I've been using Eudora with multiple accounts for years, with XP, and Windows 2000 prior to that. I think its supported multple accounts since version 3 (last vesion is 7.2). I've used it since version 2.x. I have 2 ford-trucks.com accounts and 4 Gmail accounts, and I fetch the email from all of them with Eudora. Personally, web based email is too slow for me and lacks too many user interface features that you get in a full GUI. I use on my PDA, but not on a PC... current web mail interfaces are just too clumsly for me. To each his own.

 

"You don't need "web mail" to protect yourself from viruses. I've managed to keep my PC's virus free since the dawn of Windows."

The virus protection is a bonus (and a non-critical one since I only do personal email from my Kubuntu machines). I use it so I don't have to enter email account details on multiple computers and so I can access the account from anywhere with little effort. Spamdump and throwaway accounts are convenient, and the biggest bonus is that I've NEVER been tied to an ISPs mail server. Moving and switching ISPs was never a problem, and I kept the same accounts while stationed in Korea and the Middle East.

For non-geeks, webmail completely avoids typical email client setup, and re-entry of that data when they switch machines or have their OS reloaded. I discourage conventional email when dealing with non-geek friends and they are quite happy with the simplicity/portability/reliability of webmail.

 

There is always some virus that will stop the developed world, every six months, ever since boot viruses were found on 5.25 ds/dd disks.

I have heard if you read your e-mail in plain text you eliminate most problems.

imho, Every one should use Yahoo or Google web mail and store all your e-mail on their hosts so 20 years from now when running for an elected office someone can pull up the fact you were on the alt. list for furbbys.

 

When the "melissa virus" was rampant I having the name Melissa suffered greatly. but I took it all in stride. I am still trying to get my computer back to normal from a virus that attacked my computer last week. may never get it back 100% but atleast I can post in here so I am happy. lol

 

I hate to be a pooper but webmail is far worse than outlook - you can filter outlook via your local virus software or at the server level - webmail is unsecurable - AND any jr programmer can spoof it. As such in the govt service, all webmail accesses are blocked at the outgoing connection.

gmail - FWIW - is the worst offender. According to statistics, over 50% of the viri or spoofs come from gmail addresses.

 

Quad has it right. Its one of the reasons I use Eudora, which connects to the Internet via a proxy (ie, anti-virus software) that scans incoming email. Even my Gmail account is viewed locally, through Eudora, after passing through a virus scan. Also, be smart about what you open... I think 99% of problems happen from that. Someone sends me an EXE file and it will go straight in the trash. If they send me an Office (Word, Excel, etc.) document I have Eudora set to turn off scripting in Office when it loads the file.

Now, the thing about downloading email from GMail directly into your software is you *must* use ssh (encrypted) transfers unless you want to open it up to spoofing. Never use unencrypted POP3/SMTP gmail!

 

The only time I remotely even come close to an attack was stumbling off into site where no person with half a brain should go. I even for thinking I had a brain thought this was fun until I got a pop up that said I had a virus in my browser but Microsoft would do a free scan immediately to detect and repair. I was unsure what had happened so I tried to cancel the check for the moment until I could gather my feathers, I could not cancel the dialog box it just remained.

In a half second of ignorance I pressed the OK button, the very next thing to pop up was "Good Luck". I knew instantly what had happened and some how got the fire wall to stop incoming immediately after which I disconnected service, control+alt+del for tasks and stopped the running program through stop immediately and pressed OK and assumed responsibility for unsaved work. It was the only way short of shutting down the machine, sometimes that's a risk as you now have the bug loading with your OS. I did a complete disk cleanup including temp internet, all cookies and any thing saved in browser including history. With the cleanup I did I had to put all the info back into the browser after wards to make things work but saved my self a disaster I feel.

I have since become smarter one thing for sure is if you have a roving eye and would like to track off into something out of the way possibly in a unrecognizable language get an old used laptop or desk top with enough power to do so. If you wipe it out no big deal reload and go on, as for me factoring age and some wisdom figured there was a lot better uses for a computer then that. Every one rides their own horse.

The virus scare first showed up here about a month ago which is worded exactly like yours. It is claimed that panic can shut down a internet system faster than anything going and there is accounts of which I will not boar you with but are very true and accountable. Its is written that if you must report a possible virus that looks potentially damaging call your contacts by phone.

 

yahoo mail, norton anti virus= never had an issue

 

"As such in the govt service, all webmail accesses are blocked at the outgoing connection. "
Depends on the particular government agency. It's often blocked to keep people from wasting time at work.

 

well there is that, but all accesses to webmail services are blocked. webmail can be received from another sender, but it shows up as a unicode document. This comes top down.