How to download emails in thunderbird to access from diff computers offline ?
 

I need to download emails via IMAP in thunderbird. However, I want the downloaded emails to be accessible from other computers offline. How can I download so that the downloaded copy is readable by thunderbird copies on any computer ?

The trick is to not delete the e-mails off the server. I have been doing this for some time, as a method of back up of my e-mails.

In Thunderbird there is a setting called "Leave the e-mail on the server" check the box for it. It's in Account settings, in the Server settings area. Set that up on all systems. You will find when you do a get mail on any particular system, it will retrieve any missing e-mails. Of course you will have to manually delete the old ones on the server. I use one system, and allow it to not leave the e-mails on the server, and make sure you don't use that system until you are ready to delete any e-mails.

that's also the way I do it. You can additionaly set a time range ("leave messages on server for at most xx days") in order to not overfill your mailbox.
Thunderbird will then delete your messages automatically after the certain timerange (I myself use 14 days as limit).

EDIT: Sorry, I think we both misunderstood your question. You want to download the mails and then kinda copy them onto other (offline) computers so that they can read them?

That is correct. My email account will be closed shortly so I will not be able to read them off the server. I want to put the downloaded emails onto a dvd, and be able to read them from any computer offline.


I had tried copying over the .thunderbird directory, but it would give problems on other computers. Thunderbird could read the .thunderbird directory only on the original computer.