Auto Filter Junk Mail

Auto Filter Junk Mail
	Chapter 34. Junk Mail

If checked, messages flagged as "junk" (according to the setting you select in the "Junk Mail Flag Threshold" setting) are automatically moved directly to the "Junk" folder.

It is important to be aware that this junk-mail filtering happens on the server-side--before the mail reaches your INBOX. Junk mail is not moved from your INBOX to the Junk folder; it goes directly to your Junk folder, completely bypassing your INBOX.

As a result, this setting affects not only GatorLink WebMail Web mail; it affects your incoming e-mail regardless of what program you use to access your e-mail--be it GatorLink WebMail, Outlook, Thunderbird, Eudora, or whatever.

That can be a good thing; it means that you can use this one setting in GatorLink WebMail to filter out a significant proportion of incoming junk mail, without having to separately and individually configure each e-mail program that you use. And it makes up for the lack of junk-mail filtering capability in some stand-alone e-mail programs.

Caution

Special warning to POP-based e-mail users: If you use "Post Office Protocol" (POP) with a separate, stand-alone e-mail program to access your GatorLink e-mail, enabling the "Auto Filter Junk Mail" setting may cause you problems. Because POP doesn't support multiple folders, your POP e-mail client will never see your Junk folder. Consequently, you will encounter problems.

Because you will not be able to access your Junk folder via your POP-based e-mail program, you will not be able to empty it periodically. It will continue to grow and grow, and will eventually use up all your alloted storage. When your storage allocation is full, you will not be able to receive any additional e-mails. Even if your INBOX appears empty, your Junk folder -- which you cannot see with your POP e-mail program -- is using all your storage.
You can work around this problem by logging in to GatorLink WebMail, or using an "Internet Message Access Protocol" (IMAP)-based e-mail program to access and empty your Junk folder periodically. Because GatorLink WebMail and other IMAP-based e-mail programs do recognize multiple folders, they will allow you to see and manage your Junk folder.
A useful message which looks too much like junk (spam) may get directed to your Junk folder. Because you will not be able to access your Junk folder via your POP-based e-mail program, you will not be able to search through the Junk for this "buried treasure."
As discussed above, a possible solution to this is to use GatorLink WebMail or another IMAP-based e-mail program to view your Junk folder, and retrieve the stray message, before emptying the Junk.

For these reasons and many others, CNS recommends that users choose IMAP-based e-mail programs whenever possible, instead of POP-based programs. For more detailed information on the difference between IMAP and POP e-mail protocols, please see CNS document d0108, E-mail Choices at CNS and UF.