How does outlook download mail from sendmail?
 

I've set up sendmail on a redhat linux 8.0 box. Although I'm just learning the basics, I'm already able to send mail. Now here's my question that (I'm surprised) doesn't seem to be anywhere. How does ms outlook connect to sendmail to retrieve mail? So...
1. Someone sends user mail.
2. Sendmail accepts it and adds it to the user's mailbox file.
3. Outlook connects to the sendmail server and downloads the user's mail.

I don't seem to see any info regarding step number three. Any info you guys can provide on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

That is becase sendmail doesn't handle step 3.

Sendmail is only an SMTP server. You will need a pop or IMAP servr to retreive mail. Take a look at qmail, qpopper, cyrus and courier. The first two are pop servers and the second 2 are IMAP. Qmail also has an SMTP server built in that you can use to replace sendmail if you wish.

Yeah, I'm doing a little more research and found this out. I'm now in the process of evaluating some imap server software from www.washington.edu/imap. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to figure out. Thanks for the help.