IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) are Internet protocols for accessing messages that are stored on a server. Using IMAP or HTTP, you can access your e-mail from any computer with an Internet connection. Once you set up your IMAP account, you can specify the folders you want to show and the ones you want to hide. HTTP accounts always show all the available folders.
Having a server-based account allows you to save time by downloading only your message headers so that you can choose which messages you want to later download and view in their entirety. When you are working offline, you can read and respond to e-mail messages just as you would when working online. The next time you work online, your server-based mail account will synchronize the mail on your computer with the server. During the synchronization process, the actions you performed in your account are carried out on the server.
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