[nycbug-talk] Introducing some ubiquity to my email configuration

[michael]

On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 09:42:59 -0700
David Rio Deiros <driodeiros at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi there,
> 
> I have been using mutt + fetchmail + procmail + msmtp for quite long
> time (four years). Fetchmail retrieves my email using pop3 against
> my a couple of servers (gmail and my work email). Procmail performs
> the filtering and puts the email in the right box. 
> 
> I see a problem with this configuration though: All my email is
> removed from the server and is stored in my laptop, which means
> I have to backup the email periodically. Also, I always have to
> use my laptop to read/retrieve my email otherwise I would end up
> having my emails in different places.
> 
> The logical solution seems to be IMAP. But if I use IMAP, I am going
> to lose all the procmail filtering magic since the email will be
> stored in the server. Am I right?
> 
> I have consider the possibility of using thunderbird but I want to
> keep using mutt.
> 
> My questions are: 
> 
> How can I add some ubiquity without losing the benefits of my current 
> configuration? 
> 
> What do you guys use for reading your email?
> 
> Have a good day,
> 
> David

My set up may not apply to you because I have mail services running in
a colo, but it is similar to yours and was designed to scratch the same
itch.   My design goals were: available anywhere, relatively secure,
centralized collection/archive/backup (never bring the mail local).

While most of my mail comes directly to my domain, I also pull mail from
multiple sources using fetchmail and gotmail.  All mail is fed thru
procmail, sorted, and then dropped into a virtual IMAP mailbox.  I can
get mail from home, the laptop on the road, a client site loaner pc, or
anywhere, really.

Storage and backups are done in one place.  A combination of securing
the connection to IMAP and SMTP kinda keep it private. Spam for the
domain mail is handled on the server, but public mail service (yahoo,
hotmail, etc) messages requires some handling if they can not be
'forwarded' to the domain account.

I am a believer that if you truly want to control your mail you have to
have some level of control over the server.  If racking hardware
in a colo is beyond your needs/means, then renting (even just a jail
somewhere) could be in reach.

-- 

Michael