Would a mail server like sendmail or qmail do this?

[dickinsd]

Subject header not big enough, Admin please feel fre to rename if you can get a better question in there.

Background

I collect mail from several locations:

Several ISP accounts
Gmail
Hotmail
Yahoo
Mail from my domains
Etc.

Once things are up and running its all perfect, I get the mail from the right place and it goes in a folder for the individual account - no probs.

BUT whenever I need to setup a new computer or reinstall one of my others I have to do all of this all over again. Also I have a serious pain in the ass when it comes to managing the mail as I end up with different mail messages on different machines - pain in the ass.

Can this be done?

I want to know if I setup a mail server with something like sendmail or qmail (or anything else that you may want to recommend) can I get that to check all of those accounts so that all I need to do is set one mail account on each machine?

Also I would like it to hold the mail unless I delete it, so that each machine has access to the same mail

AND I would also like a facility so that I can get access to my many accounts AND so that other in my house can get access to their mail, but NOT have access to mine.

1: can that lot be done at all?

2: can either of those programs do it for me?

3: Would I be able to have a public face to the mail server so that I can get my mail when I am out and about?

4: (last one) Would it be safe to run this kind of service off the same machine that I am hosting a web page from?

Thanks for any help with any of that lot

Dave

[Void Main]

I don't know if I am following you but it sounds like you just need imap. I have a server out on the net running sendmail to receive my email (and all my family receives their email). I keep all my mail on the server and read/organize it with Evolution connecting to my server via imap (imaps actually). I forward mail to my account from various places. My normal email comes into it. I have all my servers forward root's email to it. I have a copy of any email sent to my kids' accounts sent to mine (Big Brother), etc, etc. I can connect to this imap server from anywhere using various clients. I even have web based access to it (via IMP) if I just want to quickly get into it from anywhere without setting up an imap client. Is this what you are wanting or am I missing the mark entirely?