The popularity and prevalence of always-on home network service (via DSL or cable modem) has changed the notion of what an Internet Service Provider (ISP) needs to provide. In the old days, an ISP hosted your Web site and email on their servers. You used their network to browse the Web, read newsgroups, and POP your email. Since your connection was temporary, there wasn’t a way to get email delivered directly and reliably to your computer.
The popularity and prevalence of always-on home network service (via DSL or cable modem) has changed the notion of what an Internet Service Provider (ISP) needs to provide. In the old days, an ISP hosted your Web site and email on their servers. You used their network to browse the Web, read newsgroups, and POP your email. Since your connection was temporary, there wasn’t a way to get email delivered directly and reliably to your computer.
Now, thanks to Linux, you can setup an old 486 or Pentium and run your own email and Web server. And once you’re up and running, it’s time to look at Web-based email software. Why? Because a Web-based email interface gives you always-on access to your email. If you’re stuck half way around the world without a computer, all you need is a browser to check your mail. Sure, you could use HotMail or Yahoo! Mail, but that means dealing with a lot of SPAM and annoying advertisements. Even if you don’t use the Web-based interface, your non-technical friends and family might enjoy a clean and fast alternative to commercial Web mail services.
Squirrelmail is a popular Web-based email system written in pure PHP. It works with all popular IMAP (UW, Courier, Cyrus) and SMTP servers (Exim, Postfix, Sendmail, Qmail).
Plug and Play
Squirrelmail is incredibly easy to setup. Simply visit the Squirrelmail Web site (http://www.squirrelmail.org) and download the latest release. To install and run…
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