E-mail client
An email client (or MUA as in mail user agent) is a computer program that is used to read and send email. Protocols supported by email clients include POP3 and IMAP. IMAP and the updated IMAP4 are optimized for storage of email on the server, while the POP3 protocol generally assumes that the email is downloaded to the client. The SMTP protocol is used by most email clients to send email. In addition to the fat client email clients presented here, there are also web-based email programs such as Hotmail. America Online also has an email client as a component of it's Internet access program.
Another important protocol supported by most email clients is MIME which is used to send binary attachments. Attachments are files that are not part of the email proper, but are sent with the email.
MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface) is a proprietary Microsoft Windows API which can be used to access the Microsoft Exchange
email server or to interact with the Microsoft Outlook client.
Javamail, part of the platform-independent Java API, can be used to develop email clients or servers using any of the standard email protocols.
Email clients
| Name |
Details |
Platform |
| Akira22 |
shareware |
MS Windows |
| Balsa |
GNOME, X11 |
Unix/Linux |
| The Bat! |
|
MS Windows |
| Becky! Internet Mail |
|
MS Windows |
| Bloomba |
|
MS Windows |
| Brightmail |
|
MS Windows |
| cbConnect by CanyonBridge |
|
Web |
| Datula |
|
MS Windows |
| Delta Mail |
|
MS Windows |
| EdMax |
|
MS Windows |
| Elm |
(GPL), console |
Unix/Linux |
| Elmo |
(GPL), console |
Unix/Linux |
| Microsoft Entourage |
|
Mac OS |
| Eudora |
|
Mac OS, MS Windows, Palm OS |
| Eureka Email |
|
MS Windows |
| Ximian Evolution |
(GPL), X11 |
Unix/Linux |
| Forté Agent |
|
MS Windows |
| Gaucho |
|
MS Windows |
| Gnus |
(GPL) |
Unix/Linux, Mac OS, MS Windows |
| Novell's Groupwise |
|
MS Windows |
| IncrediMail |
|
MS Windows |
| KMail |
KDE email client |
Unix/Linux |
| Mail |
(Provided with Mac OS X) |
Mac OS |
| M2 |
The client in the Opera web browser |
Mac OS, MS Windows, Unix/Linux |
| Mozilla Thunderbird |
The mailreader included in the Mozilla software suit, X11 |
Mac OS, MS Windows, Unix/Linux |
| Mutt |
(GPL) |
Unix/Linux |
| NetMail |
|
MS Windows |
| nPOP |
|
MS Windows |
| nPOPQ |
|
MS Windows |
| Nuvista Email |
|
MS Windows |
| Microsoft Outlook and its cut-down version, Outlook Express |
|
Mac OS, MS Windows |
| Outlook Web Access (OWA) |
|
Web |
| Palm VersaMail |
Included with the Tungsten series of handhelds and the Zire 71 handheld |
Palm OS |
| Pegasus Mail |
|
MS Windows |
| Pine |
console |
Unix/Linux, Mac OS, MS Windows |
| PlexMailer |
|
MS Windows |
| Pocket Outlook |
|
Pocket PC |
| Blueprint PMMail |
|
MS Windows |
| Squirrelmail (a webmail client) |
(GPL) |
PHP |
| Sylpheed |
(GPL), X11 |
Unix/Linux |
| Sylpheed-claws |
Windows version of Sylpheed (GPL) |
MS Windows |
| TuruKame Mail |
|
MS Windows |
| Visual Mail |
|
MS Windows |
| VSMail Client |
|
MS Windows |
| WeMail32 |
|
MS Windows |
| WinBiff |
|
MS Windows |
| WinMail |
|
MS Windows |
| Mozilla based |
| Mozilla |
Mozilla's Suite integrated mail client |
Mac OS, MS Windows, Unix/Linux |
| Netscape Messenger |
|
Mac OS, MS Windows, Unix/Linux |
| Thunderbird (formerly Minotaur) |
Stand-alone client derived from the Mozilla browser suite |
Mac OS, MS Windows, Unix/Linux |
