I've used it. It's like most POP3 clients. You should be able to choose to leave the mail on your server in the settings. Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings and you can select how and when your email is downloaded.

Another option, if Gmail supports it, is to configure it as an IMAP client.

Thanks. I'm not sure how long I'm going to use it because already I'm finding that I really like the archiving thing in Gmail. I just thought I'd try it out not knowing that it was going to download all my archived email. And there are thousands of them.

What's IMAP?

IMAP (which stands for Internet Message Access Protocol) is a way of accessing your email from a variety of platforms, be it a desktop client, mobile device or web interface, where the email stays on the server. This way, no matter where you check your email, it's always current. Unlike what POP3 access does (like using Thunderbird with Gmail, assuming you used the default way of creating a Gmail account with Thunderbird).

Let's say you're using Thunderbird to check your Gmail account... you check and you have a new message, so you reply. The next time you check Gmail using the web interface, you won't see either the initial email OR your reply, because with POP3 access, once you read/access a message, it is downloaded to your client (Thunderbird in this case). Same thing with your sent message... it stays with Thunderbird, since that's where you wrote the email.

With IMAP, you would still use Thunderbird to check Gmail, except when you receive or send a message, that is synchronized with Gmail's servers, so the next time you check your mail using the web Interface, everything is as it should be. Items you wrote using the web interface are synchronized with your desktop client (Thunderbird), and vice versa.

You can set IMAP to download your messages to your desktop client if you wish (and many people do), because it makes it easier to work offline, but if you've set up IMAP access, then even though you're downloading the messages, a copy still stays on the server.

Here's a decent link to the differences between POP3 and IMAP:

http://www.unitedhosting.net/support/faq/5.1.php

And here's the link on the Gmail page that shows you how to set up IMAP access with Thunderbird:

http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=77662

Hope that helps!

Thanks, Eric. That helps a lot. I'll have to revisit my email situation later because I've got to hit the road.

I use Thunderbird at work, and we use (the evil) google mail for your domain. You can leave messages on the server or delete them after down loading them.

Someone passed this link to me and I found it useful when setting up (the evil) gmail with Thunderbird.

When checking my work email with my laptop, I have PocoMail and leave the messages on the server.

I use and love it for the very purpose you describe. I have multiple gmail accounts (in addition to a few others) and I go in through thunderbird. I never really see the gmail web interface any more.

In gmail's settings you can configure it to enable pop for "all mail" or "all mail that arrives from now on."

Here is a copy of an e-mail that may help you.

It is from the TBird forum.

> Melchert Fruitema wrote:
>> >> On 31-10-2007 19:06 CET, Alan composed this enchanting statement:
>>> >>> http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?ctx=%67mail&hl=en&answer=75726
>>> >>>
>> >> what's up?
>> >>
> > Gmail announced availability of an IMAP server. The link I provided has
> > the settings for various e-mail clients.

Also avaiable with other explanations and comparisons at
http://lifehacker.com/software/geek-to-live/turn-thunderbird-into-the-ultimate-gmail-imap-client-314574.php

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I have used Thunderbird from the first beta. I have been a loyal user for the last four years it has been out. I have really decked mine out to make it easier on the eyes. Sure beats the hell out of Outlook and Outlook Express (retch mircroshit). Besides Outlook does not support Macs anymore anyway, so why use an obsolete program, when Thunderbird is so much better?

All kinds of goodies can be gotten on the add-ons section of www.mozilla.org

I'm not overly impressed w. T-Bird. I've been a Eudora guy since ditching AOL 10 years ago, but unfortunately my new laptop has Vista, which is (of course) not compatible. I refuse to use any MS application on general principle - are there any other good e-mail apps out there?

I would definitely use IMAP with GMail. I use Thunderbird both at work and at home on my laptop, and IMAP is the only way to fly.

Yngwie, I mentioned above I use PocoMail. They have a demo version you can try. Many options and many ways to configure it. Comes with its own scripting language for advanced usage. Try the demo.

I'll check Pocomail tonight - thanks, DoubleU!