POP (Post Office Protocol)

Definition: POP (Post Office Protocol): An Internet electronic mail standard that specifies how an Internet-connected computer can function as a mail-handling agent. Messages arrive at a user's electronic mailbox, which is housed on the service provider's comuter. From this central storage point, you can access your mail from different computers - a networked workstation in the office as well as a PC at home. In either case, a POP-compatible electronic mail program, which runs on your workstation or PC, establishes a connection with the POP server, and detects that new mail has arrived. You can then download the mail to the workstation or computer, and reply to it, print it, or store it, as you prefer. From QUECID

* Linux/Unix/Computing Glossary