Problem with Messages

[eugedunn]

Good Morning to all
I would like to take this opportunity to Wish you'se all a very Happy New Year.
And to thank you for all of the help that you give us.

Problem:
I use Netscape most of the time, but this is twice that it as happen in the pass week.
I open my Webmail only to find that all of my messages have disappeared out of my Inbox.
I phoned my Internet supplier and he advises me that when it goes in to my Harddrive, it is automatically
erased from there Harddrive.
I do not do anything different that would create this problem.
I would Appreciate some suggestions as to what could be creating the problem.
Or is it time that i went out and bought a new Computer.
What i have is a rebuilt G5.
Comments please ????????????????????????????????
                                                             Plume

[ben schmidt]

There are two main types of configurations used to access email: POP and IMAP.

If you are seeing your mail 'disappear' off your email provider's mail server, it sounds like you may have your email client software configured to use POP. POP normally works by 'vacuuming' mail from your email service provider's mail server and aggregating it onto your local computer's harddrive. Does your email service provider provide you with instructions as to how configure POP or IMAP, and discuss what factors to consider in order to choose which email client software configuration is right for you?

If your email service provider is not being helpful, would you be open to the suggestion of changing email service providers? 

I use MobileMe and Gmail, rather than the email service provided by my ISP. This allows me the option to switch Internet-connectivity Service Providers (ISPs) with no change to my email addresses. In your case the reason to change might be that your ISP is not providing the level of support that you need to use their email service. Remember that you don't have to use your ISP-provided mail service -- you can keep your ISP, but use any other email service provider on The Internet.

Two email service providers that you might consider are the fee-based Apple MobileMe, or the free gmail.com service. I use both.

Either service could drastically simplify your email issues by providing gigabytes of web-accessible, online email storage, accessible from any webbrowser, on any computer. You need not even care about POP and IMAP configurations and their distinctions.

PS. I do not think that you need to buy a new computer in order to use email. A G5 (or even a G3!) is more than adequate to read and send email. I'm assuming, apart from your email service, that you are not having any other problems with your computer?