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Web mail systems provide a transparent user interface based on HTTP and
HTTPS for a variety of users. GUIs hide the complexities of the
underlying mail and IMAP/POP-server and are independent of proprietary
desktop clients. Since the systems are self-contained and all data is
stored server sided, web mailers also disconnect the user from their desktops
and render roaming and mobile use quite easy.
Using HTTPS, which most available browsers support out of the box,
web mail may be used in a secure manner all around the world and across
the Net.
- Horde/IMP
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IMP,
the Internet Messaging Program, is probably one of the most complex
and feature-rich available web mail system. Nearly any feature
and propery may be adapted to one's needs. IMP may be extended by
Horde's
other
powerful applications,
like
Kronolith,
the calender project, and
Turba,
the address book managing system. All of
Horde's
applications are implemented in PHP and are based on the
Horde Application Framework,
the latter of which comprehends a general-purpose web application
framework for PHP. It handles preferences, connection tracking,
compression and
MIME support
for all the applications above.
- SquirrelMail
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SquirrelMail
comprehends a solid, self-contained, PHP-based web mail system.
It provides a fair compromise of various features and simplicity in
regard of setting up, configuring and maintaining the web mailer.
SquirrelMail supports different themes, which actually are just
different combinations of colour compositions and plug-ins. It also
supports various user definable options, address books and folder management.
- Open WebMail
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Open WebMail
is based on
NeoMail
and is entirely written in Perl. As such, it does neither depend on PHP,
nor on specific abilities of the host web server, but just a small
number of installed Perl modules.
Open WebMail supports customized filter lists, address books,
spell checking, auto reply, multi-characters like Big5 and BG,
virtual hosting and user aliases. It also supports alternative
authentication models like PAM.
Mostly because of the numerous powerful IMAP-features of PHP4,
many new web mail systems have sprawled over the ground of
freely available software within the last couple of months.
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