Hi,

I am currently dual-booting Windows XP and Mac OS X 10.4.11 on my Desktop, plus I am using Windows Vista Home Premium on my Laptop. I use Thunderbird for all three operating systems. Currently my AIM and GMAIL accounts are IMAP, so I have no syncronization issues with my actual email.

My problem is that I want my Local Folders in Thunderbird to be the same across all systems. Here is what I have thought of so far:

1) If there is a Thunderbird Add-On for this, it would work, but I haven't found one yet.

2) I could put the Local Folders on my homeserver, but that would make it to where I would have to mount my homeserver everytime I boot into OS X, and it would mean I would not be able to view my Local Folders when I am away from home on my laptop (which is a must).

3) I am thinking that maybe I could just create an additional IMAP account on AIM or GMAIL. Technically all of my saved email would be on thier servers, but I would have an additional copy on each of my operating systems. I do not really like this idea though, I am not a big fan of having accounts all over the internet.

4) This is the one I like the best. I was thinking (since my homeserver is already a home file server, a home multimedia server, multimedia extender for the bedroom, a home print server, a web server, an ftp server, a utorrent server/client with webui, and a million other things) that I could get a free opensource (or a nonfree from the usual places ) email server program that supports IMAP. Therefore, I can have my Local Folders on my homeserver. Then I can just use it as a regular email account on all my systems. I guess this is sort of like option 3 above, but it would be using my own resources.

I guess basically what I am asking is "What do you suggest I do for my problem?". If you have any info that would be useful to me, please post.

Thank You,
Cody

keep on macKIN'

The easiest solution is indeed the last one you mentioned, since you need to have access to your server on the road (laptop). I do not, however, understand what the benefit of having one central e-mail directory may be. I mean, I have several notebooks that I use for work plus the PC (hack) and MB I use at home and they all access my IMAP folders and create local copies of my email files with no problems.
And even if you do configure a mail server at home, you still have to keep a local copy on your laptop, or do you intend to access all of your files only via your home mail server? (is your upload rate really that fast?) What will you do when you don't have an internet connection or your home server is down?
The only real advantage I can think of is not having to configure the IMAP accounts on every computer you use, but that seems simpler than having to administrate a home email server, IMO.

Cheers,

hecker

Thanks for your Reply.

The whole central directory thing is basically a preference thing. I am really OCD on how my files are arranged and where they are kept. I just keep running into the situation of where I have an important email saved on my Desktop Local Folder and I am at school and need it on my Laptop.

I would still keep a "Local Folder" directory in Thunderbird, but I wouldn't use it. I would use the created "Sudo Local Folder" on my home server as my "Local Folder" even though technically it would be a "Remote Folder/Account".

My server is rarely down, and if so, not for long and I am always on top of it...

I really don't mind the configuration of additional IMAP accounts (it takes a minute or two at best), and I am not sure how much effort goes into administrating a home email server.

Do you have any recommendations on which software I should use to setup my Email Server? I have Windows Server 2003, but I rather use a third party application...

Thanks,
Cody

keep on macKIN'

There is a very nice (and free) imap solution for windows and other platforms: http://www.netwinsite.com/surgemail/
The other thing I can think of would be to set up an FTP server instead and just synchronize that with your laptop's local email directory. That way you get the exact directory structure that you use at home.

Cheers,

hecker

Thanks for the suggestion.

About the ftp thing. I was initially trying to do that, but I could not get the local folders to be directed to the folder within my ftp server in Thunderbird.

Cody

What I meant is that you could use a third party app (like ChronoSync) to synchronize your home/laptop email directories and then access the local (now sync'd) laptop folder from thunderbird.

I know exactly what you mean about having to "synchronize" local copies of e-mail.

Right now, I'm using Thunderbird for Windows and Macintosh at Work and Home. Since my primary e-mail account is Hotmail, I downloaded plug-in for Thunderbird that makes Hotmail act as POP3 Server. Because of this, I end up having copies of same messages on different machines.

Home Server would be a good idea. Right now, I have my Home OSx86 PC setup as FTP, iTunes and Web Server.

--danyel

Let us know if it worked out for you.
Good luck,

hecker

What I eventually did was just set up another email account with AIM.

Then I just subscribed to the newly created folders that I put all my saved mail in. Then I marked the folders as offline so they downloaded copies that I could obtain anywhere.

It is not what I really wanted, but it does the job...

You can use Thundercat to synchronize your Thunderbird emails, e.g. between your desktop and laptop. Thundercat will synchronize any pair of mbox files and is heavily tested with Thunderbird. You can download Thundercat from http://thundercat.dpant.com for FREE. The website contains all technical information, too. Thundercat requires the .NET 2.0 framework to run on Windows and the Mono 1.9 framework to run on Linux. Among other things, it features a synchronization queue so you can synchronize your Inbox, Sent, Drafts and any other email files with just one click. Last but not least, Thundercat can locate and synchronize email files over your LAN so just plug your desktop and laptop in your home network and let Thundercat do the job for you!

Please, feel free to try Thundercat out and let me know of any bugs.

Thank you very much.

Are you the developer of this app? What about running it under OSX?

Yes, I am.
I think the right question is if there is a .NET Framework version for OSX (like there is Mono for Linux) ...

Well, the Mono 2.0 page says it runs on OSX. What would it take to make Thundercat a Leopard?

Wait. Isn't there an easier solution?

Like... tell your email client not to delete the message from the server.

Then all clients can download the email messages... and the mail server keeps all copies.

Easy. Right? Or am I missing something?


Oh, and Mac OS X Server has a mail server...