Mail Program Needed: treat Comcast like imap

As I understand your question, what you want is not at all difficult. It is impossible. With POP3, you have two options:

• Use an email client [like Mail or Thunderbird] to download your messages while leaving them on the server. This will allow you to download the same messages to other email clients.
• Use an email client [like Mail or Thunderbird] to download your messages and then erase them from the server.

Using an email client to manage messages on a POP3 server is not possible. For this, you must use your webmail client. This is what you are doing now. This is what you must continue to do until Comcast implements an IMAP option.

That said, Microsoft's Live/Hotmail is also POP3. However, the Redmond company set up an IMAP-like server for mobile devices. It works just fine with desktop clients [like OS X Mail and Thunderbird]. Perhaps, Comcast can be persuaded to follow suit. Contact Comcast and express your desire for IMAP access or mobile access equivalent to Live/Hotmail.

Have your comcast mail forward to gmail and then use Mail to read it from there.

VideoBeagle said:

@MisterMe I don't believe in the impossible. There is a way to thread the needle, I just need to find it.
I clearly know the difference between POP3 and IMAP and why this is a difficult problem. I'm looking for software that overcomes the limitation of the protocols.

Click to expand...

I think @MisterMe is correct. What you are trying to do with POP3 is impossible.

As a software engineer, I can tell you that just because you believe something, doesn't mean a computer will agree. A protocol is there for a reason, it must be followed on both sides for it to work. There are no ways around it. If you want to use POP3 like IMAP, you can't. That is why there are two different protocols. Otherwise they would have just changed the POP3 protocol.

VideoBeagle said:

Which could be considered useful for future mail, but not for the thousands of mail I already have which is what I'm looking to do.

@MisterMe I don't believe in the impossible. There is a way to thread the needle, I just need to find it.
I clearly know the difference between POP3 and IMAP and why this is a difficult problem. I'm looking for software that overcomes the limitation of the protocols.

Click to expand...

Gmail has migration features that let you import old mail from another account. If, in 2013, you're still using a mail provider that only offers POP, you should consider this.

curmudgeon32 said:

Gmail has migration features that let you import old mail from another account. If, in 2013, you're still using a mail provider that only offers POP, you should consider this.

Click to expand...

This is the reason why I don't use comcast. Plus you're not tied to the company, i.e., dropping comcast will be too painful.

Comcast IMAP

Comcast has an IMAP beta.
I have been using it for some time - it works well.

https://xcbetasignup.comcast.net/imap_trial/web/

VideoBeagle said:

Which could be considered useful for future mail, but not for the thousands of mail I already have which is what I'm looking to do.

@MisterMe I don't believe in the impossible. There is a way to thread the needle, I just need to find it.
I clearly know the difference between POP3 and IMAP and why this is a difficult problem. I'm looking for software that overcomes the limitation of the protocols.

Click to expand...

I create an archive account in gmail... thats only purpose is as a repository of any and all email that I receive... irrespective of account.

For example, if your email address was VideoBeagle at ISP.com.... then I would create a Gmail account call archive.VideoBeagle at google.com and set up all email accounts that I own to forward a copy to that google account.

This allows me to "ruthlessly delete" any and all email that comes into my primary accounts. I typically have just a few emails (i.e. less than 5 or 10) in my account. I can do this because I know that I can log into my archive gmail account and search for anything in a few milliseconds.

I LOVE the uncluttered inbox. Very "freeing".

/Jim