>> What they don't seem to have, or maybe I haven't found,
>> is the option to just show the titles, sources and sizes
>> and let you view or delete whichever items you choose.
>> I guess that option wouldn't be used much,
>> but it would be very handy on occasion.
>> Especially the "delete" option...

>so, your programs have you
>download e-mail and attachments
>sight unseen?

>a.o.l. has automatic download
>as an option (though you can specify
>that it not download attachments).

>but when checking your e-mail while logged on,
>it first shows you the date, sender, and subject,
>and you have the option to view, ignore, or delete;
>once read, you can re-mark it as new,
>to keep it present in your mailbox.

>i'm not even familiar with these programs,
>and still i have contempt for them.          :+)

>as i said, the software industry as a whole
>should be ashamed of what it has done and not done,
>and the high prices it extracts for its shoddy products.

>-bowerbird

This is the ol', "You sent me a 30Mb attachment to an email
and I really don't want to do that right now"-problem
correct? I think you'll find that POP accounts do not
allow for selecting which items to "receive" (and a
POP receive always includes the attachment(s) ) where
as IMAP accounts will let you look at the individual
items and pick and choose prior to receiving them.
Most people have POP type accounts and are stuck with
the all-or-nothing problem. Someone correct me if I'm
wrong here please.