Lots of ways to do what you'd like.
Easiest is just to use ssh with X-forwarding turned on, so your mail program runs on your laptop, but
displays on your desktop.
1] Install
openssh-client on both computers and
openssh-server on the laptop at least.
2] Connect to your laptop, by typing this on your desktop PC
Code:
ssh -X cosscat@LAN-IP.OF.LAP.TOP
# eg
ssh -X cosscat@192.168.0.3
You can use the name of your laptop instead of its IP address if you have it listed in
/etc/hosts
3] Start thunderbird on your laptop PC
The thunderbird window will open on your desktop PC.
That's it.
If you want to do this over the internet you'll have to:
- Understand the security risks of opening up a service (ssh) to the big bad world.
- Know your internet IP address
- Open port 22 on your modem/router/firewall and point it at the LAN IP of your laptop
- It would be wise to set up key-based authentication (and
disable password authentication) for
ssh, and check
sshd_config very carefully to make sure you are as fully protected as you can be.