IMAP
Internet Messaging Access Protocol. A standard mail server used on the
Internet. It provides a message store that holds incoming e-mail until users log on
and download it. IMAP4 is the latest version.
IMAP is more sophisticated than the Post Office Protocol (POP3) mail server. Messages can be archived in folders, mailboxes can be shared,
and a user can access multiple mail servers. There is also better integration
with MIME, which is used to attach files. For example, users can read only the headers
in the message without having to automatically accept and wait for attached
files to download that they do not want.