Peter T. Daniels wrote:

> Doug Ewell wrote:
> >
> > Peter T. Daniels <grammatim at worldnet dot att dot net> wrote:
> >
> > > What's an "email client"?
> >
> > Geez, folks. No matter how you feel about Peter, it would have been
> > much less work just to answer the question.
> >
> > An e-mail client is the program you use to send, receive, manage, and
> > (usually) compose e-mail messages.
> >
> > It is distinct from the "servers" which do the heavy work of passing
> > messages along the network.
>
> Why isn't it my email program or my email application?

Do you mean is your email program or email application the same as your
email client? If so, the answer is they are synonyms for the same
thing.The email serve is the place where your inbound email resides
until (and sometimes after) you download it to your client. The serve is
also responsible for sending mail to other servers, receiving mail from
other servers, and for handling requests from clients to download or
otherwise view mail.

>
> What's the metaphor by which an email program becomes a "client"?

The same metaphor by which your browser is a client to web servers you
care to access. And if you use an FTP program, it is a client in the
same way to an ftp server. A large part of the internet (some might
argue the whole thing) is based on a client-server architecture. Perhaps
in the 80s you heard of "client-server architecture" being bandied about
in computer circles? Maybe, maybe not, but it doesn't matter. Type any
of these terms or questions into a search engine and you will find the
answers waiting for you, and surely someone will have written it up in
precisely the level of detail you require.

Are you taking an interest in computers now? I think it would be great
if you did. But this list might not be the best place to get these types
of elementary lessons, so please don't be put off if the ongoing and
repeated advice is to review someplace else where the purpose of the
destination is to answer elementary computer and vocabulary questions.
That would be very good advice indeed!

Best,

Barry