Is There a Way to Move eMails From FastMail??

Old Guy · 12 Feb 2017, 01:25 AM

Hi! I've been with FastMail since the beginning in the early 2000's and my account holds thousands of emails from family, including a folder for "diary" entries.

I'll be heading over to (probably) ProtonMail or Tutanota soon.

Is there an easy way to transfer all of the eMails in FastMail over to the new account?

The only way I know is to forward each email to the new address, and if that's the case I'll just forward the "diary" entries, and those significant eMails that were benchmarks in my life.

A major reason for doing this is to leave the record of eMails for my family to look at sometimes after I croak. (lol) The more eMails that can be saved the better and it's best if they were in a free account in case family forgets to keep FastMail paid up in the decades to come.

Thanks!!

David · 12 Feb 2017, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Guy

Is there an easy way to transfer all of the eMails in FastMail over to the new

Thanks!!

There are many ways to do this Old Guy: the easiest being to use an IMAP client, and just creating two accounts, and then copying all your folders (and messages) from one account to the other.

Easier still, it is likely that your new provider will have a tool, which will just import these messages for you.

You could possibly open a few trial accounts (before you switch) in order to check.

FredOnline · 12 Feb 2017, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Guy

I'll be heading over to (probably) ProtonMail or Tutanota soon.

Is there an easy way to transfer all of the eMails in FastMail over to the new account?

I don't think that either of these providers currently offer the IMAP option or any other way to transfer your existing e-mails to them.

Old Guy · 12 Feb 2017, 02:32 AM

This will entail a bit of learning to do this.

...and some patience if ProtonMail and Tutanota do not support IMAP. Might mean a delay in making the move.

Maybe they may use IMAP in the future, before my FastMail expires.

There's always something to decide upon and learning to do. lol

Thank you friends!

FredOnline · 12 Feb 2017, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Guy

A major reason for doing this is to leave the record of eMails for my family to look at sometimes after I croak. The more eMails that can be saved the better and it's best if they were in a free account in case family forgets to keep FastMail paid up in the decades to come.

You may wish to consider downloading your e-mails to a local archive?

For Windows OS, I use MailStore Home to back up my e-mails to my computer (the local archive).

You could also make use of the "Mobile Email Archive" as described in the link provided.

That way, you could put your archived e-mails on to a USB flash drive, and keep it somewhere safe, but where your family can find it.

And best of all - this program is free for personal use.

If you don't use the Windows OS, there may be an equivalent program available on whatever OS you use.

B4its2L8 · 12 Feb 2017, 04:29 AM

Would it be possible to open a dummy/temporary Gmail account (setting it us as a go-between). It would be set it up to forward all incoming mail to both Protonmail and Tutanota addresses. Then have it POP the mail in FM with the result that it would be all auto-forwarded to those new accounts.

BritTim · 12 Feb 2017, 08:11 AM

There are many ways of getting messages out of FastMail, but ProtonMail and Tutanota provide no import capability of any description. Writing an import utility would be quite feasible, but would highlight the fundamental weaknesses in a browser based security mechanism.

If looking to convert for security reasons, consider staying with FastMail, but using PGP when communicating with correspondents willing to cooperate (https://blog.fastmail.com/2016/12/23...with-fastmail/). Something like ProtonMail when your recipients practice no encryption is pointless. It is security theater of the worst kind, conferring no real benefits, while locking your email up in an infrastructure where it is difficult to manage, and almost impossible to untangle should you ever wish to do so in the future.

Old Guy · 12 Feb 2017, 10:18 AM

Wow!! Thanks so much for these replies! So much to ponder now, but a good solution will come about in the months to come before my FastMail closes.

The reason that I mentioned ProtonMail and Tutanota, upon reflection, is that they both look and handle so ultra-simply, and of the two it will probably be Tutanota that I'd really like to use everyday into the future of old age lol. It's just SO easy to read on the screen and an ultra simple interface to use. The Germans are always so gung-ho on everything. (Hetzner seems like a good outfit: https://www.youtube.com/user/Hetzner...English/videos)

As far as the encrypting goes, well, I don't think it really matters too much here. It's sort of like comparing germ killing soap to a regular bar of non-chemicalized soap - just a selling point most of us don't need. I've really got nothing to hide - if the NSA or Canada's CSIS want to see more than they have already they have only to phone for the password and we can laugh and cry at the family history shown in the emails with the births and deaths and family joys and tragedies through the years. I'm on their side, and hopefully they are on mine too. (Mind you, WHEN another nazi-like government takes over myself and maybe some others here will be the first to go, just based on the simple Carnivore algorithm, let alone whatever else the monitoring geniuses have come up with!)

When I started this thread I wasn't even sure if the eMails in my ancient FastMail account could be saved. I'm sorry that they cannot all be moved over to Tutanota (the simpler one to choose), but the alternatives mentioned above are simply wonderful and I'm excited to explore the techniques that you have mentioned. A solution will be settled upon based upon what you have all added to in this thread, and I'm really humbled at your help and concern.

I guess in all of this worry I was trying to avoid the "all roads lead to GZilla", sorry, I mean Gmail. I don't care too much for GMX. Maybe GZilla can just be used as the repository of ancient and future knowledge, as mentioned above, and that family can look at in sometime in the future; as well as perhaps cool alternatives to MailStore, for Mac: http://alternativeto.net/software/ma.../?platform=mac

Thanks so much for this knowledge and these exciting ideas!!

12 Feb 2017, 01:25 AM	#1
Old Guy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 3	Is There a Way to Move eMails From FastMail?? Hi! I've been with FastMail since the beginning in the early 2000's and my account holds thousands of emails from family, including a folder for "diary" entries. I'll be heading over to (probably) ProtonMail or Tutanota soon. Is there an easy way to transfer all of the eMails in FastMail over to the new account? The only way I know is to forward each email to the new address, and if that's the case I'll just forward the "diary" entries, and those significant eMails that were benchmarks in my life. A major reason for doing this is to leave the record of eMails for my family to look at sometimes after I croak. (lol) The more eMails that can be saved the better and it's best if they were in a free account in case family forgets to keep FastMail paid up in the decades to come. Thanks!!

12 Feb 2017, 02:32 AM	#4
Old Guy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 3	This will entail a bit of learning to do this. ...and some patience if ProtonMail and Tutanota do not support IMAP. Might mean a delay in making the move. Maybe they may use IMAP in the future, before my FastMail expires. There's always something to decide upon and learning to do. lol Thank you friends!

12 Feb 2017, 04:29 AM	#6
B4its2L8 Master of the @ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hiding under my bed Posts: 1,465	Would it be possible to open a dummy/temporary Gmail account (setting it us as a go-between). It would be set it up to forward all incoming mail to both Protonmail and Tutanota addresses. Then have it POP the mail in FM with the result that it would be all auto-forwarded to those new accounts.

12 Feb 2017, 08:11 AM	#7
BritTim The "e" in e-mail Join Date: May 2003 Location: mostly in Thailand Posts: 3,090	There are many ways of getting messages out of FastMail, but ProtonMail and Tutanota provide no import capability of any description. Writing an import utility would be quite feasible, but would highlight the fundamental weaknesses in a browser based security mechanism. If looking to convert for security reasons, consider staying with FastMail, but using PGP when communicating with correspondents willing to cooperate (https://blog.fastmail.com/2016/12/23...with-fastmail/). Something like ProtonMail when your recipients practice no encryption is pointless. It is security theater of the worst kind, conferring no real benefits, while locking your email up in an infrastructure where it is difficult to manage, and almost impossible to untangle should you ever wish to do so in the future.

12 Feb 2017, 10:18 AM	#8
Old Guy Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 3	Wow!! Thanks so much for these replies! So much to ponder now, but a good solution will come about in the months to come before my FastMail closes. The reason that I mentioned ProtonMail and Tutanota, upon reflection, is that they both look and handle so ultra-simply, and of the two it will probably be Tutanota that I'd really like to use everyday into the future of old age lol. It's just SO easy to read on the screen and an ultra simple interface to use. The Germans are always so gung-ho on everything. (Hetzner seems like a good outfit: https://www.youtube.com/user/Hetzner...English/videos) As far as the encrypting goes, well, I don't think it really matters too much here. It's sort of like comparing germ killing soap to a regular bar of non-chemicalized soap - just a selling point most of us don't need. I've really got nothing to hide - if the NSA or Canada's CSIS want to see more than they have already they have only to phone for the password and we can laugh and cry at the family history shown in the emails with the births and deaths and family joys and tragedies through the years. I'm on their side, and hopefully they are on mine too. (Mind you, WHEN another nazi-like government takes over myself and maybe some others here will be the first to go, just based on the simple Carnivore algorithm, let alone whatever else the monitoring geniuses have come up with!) When I started this thread I wasn't even sure if the eMails in my ancient FastMail account could be saved. I'm sorry that they cannot all be moved over to Tutanota (the simpler one to choose), but the alternatives mentioned above are simply wonderful and I'm excited to explore the techniques that you have mentioned. A solution will be settled upon based upon what you have all added to in this thread, and I'm really humbled at your help and concern. I guess in all of this worry I was trying to avoid the "all roads lead to GZilla", sorry, I mean Gmail. I don't care too much for GMX. Maybe GZilla can just be used as the repository of ancient and future knowledge, as mentioned above, and that family can look at in sometime in the future; as well as perhaps cool alternatives to MailStore, for Mac: http://alternativeto.net/software/ma.../?platform=mac Thanks so much for this knowledge and these exciting ideas!!