from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
POP3
<messaging, protocol> Version 3 of the {Post Office Protocol}.
POP3 is defined in {RFC 1081}, written in November 1988 by
Marshall Rose, which is based on RFC 918 (since revised as RFC
937). POP3 allows a {client} computer to retrieve {electronic
mail} from a POP3 {server} via a (temporary) {TCP/IP} or
other[?] connection. It does not provide for sending mail,
which is assumed to be done via {SMTP} or some other method.
POP is useful for computers, e.g. mobile or home computers,
without a permanent network connection which therefore require
a "post office" (the POP server) to hold their mail until they
can retrieve it.
Although similar in form to the original POP proposed for the
{Internet} community, POP3 is similar in spirit to the ideas
investigated by the {MZnet} project at the University of
California, Irvine, and is incompatible with earlier versions
of POP.
Substantial work was done on examining POP in a {PC}-based
environment. This work, which resulted in additional
functionality in this protocol, was performed by the {ACIS}
Networking Systems Group at {Stanford University}.
RFC 1082 (POP3 Extended Service) extends POP3 to deal with
accessing mailboxes for {mailing lists}.
(1997-01-09)