explain no client

POP Peeper: Tech support, suggestions, discussion, etc.
Post Reply
hime3
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:21 am

explain no client

Post by hime3 »

I frequently recommend PP to friends and acquaintances.
Today I was asked what email client PP uses. The person said PP is a "notifier", not an email client, therefore, it must "work with" some client to send email.
Can you please refer me to information describing how PP works, and/or what email client it uses?
Or provide a link so I can understand what I am telling people about PP.
Thank you.
hime
User avatar
Jeff
Admin / Developer
Posts: 9234
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2001 9:46 pm

Re: explain no client

Post by Jeff »

POP Peeper does not require an external "email client" (there are cases where PP can use an email client, but these are optional and aren't relevant to this discussion as I understand your question).

Technically, any program that access your email is an "email client." Traditionally and informally, people refer to an "email client" as one that not only accesses your email, but also allows you to send email and manage your email (move into folders, etc.); "manage" is the defining aspect that I would personally apply to the traditional "email client."

An "email notifier" is an email client (using the technical definition) whose primary focus is to notify you of new email. Informally, email notifiers are generally more "lightweight" than email clients ("lightweight" being a very ambiguous term in its own right...). Technically(?), the only thing an "email notifier" has to do is tell you that you have mail. I used such utilities 20 years ago. In fact, there's a good chance that POP Peeper v0.1 worked like that. I honestly don't remember (that was 16 years ago), but it's a safe bet since v0.3 added "Ability to preview message headers"... Those 2 weeks between v0.1 and v0.3 must have been rough :D

Anyway, the capability to send email is not a relevant factor for "notification" which is probably why your friend was confused. However, as far as desktop notifiers are concerned, it's not uncommon to have smtp (send) support in an email notifier.

POP Peeper sits somewhere between the concepts of "notifier" and "client" but its primary function is to notify and while it can manage your email to some degree, it is certainly not its strong suit.


But thanks for your question. And your recommendation :)
hime3
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:21 am

Re: explain no client

Post by hime3 »

Jeff, After almost a decade using PP, I am delighted to recommend it.
My friend gathered his impression from your website: POP Peeper is an email notifier that runs in your Windows taskbar and alerts you when you have new email on any of your accounts.
Your second sentence and proof watching me send email with PP should have dispelled his view. He remained adamant that PP must use some "service" like Thunderbird to send email. Service may be the wrong word.
Thank you for explaining.
hime
User avatar
Jeff
Admin / Developer
Posts: 9234
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2001 9:46 pm

Re: explain no client

Post by Jeff »

And I just realized that the main homepage description doesn't even mention the "send" capability #-o

I just slipped the term "reply to" into the description. That won't clarify any misunderstandings, but I couldn't find a way to put "smtp" into the short description; but the longer description below that didn't have anything either, so I threw SMTP in there.



We apologize for the fault in marketing. Those responsible have been sacked.
hime3
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:21 am

Re: explain no client

Post by hime3 »

and, I hope, with a smile because he is a fine fellow :D
Post Reply