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Author Topic: Charter empties 14,000 email accounts  (Read 2898 times)

Offline Paddy

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« on: January 25, 2008, 09:33:52 AM »
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20080124/D8UCEF2O0.html

Just one more reason I'd never rely entirely on web mail!! eek2.gif
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Offline kimmer

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2008, 12:03:27 PM »
Oh my! Many folks we know use Charter. Oh my!
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Offline Gregg

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2008, 12:06:49 PM »
I've heard that it's possible to configure Mail so that it downloads your messages from a web based address to your hard drive. Is that so?
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Offline Highmac

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2008, 01:56:43 PM »
With my ISP, webmail is an addition to the normal system. The Mac's Mail downloads messages as you would expect, but it means I can access my emails from any computer linked to the web; for example the office PC or from an internet cafe when I'm on holiday. Best of both worlds, I guess....  Thinking.gif
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2008, 03:45:19 PM »
You should be able to read and download your email with Apple's Mail right now. All you should need is the name of the server (usually mail.yourISP.com/net/whatever or smtp.yourISP.com/net/whatever), and probably he password (which Mail should remember for you. But you should also be able to specify what Mail should then do with that mail; leave it on the server or delete it. Like Paddy, I have any email app set up to download and then delete. That way, I don't have to 'trust' anyone to keep my messages nor do I ever have a problem with "over quota" messages sent to anyone because I didn't remember to trim down my storage. ISPs are now upping he available space but it seems we never have enough. eek2.gif
« Last Edit: January 25, 2008, 03:47:08 PM by Xairbusdriver »
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Offline kimmer

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2008, 05:11:35 PM »
QUOTE(Gregg @ Jan 25 2008, 10:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've heard that it's possible to configure Mail so that it downloads your messages from a web based address to your hard drive. Is that so?

Yes -- if the web based mail folks allow it. wink.gif

You can do this with Gmail (I do, in fact), not sure about yahoo mail.
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2008, 05:33:29 PM »
QUOTE
Yes -- if the web based mail folks allow it.
What?! I'm not allowed to download MY mail?! Why would anyone even want that kind of "service?" wallbash.gif dntknw.gif
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THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
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And the United States = The Banana system
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Offline kimmer

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2008, 06:34:27 PM »
QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Jan 25 2008, 03:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE
Yes -- if the web based mail folks allow it.
What?! I'm not allowed to download MY mail?! Why would anyone even want that kind of "service?" wallbash.gif dntknw.gif

Well, if it's "free", it's their choice if they want to open up their servers to POP mail downloads -- which add to their bandwidth. wink.gif

If it's a paid for email, then I wouldn't use it if I couldn't download it, but that's my choice.

I have 2 friends who pay for email, and can't download and they are very happy with the service.

Different strokes for different folks.
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MamaMoose

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2008, 06:38:54 PM »
My ISPs are chained - Local is Verizon which connects (automatically) to SBC  that holds my domain name (c-fourth.com). Whenever I access my mail via Eudora, the mail is downloaded to my hard drive and deleted from the ISP's server.

However, there is a big "BUT". Say I have a slew (25 50) of important e-mails that come in overnight or during the day (that often happens to me). If my account is deleted by the ISP, then those e-mails are lost. In addition, once the account is gone all future e-mails to you will be bounced back to sender. That could be a disaster.

MamaMoose
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2008, 07:51:02 PM »
QUOTE
If my account is deleted by the ISP, then those e-mails are lost.
Of course. But you (and I) would still have all of our previous emails because we download them to our computer. I can only imagine that someone who never can or does download their email is using the 'service' purely for enjoyment/entertainment. I can't fathom any business not having physical possession of the companies/employees messages. Nor would I want to lose, because of some snafu at the ISP even the messages from my Grandkids. Furthermore, I often register at some sites that send a 'starter' password via email. And then there are the ones you may get when you forget one. Either way, I wouldn't trust any ISP to store that kind of info about me, I want that off their servers ASAP. As long as it's out there, it's searchable, accessible and insecure as far as I'm concerned. And "insecure" doesn't have to mean that a hacker can get, either. The whole point of this thread is that a major ISP trashed a lot of peoples messages, just hope most had downloaded the majority of them before hand. Of course, if an ISPs servers are hacked, any and all data could be available, but there's no use in tempting fate by leaving all my stuff on the table. wallbash.gif

The only reason I could justify a non-downloadable email account would be if they also provided me with unlimited aliases or mailboxes, throwaway accounts, in other words. coolio.gif Leaving messages on some server is only marginally better than putting your personal info on something like Facebook (or even at TS!), IMHO. You have no idea who and when some other party might find or use your info. Just doesn't seem wise to me. Of course, I'm paranoid, like that! Paranoid.gif
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THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system
CAUTION! Childhood vaccinations cause adults! :yes:

Offline Paddy

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2008, 08:15:46 PM »
Yahoo doesn't allow POP access - you have to use the web mail. I have a Yahoo account I use as the "throwaway" account.

One option offered by Mail is keeping the mail on the server for a period of time - one day, one week or one month after you've downloaded it. This can be handy when traveling etc. - or if your HD decides to pack it in on a busy email day between backups!! I've got my mail set to remain on Rogers' server for a week after it's downloaded. Very handy, as it turned out. tongue.gif
« Last Edit: January 25, 2008, 08:16:20 PM by Paddy »
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Offline Mayo

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Charter empties 14,000 email accounts
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2008, 09:43:48 PM »
Well, I can't get too excited about this even though my ISP is Charter. This kind of thing is apparently very rare, or it wouldn't even make the news... So what if e-mail goes down and some messages are lost? These things happen and none of the lost messages should be irreplaceable, e-mail being what it is.  This is not a disaster; it is an inconvenience like when the power goes out. Accounts can be restored and e-mail sent to clients or family informing them of the mishap.  If you are the rare person that regularly receives e-mail that may include customer orders or other important messages, you might consider setting up an e-mail account at a separate ISP and have all your mail forwarded there so that the messages reside on two servers that are presumably many miles apart. It is a tiny expense if one's livelihood depends on e-amil.

I have Eudora set to download mail every five minutes, so my exposure is limited.  Mail that accumulates overnight or when I am away is vulnerable; I suppose if one is very concerned about losing messages a Mac could be easily scheduled to start-up just long enough to fetch mail.

There are people who use e-mail but don't have a permanent address. Some people like a young, hard-working friend of mine cannot afford an Internet connection even though he has a hand-me-down PC.  He deals with his e-mail at Internet cafes or the public library. He doesn't rely on e-mail like I do; it is much easier to get in touch with him via his cell phone.  I suppose that is one difference between being 23 and 53 in 2008...
« Last Edit: January 25, 2008, 09:44:24 PM by Mayo »
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Offline sandbox

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« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2008, 12:01:10 AM »
I manage a few domains and keep mail on some of the servers after download. I can either edit the addresses by hand or use a Cron Job to automate the deletion process in a time certain script. Some email is forwarded from other server leaving a trail or backups. Some key addresses with no forwards are set to make copies to other servers for backup. There are always at least two copies somewhere.

I used to run a mail server that only handled email. Like Mayo it downloaded every 10 minutes 24/7 but as my tasked changed my needs for the server were diminished.

Such an elaborate configuration may not be needed for personal email, but on commercial accounts the system has served me well.
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