Section 8 - Client-based vs. Web-based Email

This section will give you an understanding of how client-based and web-based email function along with the differences between them. The advantages and disadvantages of each will also be discussed. After this lesson you will know when client-based or web-based email is your best selection for using email.

What is Client-based Email?
Mail sent to your St. Edward's account is stored on a SEU mail server until you download it or delete it. The mail server for student accounts is stedwards.edu.

St. Edward's University currently uses POP3 mail (Post Office Protocol 3) which is one among the most popular email protocols. POP3 uses the SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) messaging protocol. For students at St. Edward's University your POP3 Mail Server is stedwards.edu. Messages are downloaded onto your computer's hard drive using an email client. Some common clients are Eudora, Netscape, Thunderbird, and Outlook. Depending on how your preferences are set, once you have downloaded your email, it is deleted from the mail server. Your downloaded messages are available whether or not you are online. If you reply or write new mail while offline, the mail is stored on your computer and sent the next time you log in. You can only use an email client on your own computer; if you want to check your mail from a library or computer lab, you would need to use web-based email such as WebMail. Another common protocol for incoming mail is IMAP mail (Internet Message Protocol) which is an alternative to offline mail management. It is a form of "online" mail management. While in online mode the mail client interacts with the mail server seamlessly. The user can manage mail and mail folders as if they were local on their own personal machine, but everything stays on the server. All mail folders and all mail are left on the IMAP server at all times, making it easier to work with the same mail store from different locations.

What is Web-Based email?
Web-based email allows you to manage your email via a web browser. The interface is implemented as a Web site that provides access to the various functions like reading, sending or organizing messages. Email isn't downloaded to your computer but instead is left on the mail server until you delete it. St. Edward's web mail system is called WebMail (stedwards.edu) and works like other common web mail systems such as Yahoo!, Hotmail, MSN, and GMail. You can only read and write mail when you are online and logged into your web mail account.

Advantages and Disadvantages
An advantage to client-based mail is you can store as much email on your computer as you want and save it for as long as you would like. The only limit is the size of your hard drive, and today's multi-gigabyte systems can hold almost limitless amounts. Another advantage is being able to read, write and reply to email while you are off-line. A disadvantage to Client-based is accessibility; you can only check your email from a computer that has an email-client configured for your account.

A big advantage to Web-based email is you can access it from any computer in the world that has an Internet connection. Some of the disadvantages are Web-based email usually limits the amount of email messages you can store on the server, and it may seem a little slower because the commands you give must travel to the connecting website.