Why are some Labels prefixed with "[Gmail]/" and others not

[JohnDohe]

Why are some Gmail Labels prefixed with "[Gmail]/" and others not?

Is this absolutely necessary?

If not, how may I get rid of the "[Gmail]/" prefix?

Thanks!

[tanstaafl]

Gmail treats some special folders differently. See the labels section in http://kb.mozillazine.org/Gmail . The way to get a more normal folder listing is to set [Gmail] in tools -> account settings -> gmail -> server settings -> advanced -> IMAP server directory.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Gmail

[JohnDohe]

@ tanstaafl

Thanks.

Um ... are you referring to a setting in Thunderbird?

Because I'm not referring to Tbird.

I'm looking at Gmail using Gmail's web browser.

[DanRaisch]

Because I'm not referring to Tbird.

I'm looking at Gmail using Gmail's web browser.

But you posted to the Thunderbird Support Forum. Are you not using that email client?

[mgagnonlv]

Had you created these "[Gmai]/SomeFolder" folders in Thunderbird? Then that's normal.

The default system used by Gmail is not folders but rather labels. These Gmail labels are used to tag emails that are in the Inbox folder only. When you create folders in Thunderbird, Thunderbird allows you to be able to move mails away from the Inbox folder. How does Thubderbird do it? By flagging messages that are in "All messages" rather than in Inbox. So when you created "SomeFolder" as a Gmail folder in Thunderbird, the "[Gmail]/SomeFolder" you see on Gmail's web interface is because it's a flag applied at the root rather than one applied to the Inbox as Google would have dreamed of it.