TLS/SSL POP3 and Earthlink

OK, maybe this is somewhat off-topic, but I thought I'd ask here cause
it seems at least semi-appropriate.

I just found out that Earthlink does not provide email servers that
utilize the TLS/SSL POP3 protocol, but rather only plain text POP3. Am
I misjudging the matter, or is this an extremely insecure and
negligient thing to do?
--
% Randy Yates % "Remember the good old 1980's, when
%% Fuquay-Varina, NC % things were so uncomplicated?"
%%% 919-577-9882 % 'Ticket To The Moon'
%%%% <yates@ieee.org> % *Time*, Electric Light Orchestra
[url]http://home.earthlink.net/~yatescr[/url]

Randy Yates wrote:[color=blue]
> OK, maybe this is somewhat off-topic, but I thought I'd ask here cause
> it seems at least semi-appropriate.
>
> I just found out that Earthlink does not provide email servers that
> utilize the TLS/SSL POP3 protocol, but rather only plain text POP3. Am
> I misjudging the matter, or is this an extremely insecure and
> negligient thing to do?[/color]

Very off-topic, and neither does Comcast.

It's common where companies try to maximize their capacity to serve
client accounts, and minimize the upfront CPU requirements to serve them.

Nico Kadel-Garcia <nkadel@comcast.net> writes:[color=blue]
> [...]
> It's common ...[/color]

There was also a common belief that the sun revolved around the earth
at one point in time. Truth, as well as good computing practice, is
not established by the majority, and especially when there is profit
in the balance.
--
% Randy Yates % "Remember the good old 1980's, when
%% Fuquay-Varina, NC % things were so uncomplicated?"
%%% 919-577-9882 % 'Ticket To The Moon'
%%%% <yates@ieee.org> % *Time*, Electric Light Orchestra
[url]http://home.earthlink.net/~yatescr[/url]

Randy Yates wrote:[color=blue]
> Nico Kadel-Garcia <nkadel@comcast.net> writes:[color=green]
>> [...]
>> It's common ...[/color]
>
> There was also a common belief that the sun revolved around the earth
> at one point in time. Truth, as well as good computing practice, is
> not established by the majority, and especially when there is profit
> in the balance.[/color]


Oh, yes, no disagreement from me! But the cost in computing power, and
in cash for corporate SSL certificates, is very real. And companies
often don't want to pay that cost to get superior security. When you've
got a modest computer room that handles 10,000 customers, you have no
budget for a larger room, and it can only really handle 10,000 POP3
customers, not 10,000 POP3S customers, it's a serious money issue.