 22:15 +0000
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-18 23:20 +0100
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-19 17:47 +0000
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-18 15:44 -0700
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 04:52 +0100
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-12-19 09:22 +0100
        Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 12:10 +0100
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-19 17:58 +0000
        Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Bit Twister <BitTwister@mouse-potato.com> - 2018-12-19 12:35 -0600
        Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 22:47 +0100
        Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-19 16:52 -0700
          Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-20 04:23 +0100
            Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-19 20:34 -0700
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-19 18:05 +0000
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 22:51 +0100
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-20 16:49 +0000
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-20 19:20 +0100
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-20 21:28 -0700
        Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-21 09:58 +0100
          Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-21 10:16 -0700
            Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-21 19:17 +0100
              Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-21 12:14 -0700
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-22 08:55 +0100
                  Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-22 16:17 -0700
                    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2018-12-22 23:28 -0500
                      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Robert Nichols <SEE_SIGNATURE@localhost.localdomain.invalid> - 2018-12-23 07:50 -0600
                      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Bit Twister <BitTwister@mouse-potato.com> - 2018-12-23 08:39 -0600
              Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-22 00:05 +0100
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-21 18:28 -0700
                  Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-22 04:24 +0100
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-22 08:50 +0100

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#4266 — Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns

Hi!

I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
However I have a doubt.

Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT -
they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):

Normal password
Encrypted password
Kerberos/GSSAPI
NTLM

This works for Normal password, but not for Encrypted password (I didn't
check the other options).

What does "Normal password" mean?
Is it secure?
Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?

Thanks for any help/comments.

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#4267

On 12/18/18 11:15 PM, Paulo da Silva wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
> However I have a doubt.
> 
> Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT -
> they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):
> 
> Normal password
> Encrypted password
> Kerberos/GSSAPI
> NTLM
> 
> This works for Normal password, but not for Encrypted password (I didn't
> check the other options).
> 
> What does "Normal password" mean?
> Is it secure?

If you use pop3s (port 995) instead of pop3 (port 110)


> Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?

I would guess as TB don't support 2FA, but then I don't care so much as
I don't want to give away that much of my privacy to google.

-- 

 //Aho

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#4272

Às 22:20 de 18/12/18, J.O. Aho escreveu:
> On 12/18/18 11:15 PM, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>>...

>> What does "Normal password" mean?
>> Is it secure?
> 
> If you use pop3s (port 995) instead of pop3 (port 110)
> 
Yes, I'm using port 995.

Thanks

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#4268

On 12/18/18 3:15 PM, Paulo da Silva wrote:
> Hi!

Hi,

> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access. 
> However I have a doubt.
> 
> Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT - 
> they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):
> 
> Normal password
> Encrypted password
> Kerberos/GSSAPI
> NTLM

I also see TLS certificate and Oauth2 options.

> This works for Normal password, but not for Encrypted password (I didn't 
> check the other options).
> 
> What does "Normal password" mean?

I have always understood "normal password" to mean that the password is 
transmitted as plain text within the communications channel.

> Is it secure?

That depends on the communications channel and what connection security 
is used to protect it.

SSL/TLS or STARTTLS provide encryption and protection.  Connection 
security of none means no encryption.

Conversely "encrypted password" does not send plain text password.  I 
don't know if it's an actual encryption or if it's simply using the 
password as a permutation combined with something the server provides 
and returns a hash (MD5?) to the server, thus proving that you know the 
password.

Kerberos and NTLM are their own critters.

As I recently learned, GSSAPI usually means Kerberos (as that's the most 
common thing used via GSSAPI) but it can also mean NTLM (used differently).

Oauth2 is it's own critter.

I believe that everything other than normal password has at least some 
level of protection / security on it's own.  SSL/TLS / STARTTLS provide 
additional security.

> Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?

It's my understanding that Gmail considers traditional mail box access 
protocols (POP3 and IMAP) to be less secure than their web / HTTP 
interface / protocols.  As such, they make you enable them to be able to 
use them.

> Thanks for any help/comments.

You're welcome.



-- 
Grant. . . .
unix || die

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#4269

On 18/12/2018 23.15, Paulo da Silva wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
> However I have a doubt.
> 
> Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT -
> they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):
> 
> Normal password
> Encrypted password
> Kerberos/GSSAPI
> NTLM

Forget it.

When using Thunderbird (with gmail) just tell the wizard your mail
address and lets the automatics figure out the rest. Actually
Thunderbird knows how to configure gmail (has a database) without you
telling it how, and uses the best known settings.

The result will be imap and oauth2.



> Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?

Thunderbird in oauth2 mode does not need you enable in gmail
configuration the misnamed "enable less secure apps". Other tools may
need that setting.



-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#4270

On 19/12/18 04:52, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> On 18/12/2018 23.15, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
>> However I have a doubt.
>>
>> Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT -
>> they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):
>>
>> Normal password
>> Encrypted password
>> Kerberos/GSSAPI
>> NTLM
> 
> Forget it.
> 
> When using Thunderbird (with gmail) just tell the wizard your mail
> address and lets the automatics figure out the rest. Actually
> Thunderbird knows how to configure gmail (has a database) without you
> telling it how, and uses the best known settings.
> 

Automatic configuration by Thunderbird is by far the best choice.

But you make it sound like it is done in a secret way, or by magic.  It
is done by reading a URL from an address constructed from the email
address - this returns a simple configuration file detailing the
settings, server address, etc.  Many big email providers (and some small
ones - we have it for our company email) have a webserver responding to
this URL so that email can be configured "automagically" with
Thunderbird.  The process is not particularly well documented and
publicised, but it is not hidden and it works nicely.  Once you have
used automatic setup for your email, you can easily look at the settings
as normal.

> The result will be imap and oauth2.
> 

This is key - you use IMAP, not POP3.  I don't know if the OP
understands the difference, but the vital point is that with IMAP, the
messages and folder structure remain on the server so that all clients -
Thunderbird on multiple machines, gmail, webmail, etc., - all see the
same email.  With POP3 the emails are generally pulled off the server
and deleted.

> 
> 
>> Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?
> 
> Thunderbird in oauth2 mode does not need you enable in gmail
> configuration the misnamed "enable less secure apps". Other tools may
> need that setting.
> 
> 
> 

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#4271

On 19/12/2018 09.22, David Brown wrote:
> On 19/12/18 04:52, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 18/12/2018 23.15, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>>> Hi!
>>>
>>> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
>>> However I have a doubt.
>>>
>>> Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT -
>>> they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):
>>>
>>> Normal password
>>> Encrypted password
>>> Kerberos/GSSAPI
>>> NTLM
>>
>> Forget it.
>>
>> When using Thunderbird (with gmail) just tell the wizard your mail
>> address and lets the automatics figure out the rest. Actually
>> Thunderbird knows how to configure gmail (has a database) without you
>> telling it how, and uses the best known settings.
>>
> 
> Automatic configuration by Thunderbird is by far the best choice.
> 
> But you make it sound like it is done in a secret way, or by magic. 

Kind of :-)

> It
> is done by reading a URL from an address constructed from the email
> address - this returns a simple configuration file detailing the
> settings, server address, etc.  Many big email providers (and some small
> ones - we have it for our company email) have a webserver responding to
> this URL so that email can be configured "automagically" with
> Thunderbird.  The process is not particularly well documented and
> publicised, but it is not hidden and it works nicely.  Once you have
> used automatic setup for your email, you can easily look at the settings
> as normal.

Thanks, I didn't know this part.

> 
>> The result will be imap and oauth2.
>>
> 
> This is key - you use IMAP, not POP3.  I don't know if the OP
> understands the difference, but the vital point is that with IMAP, the
> messages and folder structure remain on the server so that all clients -
> Thunderbird on multiple machines, gmail, webmail, etc., - all see the
> same email.  With POP3 the emails are generally pulled off the server
> and deleted.

Well, with IMAP you can also do that, but differently. Simply copy email
from the INBOX to a local folder - can be an automatic filter in
Thunderbird. Me, I use "fetchmail" for the task, besides having
Thunderbird to read and reply directly on the server.

There is an advantage with imap on gmail, that with pop3 it is tricky to
keep track of what are new or old messages, because gmail doesn't delete
anything. Instead it keeps an index pointing to what you last retrieved,
but can be reset which makes the client to retrieve thousands of emails
again. Happened to me once, then I immediately switched to imap.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#4273

Às 03:52 de 19/12/18, Carlos E.R. escreveu:
> On 18/12/2018 23.15, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
>> However I have a doubt.
...

>>
>> Normal password
>> Encrypted password
>> Kerberos/GSSAPI
>> NTLM
> 
> Forget it.
> 
> When using Thunderbird (with gmail) just tell the wizard your mail
> address and lets the automatics figure out the rest. Actually
> Thunderbird knows how to configure gmail (has a database) without you
> telling it how, and uses the best known settings.
> 
> The result will be imap and oauth2.

> 
>> Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?
> 
> Thunderbird in oauth2 mode does not need you enable in gmail
> configuration the misnamed "enable less secure apps". Other tools may
> need that setting.
I need to use pop3 because I want all emails on my PC. As much as I know
IMAP keeps the messages on the server. Correct me if I am wrong.

Oauth2 does not show up on pop3 configuration. Only on SMTP.

Thank you.

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#4275

On Wed, 19 Dec 2018 17:58:39 +0000, Paulo da Silva wrote:

> I need to use pop3 because I want all emails on my PC.

I do not see a problem there. I have
     $ grep --count thunderbird /etc/passwd
     6
linux thunderbird accounts and have set their fetchmailrc to use imap.

Each user has a hourly cron job to run fetchmail.

I have a root hourly job to give me a xmessage pop up message of any
linux accounts which have email in /var/spool/mail
     
I click up the user, ~user/.bash_profile launches thunderbird. I have it
configured to use the whatever.com account and my linux user eamil
account.

In that setup I can configure each server in thunderbird to
do what I want about what I read.

You can set thunderbird to immediately delete the message on the
server when read from the server.

I have not bothered to investigate if there is a fetchmailrc to delete
imap email after download.

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#4277

On 19/12/2018 18.58, Paulo da Silva wrote:
> Às 03:52 de 19/12/18, Carlos E.R. escreveu:
>> On 18/12/2018 23.15, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>>> Hi!
>>>
>>> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
>>> However I have a doubt.
> ...
> 
>>>
>>> Normal password
>>> Encrypted password
>>> Kerberos/GSSAPI
>>> NTLM
>>
>> Forget it.
>>
>> When using Thunderbird (with gmail) just tell the wizard your mail
>> address and lets the automatics figure out the rest. Actually
>> Thunderbird knows how to configure gmail (has a database) without you
>> telling it how, and uses the best known settings.
>>
>> The result will be imap and oauth2.
> 
>>
>>> Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?
>>
>> Thunderbird in oauth2 mode does not need you enable in gmail
>> configuration the misnamed "enable less secure apps". Other tools may
>> need that setting.
> I need to use pop3 because I want all emails on my PC. As much as I know
> IMAP keeps the messages on the server. Correct me if I am wrong.

With gmail, both pop3 and imap keep all messages on the server.
Remember, Google implements the mail server in a non standard manner.
You have to do things differently.

What happens, is that the mail disappears from the inbox, but appears on
the Archive.

> Oauth2 does not show up on pop3 configuration. Only on SMTP.

It does on imap.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#4278

On 12/19/18 10:58 AM, Paulo da Silva wrote:
> I need to use pop3 because I want all emails on my PC. As much as I know 
> IMAP keeps the messages on the server. Correct me if I am wrong.

You can configure Thunderbird to download everything form an IMAP server 
and cache a copy locally.

Granted, it's not a backup per say.  If messages are removed from the 
server, Thunderbird will also remove the local cached copy.

I've periodically accessed Thunderbird's local cached copy of my IMAP 
email for one reason or another.  I'm usually wanting to do a grep 
across my mailbox which is faster than an IMAP search.



-- 
Grant. . . .
unix || die

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#4279

On 20/12/2018 00.52, Grant Taylor wrote:
> On 12/19/18 10:58 AM, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>> I need to use pop3 because I want all emails on my PC. As much as I
>> know IMAP keeps the messages on the server. Correct me if I am wrong.
> 
> You can configure Thunderbird to download everything form an IMAP server
> and cache a copy locally.
> 
> Granted, it's not a backup per say.  If messages are removed from the
> server, Thunderbird will also remove the local cached copy.
> 
> I've periodically accessed Thunderbird's local cached copy of my IMAP
> email for one reason or another.  I'm usually wanting to do a grep
> across my mailbox which is faster than an IMAP search.

And you can create a filter in Thunderbird to *move* emails from the
Inbox to a local folder, and keep thus the local copy only. At least it
works on conformant imap servers.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#4280

On 12/19/18 8:23 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> And you can create a filter in Thunderbird to *move* emails from the 
> Inbox to a local folder, and keep thus the local copy only. At least it 
> works on conformant imap servers.

Yes, such is possible.

I but I like having access to the 1213 different IMAP folders from my 
different devices.

IMAP is *SO* *MUCH* *MORE* than POP3.  Why would you want to cripple it 
down to be a glorified POP3 type connection?



-- 
Grant. . . .
unix || die

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#4274

Às 22:15 de 18/12/18, Paulo da Silva escreveu:
> Hi!
> 
> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
> However I have a doubt.
> 
> Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT -
> they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):
> 
> Normal password
> Encrypted password
> Kerberos/GSSAPI
> NTLM
> 
> This works for Normal password, but not for Encrypted password (I didn't
> check the other options).
> 
> What does "Normal password" mean?
> Is it secure?
> Why do I need to enable in gmail "less secure apps"? What does this mean?
> 
> Thanks for any help/comments.
> 


I think I can conclude, in summary:
- Passwords are in plain text but in an encrypted channel.
- Less secure apps for Google may well mean pop3/imap protocols.

Thank you very much to all who responded.

Regards.
Paulo

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#4276

On 19/12/2018 19.05, Paulo da Silva wrote:

> 
> 
> I think I can conclude, in summary:
> - Passwords are in plain text but in an encrypted channel.
> - Less secure apps for Google may well mean pop3/imap protocols.

No. Less secure in google parlance is non-oauth2.

For example, fetchmail is a non-secure app.
Alpine is a non-secure app.

Because they are not interactive when doing the authorization exchange.
Thus any daemon will be "unsecure" to them.
Thunderbird uses javascript for this and can present to you a dialog
with instructions from them.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#4281

About the suggestions to move to IMAP (from pop3).

Unfortunately I know nothing about IMAP.
Before I try, I would like to know if it serves my purposes.

1. I want to keep *all* messages in the server (gmail). If  for some
reason I need to delete some of them I would prefer to use web browser
to delete them there.

2. I want to keep *some* messages locally - in inbox, in private local
folders or in the trash, the later for some period. Nothing of this
affecting the server.

3. I want to keep some sent messages.

4. I don't want that deleting messages locally causes messages being
deleted in the server.

Is all of this possible with IMAP?

I am also concerned on how to migrate my local mails from pop3 to IMAP,
but this may perhaps be easy. As last resource I can save them to local
folders. Anyway, I don't want to loose things on the server.

Thank you very much for your suggestions and possible help on this.

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#4282

On 20/12/2018 17.49, Paulo da Silva wrote:
> 
> About the suggestions to move to IMAP (from pop3).
> 
> Unfortunately I know nothing about IMAP.
> Before I try, I would like to know if it serves my purposes.
> 
> 1. I want to keep *all* messages in the server (gmail). If  for some
> reason I need to delete some of them I would prefer to use web browser
> to delete them there.
> 
> 2. I want to keep *some* messages locally - in inbox, in private local
> folders or in the trash, the later for some period. Nothing of this
> affecting the server.
> 
> 3. I want to keep some sent messages.
> 
> 4. I don't want that deleting messages locally causes messages being
> deleted in the server.
> 
> Is all of this possible with IMAP?
> 
> I am also concerned on how to migrate my local mails from pop3 to IMAP,
> but this may perhaps be easy. As last resource I can save them to local
> folders. Anyway, I don't want to loose things on the server.
> 
> Thank you very much for your suggestions and possible help on this.

Imap offers you, basically, the same view that the webmail has. In fact,
in some implementations, the webmail service access the mail via imap. I
don't know if Google uses this way or accesses directly the files.

Gmail mail implementation is not standard. For example, instead of
folders it uses labels. Folders are emulated.


1. By default, gmail keeps everything, no matter what you use.

Caveat: only one copy. For example, if you mail to a mail list, you will
never see the copy the mail list sends back to you as a subscriber. It
is considered a duplicate and deleted. This behaviour is peculiar to
gmail, it is not related to imap/pop3.

2. Just copy those messages to local folder(s). Everything you do in
your local folders is local.

3. If you send via gmail, everything will be kept at gmail. Thunderbird
may also keep a local copy.

4. See (2) above. Every action on the local folders is local. However,
everything you do on the IMAP view of gmail, is remote.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#4283

On 12/20/18 9:49 AM, Paulo da Silva wrote:
> Before I try, I would like to know if it serves my purposes.

Fair enough.

> 1. I want to keep *all* messages in the server (gmail). If  for some 
> reason I need to delete some of them I would prefer to use web browser 
> to delete them there.

Deleting messages in IMAP will delete the messages from the server.

> 2. I want to keep *some* messages locally - in inbox, in private local 
> folders or in the trash, the later for some period. Nothing of this 
> affecting the server.

IMAP is a local copy of what's on the server.  So modifying something 
locally will also modify what's on the server.

> 3. I want to keep some sent messages.

I have my IMAP client save a copy of all sent message in my Sent folder.

> 4. I don't want that deleting messages locally causes messages being 
> deleted in the server.

That's contrary to how IMAP is meant to operate.

> Is all of this possible with IMAP?

No.

> I am also concerned on how to migrate my local mails from pop3 to IMAP, 
> but this may perhaps be easy. As last resource I can save them to local 
> folders. Anyway, I don't want to loose things on the server.

It's trivial to copy messages to a server with IMAP.  I think it's 
impossible to do with POP3.  (You can get messages there, just something 
other than POP3.)

> Thank you very much for your suggestions and possible help on this.

:-)



-- 
Grant. . . .
unix || die

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#4284

On 21/12/2018 05.28, Grant Taylor wrote:
> On 12/20/18 9:49 AM, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>> Before I try, I would like to know if it serves my purposes.
> 
> Fair enough.
> 
>> 1. I want to keep *all* messages in the server (gmail). If  for some
>> reason I need to delete some of them I would prefer to use web browser
>> to delete them there.
> 
> Deleting messages in IMAP will delete the messages from the server.

On a conforming IMAP server, yes. On Gmail, no, they are moved to the
archive, the All Mail folder.

> 
>> 2. I want to keep *some* messages locally - in inbox, in private local
>> folders or in the trash, the later for some period. Nothing of this
>> affecting the server.
> 
> IMAP is a local copy of what's on the server.  So modifying something
> locally will also modify what's on the server.

Not exactly. Thunderbird keeps a local copy in the cache. But this is
different from the structure that Thunderbird calls "Local Folders",
which is totally different from the cache copy. What you delete in the
"Local Folders" is totally independent of the server and viceversa.


>> 4. I don't want that deleting messages locally causes messages being
>> deleted in the server.
> 
> That's contrary to how IMAP is meant to operate.

See (2).

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#4285

On 12/21/18 1:58 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> Not exactly. Thunderbird keeps a local copy in the cache. But this is 
> different from the structure that Thunderbird calls "Local Folders", 
> which is totally different from the cache copy. What you delete in the 
> "Local Folders" is totally independent of the server and viceversa.

I was speaking about the IMAP account, not the Local Folders account.

I have virtually zero use for Local Folders and have routinely hidden it 
from view if not completely removed it.

When you delete a message from the IMAP account, it is deleted from the 
server.  (Presuming communications are functioning properly.)

You can configure Thunderbird to move messages from the (IMAP sub)folder 
to the (IMAP) trash folder.  But that move is done on both the client 
and the server.



-- 
Grant. . . .
unix || die

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