[lug] abandoning mutt and saving mail to a useful default folder name

[Phil Rasch]

I get a lot of email. I get it from a lot of different people. I
probably get at least 5 messages a day that I need to archive from new
contacts, and 20 from old contacts. I dont have time or braincells to
create filters for each user I get mail from, or remember the
appropriate folder name. I want a tool that will help me archive email
with a single keystroke to a folder with a meaningful name.

To date that tool is mutt.

With mutt if I get a mail message from "joker at domain.com" I can hit
"s" and the mail is automatically saved to a folder called "joker". I
dont have to create the folder, or create a filter to move messages
there, or remember the name of the folder that it will be stored
in. The only other MUA that I am aware of that can do this kind of 
thing is pine (which I dont like). The decision on whether to hit "s"
is too subjective to automate the archival. My decision could just as
easily be "delete". It has to be my decision.

I could use some advice on moving from mutt to another mail tool.
I have happily used it for many years, but maybe it is time to move
on. Our systems group have recently transitioned to a slightly different
paradigm for mail support that is causing me to rethink how I deal
with mail.

The preferred new mechanism will be to interact with the mail server via
IMAPS.

The problem with this is that mutt requires that I either store the
username and password for IMAP in a clear text format (in the .muttrc file) or
type the password in everytime I open mutt to read mail.

The systems group understandably doesnt want me to save the password
in a clear text file (even readable only by owner). I havent found a
way around this with mutt. My current solution is to open mutt in an
xterm all by itself and keep it open all day. But there are reasons
this isnt satisfactory either.

My problem is that the other mail MUA tools that I like
(e.g. thunderbird) dont have an easy default to let me archive mail
with a single keystroke or mouse click.

I am searching for another good MUA that can create the folder, and
archive the mail message with a single keystroke or click, and that
stores the IMAPS username and password in at least a marginally
encrypted format. I am sure there must be some out there but I dont
know of any.

Does anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks

Phil