java GNU JavaMail is a free implementation of the JavaMail API specification, version 1.3. All the code has been written from scratch without reference to Sun's code, which allows GNU JavaMail to be used on a completely free operating system such as GNU/Linux or the Hurd. The code is optimized to work with free Java implementations, nothing prevents it from being used with any compliant JVM. GNU JavaMail provides a protocol-independent framework for building mail client applications in Java. The API itself provides a complete MIME implementation, and drivers for individual messaging protocols, known as providers, can be plugged into the JavaMail framework dynamically. Several providers, implementing Internet standard protocols, are included with GNU JavaMail. These include: * SMTP, IMAP, POP3 * NNTP including posting to news servers * The UNIX mbox format * Dan Bernstein's Maildir format