Mail Application: Stores ALL data from email?

[wb47]

Hey everyone, I have recently purchased a 2012 Macbook Air 13" and set up the Mail app with my gmail. However As I was using the spotlight to search some things I have noticed that contents within my email was showing up (messages and documents).

This is a problem for me because I do NOT want anyone who has access to this laptop to just browse through my email containing private information.

I want to use the mail app as it is more convenient than logging on to gmail on a browser but if I have to sacrifice my privacy for convenience I'd rather use Gmail.com.

So firstly how would I delete Every Trace of stored data relating to my email on my new mac (without deleting it off the gmail server) and secondly will it be possible to use Mail app without having to store information on the computer? If so how?


Thank You.

EDIT: I am using something called IMAP but I have absolutely no clue on what that is or does.

 

[miles01110]

Why don't you just password protect your account and lock it/shut down when not in use?

 

[wb47]

that really isn't an option because I do a programming course in university and have to let my lecturer/ classmates use the computer from time to time.

Thanks

 

[Weaselboy]

You can prevent email message content from appearing in Spotlight results by going into Spotlight Preferences and uncheck "Messages & Chats" from the Search Results tab.

There is no way to use the Mail app without having the data on the computer. If you want to get rid of it just go into Mail prefs and under the Accounts tab delete the account. That will not remove any messages from GMail.com itself.

I noticed this app recently that blocks access to an app like Mail.

Both Spotlight blocking and the above app would be pretty easy to get around if someone with a little computer knowledge had a few minutes alone with your machine, but for casual access in your presence it might be enough.

 

[elppa]

This is how desktop mail clients work.

 

[cvaldes]

You should lock down your computer regardless of who/how often other people get their hands on it.

The others are correct, this is how desktop mail clients work. The data is stored locally; it's been like this since e-mail GUI programs (Mail User Agents) have appeared 20+ years ago.

Some people still telnet/remote shell into a server and read their e-mail remotely using command line tools such as pine. You'd need to set up and administer a server to collect your Gmail account mail, noting that the mail would be locally cached on that mail server.

You could use Gmail in a web browser, although you would want to be assiduously careful in logging out each time and clearing your browser's cache/history/etc. each time you loaned out your machine.

There's really no complete security when you A.) lack physical security (i.e., letting others touch your machine) and B.) you are on a network.

However, one practice that you have apparently ignored is creating a limited access, guest account on your computer. That's one of the basic ideas behind UNIX, the multi-user system.

Create a guest account, then assiduously log out every time someone needs to use your system. The way you are currently going about it, your system is no safer (maybe even less) than a public computer at the library.

 

[flynz4]

that really isn't an option because I do a programming course in university and have to let my lecturer/ classmates use the computer from time to time.

Thanks

Create a second account (without admin privs) for use when sharing your computer. Put any classwork that needs to be shared into a shared folder on your computer so that it can be accesses from that second account.

I would never even imagine keeping my computer unlocked and password protected. That is a perfect example of "identity theft waiting to happen".

/Jim

 

[wb47]

Thank you all for your input, I have decided to only access my email through a web-browser but how will I now delete ALL trace of email locally stored on my laptop? So that its essentially running Mail for the first time?


Thank You.

 

[Weaselboy]

Thank you all for your input, I have decided to only access my email through a web-browser but how will I now delete ALL trace of email locally stored on my laptop? So that its essentially running Mail for the first time?


Thank You.

Just remove the account from Mail app. Then click your desktop to bring focus to the Finder and hit shift-command-g (all three at once). Enter ~/Library/Mail in the box and enter. Now delete all files/folders from that Finder window/folder.

 

[wb47]

Just remove the account from Mail app. Then click your desktop to bring focus to the Finder and hit shift-command-g (all three at once). Enter ~/Library/Mail in the box and enter. Now delete all files/folders from that Finder window/folder.

Thank you for your input, but I am confused (still elarning to use OSX) but how do I click my desktop to bring focus to the finder

Thanks

EDIT: I did it and there is a file called V2, should I delete that file or the contents of the file?

Thanks again

 

[Weaselboy]

Thank you for your input, but I am confused (still elarning to use OSX) but how do I click my desktop to bring focus to the finder

Thanks

EDIT: I did it and there is a file called V2, should I delete that file or the contents of the file?

Thanks again

V2 is a folder. Delete the whole thing.

 

[wb47]

V2 is a folder. Delete the whole thing.

Thank you so very much for helping me!

 

[Weaselboy]

Thank you so very much for helping me!

You bet... glad it worked out.