[ubuntu-in] File dates get modified - how to retain original created / modified dates and times

[ramnarayan.k at gmail.com]

Hi

are there any settings that disallow / prevent changing of file details
- like time created / modified  when they are copied across drives, or
downloaded from the Internet or downloaded from Thunderbird.

how can this behavior be controlled.

I find that every time i download a file from thunderbird the created
date and time is shown as the date and time it was downloaded .

Help and suggestions would be appreciated

thanks
ram

System : using Ubuntu 6.04