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SquirrelMail ("Webmail for nuts") is a web-based e-mail client (also known as a Webmail program) started by Nathan and Luke Ehresman and written in the PHP scripting language. It can be installed on almost all web servers as long as PHP is present and the web server has access to an IMAP and SMTP server.
The Squirrelmail program uses correct HTML 4.0 for its rendering, making it compatible with a majority of current web browsers. Because it's open source software, licensed under the GPL, and through its plugin architecture, it is highly adaptable to one's specific needs. Over 40 translations are available, including Chinese, French, German, and Spanish.
SquirrelMail includes built-in pure PHP support for the IMAP and SMTP protocols, and all pages render in pure HTML 4.0 (with no JavaScript required) for maximum compatibility across browsers. It has very few requirements and is very easy to configure and install. SquirrelMail has all the functionality you would want from an email client, including strong MIME support, address books, and folder manipulation.
SquirrelMail is robust and featureful. For example, it effectively blocks HTML images embedded in mail from being downloaded to your desktop without permission. This is a customizable feature available under the options menu. Any unauthorized images will be replaced with a security block.
The SquirrelMail interface is simple and intuitive, and most of the functions are clearly labeled. If you're at all familiar with email programs you should have no trouble in locating the commands to perform standard email operations. Most of the functions you need are displayed as either buttons or hot links at the top of the screen. Here are a couple of screen shots and a quick summary of the most common actions you can perform from each of them.
Most traditional email client programs that run on the user's desktop (such as Microsoft Outlook) typically store the mail on the local hard disk. As a web mail program, however, SquirrelMail retains your inbox and any individual folders you may have created on the server. Because you are sharing disk space with your website, your website's databases, etc., and depending on your hosting package, is more or less restricted, wise space management becomes an important issue. Here are some hints for keeping things trim:
- Do not let mail accumulate in the Inbox. Your Inbox folder is stored in the same area on the server where your website, databases and everything else belonging to your account is located. It's good practice to review your mail regularly, discarding messages you don't want and storing messages you want to keep in personal folders.
- Empty your trash frequently. When you discard a message it goes into a special Trash folder and stays there until you empty the trash. That can be a convenience if you accidentally delete a message and need to get it back, but it's not good practice to use your trash folder as an archiving service (after all, you don't use your trash can as a filing cabinet!). Just as important, failure to periodically clean out your Trash folder can lead to wasteful consumption of shared disk resources. There's a small link labeled "(purge)" next to the Trash folder link -- use it to empty the trash periodically.
- Clean out your folders periodically. Unless you really need to retain messages indefinitely, it's a good idea to go into each of your folders and discard messages you no longer need.
Alternating between SquirrelMail and other email programs
POP client users
If you decide to continue using your Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook, Eudora, or other POP client but plan to use SquirrelMail occasionally, there are two important facts to keep in mind.
First, in its standard configuration a POP email client will move your new messages from the server to your PC. Since those messages are no longer stored on the server, SquirrelMail will not see them. If you understand this and it doesn't bother you, you can continue using your POP client as your main email program and use SquirrelMail for special purposes, like firing off a quick message from home or checking for recent mail from a public computer somewhere. If you do not like this mode of operation there are three alternatives: 1) You can give up your POP client and switch exclusively to SquirrelMail (recommended); 2) you can modify your POP settings so that the program moves copies of all messages to your desktop but leaves the originals on the server, where they will remain visible to SquirrelMail (this option can get messy because you'll have duplicate messages in different locations); or 3) you can switch from POP to IMAP, which leaves all messages on the server.
Second, you are probably familiar with the fact that POP clients allow you to create your own folders to organize your mail. These folders, and the messages they contain, are stored on your desktop PC (or, for some users, on their personal drive of the local area network). SquirrelMail also allows you to create folders. These folders, however, are stored on the server. The two sets of folders are completely different! If you store a message in a folder in your POP client you will not see it in SquirrelMail, and vice versa. This is not a technical problem, but it can be confusing if you don't know what's going on.
IMAP client users
In general, alternating between SquirrelMail and an IMAP client would be straightforward since SquirrelMail uses IMAP and the two applications share the same user folders. However, it turns out that there is a wrinkle. SquirrelMail assumes that all of your email folders are stored in a parent folder called "Mail" in your home directory on the mail server. This folder is hidden from you in the normal day-to-day operations of your email. While this is not the default setting for the mail clients, it is an industry standard. However, since IMAP will work just fine without having "Mail" set as your email folders directory, some IMAP users here may have that situation and not realize it. The consequence is that the two applications may not display the same folders.
You can easily tell which situation you have after you log into SquirrelMail. If you see the folder list that you are used to seeing in your IMAP email client, then everything's fine. If however you don't see your folders, there is a possibility that you will have to "subscribe" to these hidden folders to bring them into SquirrelMail's view. Click on the "Folders" menu on the SquirrelMail page. Toward the bottom of the next page you will see one or two boxes labeled "Unsubscribe/Subscribe". If you see your folders in the box on the right, then subscribe to them. If you don't, or if there is no "box on the right" then you need to contact IT for assistance in getting access to your folders.
For more information, click to Bsleek's Knowledge Base, F.A.Q. and Articles section
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