Q. Difference between POP and Web-based E-mail.
POP Mail:-POP is an acronym for Post Office Protocol. (A protocol is an agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. Protocols differ in simplicity, reliability and speed.) POP mail is a fast and very efficient way to move e-mail across the Internet using low overhead. POP3 is the protocol currently in general use.
POP mail requires the use of software to download e-mail from a POP server to be read. These applications (sometimes called e-mail clients because they make use of a client-server architecture) use the POP protocol, although some use the newer IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol). Mail is sent from many e-mail clients to a central server, which reroutes the mail to its intended destination.
The Benefits of POP Mail
- Minimal connection time for dialup users – this minimizes the time your phone line is tied up with modem connections.
- Increased security – To access POP mail, you only have to connect to the Internet to download your mail – once you do that, you can disconnect and read your mail offline. Downloading your e-mail to your computer means that those messages are not stored on your server for long periods of time.
- Wide selection of e-mail client software
- More storage options – Messages can be stored on your hard disk or on floppy disks. Being able to use your own computer, rather than your server, to read your mail means that you can ultimately sort and store large amounts of e-mail.
- Support - A third benefit of using POP mail is that your ISP (Internet Service Provider), who owns the server you are accessing, can help you with any issues you may encounter in accessing your e-mail.
The Drawbacks of POP Mail
To use POP mail, you are required to have e-mail software configured on a machine you plan to use to access the Internet.
Web-based Mail:-Web mail is e-mail that is viewed while connected to the Internet from a Web page.
Free e-mail offers are found abundantly on the Internet, because they can be used to help increase traffic to the Web site offering such a service. Most Web mail pages contain advertising banners to subsidize these services.
The benefits of Web Mail
- Accessibility – The beauty of Web mail is that you can access your e-mail from any computer, provided it has Internet access.
- User-Friendly – There’s no e-mail software to buy or configure.
- Cost - You can create as many e-mail accounts as you like – either from the same Web mail provider or from several providers – for no cost.
Drawbacks of Web Mail
- Support – In most cases, if you run into technical issues with accessing or reading your Web mail, you’re on your own.
- Limited storage – You must stay connected to the Internet while viewing, sending, or retrieving e-mail. Web mail cannot be downloaded to your computer. Additionally, you will be able to sort and store only a limited amount of e-mail within the Web mail provider’s site. In most instances, you will only be able to store 2 megs or less of e-mail in the site, and the e-mails you send cannot exceed one meg in size.
- Speed – Web mail generally requires more online time to access than does POP Mail, though it is easier to configure for travel.
- Privacy - Because you must remain connected to the Internet to access your e-mail, Web mail generally is not as secure as POP mail.
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