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Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.'s)

Topics:

What are the differences between POP and IMAP?
Do I have to switch?
How do I switch?
What are the pros and cons of switching?
If I don't like it, can I switch back?
What if I have Eudora at home?
Will I be able to transfer my addressbook and messages?
What are extensions and how do I use them?
What should I use as an Alternative Sending Port?
I saved an attachment, but now its gone!
Help! I have Thunderbird questions!

What are the differences between POP and IMAP?

POP and IMAP are two types of email protocols. POP, which stands for Post Office Protocol, is the older of the two. With POP, the messages are downloaded off the server and stored on your computer (or M: Drive) for viewing and processing. With POP you do not need to be connected to the internet to read or compose email, which makes it work well with a dial-up connection. You can also get to mailboxes for copying, moving, etc.

IMAP, which stands for Internet Message Access Protocol, is the newer of the two protocols. With IMAP, messages stay on the server and you view and work with them there. Mailboxes are also stored on the mail server. Since everything is done on the server, this works best with a broadband connection. One of the benefits of IMAP is that you can access your email using any IMAP program (webmail included) from any location.

Do I have to switch?

At ITS, we have spent time looking at the pros and cons of both Thunderbird and Eudora, and have come to the conclusion that many people could benefit from using Thunderbird. We have begun the process of converting all faculty and staff from Eudora to Thunderbird. If you have not already been converted, you will be recieving an email about setting up a date and time for the conversion to take place. If you already know a date or time that would work well for you, you may contact the Help Desk at ex. 7700 or by to set up an appointment.

How do I switch?

ITS will help you switch to Thunderbird at work.  For information about making the switch at home, see our Getting Started page.

What are the pros and cons of switching?

There are many benefits to be gained from switching to Thunderbird. For more information on how Thunderbird stacks up to Eudora, check out our Thunderbird vs. Eudora page.

If I don't like it, can I switch back?

No.

What if I have Eudora at home?

After you switch to Thunderbird at work, you must also switch to Thunderbird at home. This is VERY IMPORTANT! ITS has provided instructions for doing so. See our Getting Started page for more information.

Will I be able to transfer my address book and messages?

Your address book, mailboxes, and messages should all be transfered. Your address lists and mail filters will not be. For information on setting up address lists and mail filters in Thunderbird, see our Thunderbird Help page.

What are extensions and how do I use them?

Extensions are additons to the Thunderbird program that improve or change the functionality of the program.  For more information about extensions, links to the Thunderbird Extensions page, and some of ITS's favorite extensions, see our Extensions page.  For help with installing and using extensions, see our Thunderbird Help section.

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What should I use as an Alternative Sending Port?

Some off campus users of Thunderbird will have the default Thunderbird Port (25) blocked. To change the default port Thunderbird uses, go to Tools, then Account Settings.  On the left-hand side of the Account Settings window, click on Outgoing Server (SMTP). Make sure your address is highlighted then click edit. This will take you to the SMTP Server window. In this window, under "Use Secure Connections,"  check the bubble next to SSL. This will automatically change the default port to 465. Hit Okay. Your Thunderbird will now use port 465 instead of the blocked port 25.

I saved an attachment, but now its gone!

Do you know where you saved your attachment to? With POP (Eudora) all attachments (like all messages) were downloaded from the server and stored on your computer (or M: Drive).  IMAP (Thunderbird) leaves both messages and attachments on the server.  That means when you open an attachment in Thunderbird, your computer does not download it.  Instead, it opens it in a folder called "Temp".  If you save the attachment (by clicking "Save", not "Save As"), that is where the computer saves it.  The problem with this is the contents of the Temp folder are erased every time you log off or shut down the computer.

If you have logged off or shut down the computer since the last time you saved the file it has been erased.  The good news is, you can get the original back (without any changes you may have made) by going back to the email it was attached to and opening it again.  Once the file is open, select the "Save As" option (NOT "Save"!) and specify where you want the file to go (usually your M: Drive).  The file will now save to the specified location.

If you have NOT logged off or shut down the computer since the last time you saved the file you may be able to find it.  Go to My Computer>Local Disk (C:) >Documents and Settings.  Once you are in Documents and Settings, look through the list of folders and find your username (or the username you are logged in under), and double-click on it.  Then go to Local Settings>Temp.  Look through the Temp file for your lost attachment.  If it is there, open it and immediately go to "Save As" (NOT "Save"!) and specify where you want the file to go (usually your M: Drive).  The file will now be saved to the specified location.

If the file is not in your Temp folder, it has been erased.  See above instructions ("If you have logged off or shut down the computer...") for information about recovering the original file (without any changes you may have made).