[Foss-cafe] mail filtering setup protocol

[Pupeno]

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On Wednesday May 19 2004 19:31, Patrick Shanahan wrote:
> * Pupeno <pupeno at pupeno.com> [05-19-04 15:34]:
> > web-mail.
> >
> > With pop3, a serialized mail downloading protocol, it made sense to
> > filter mails as I download them, but with imap, it doesn't make sense
> > (they wouldn't end up being filtered in the web-mail). So, another
> > solution is needed... I was told to use maildrop (or procmail). Ok, it
> > can do the task, but it is about 1000 times harder than the user
> > friendly KMail filter setup, with some effort I can do it, I know a lot
> > of people that wouldn't be able to do it.  For those of use, imap ends
> > up being useless.
>
> If your only requirement is to sort to mail folders, spend five minutes
> learning and looking at the procmail examples and you can do it.  It is
> *not* harder than doing them in kmail, just different.  An excellent
> starter tutorial maintained by Nancy McGough exists at:
>   http://www.ii.com/internet/robots/procmail/qs/
I didn't read any tutorial to use KMail's filtering system, my girlfriend 
could use it without reading any tutorial. And if I'm not mistaken that 
requires writting a text file, which would require sshing to the server, that 
is not simple! that's the task of an administrator, not a user.
I'm using maildrop with a web configuration tool provided by sqwebmail.

> > So I was thinking that imap should provide some kind of mail filtering
> > setup.  That is a way that a client (like kmail, with a nice ui, or a
> > web-mail) may instruct the server about what filters to apply to the
> > incoming mail. What do you think ? I was told 'hell no', imap is not
> > for filtering, ok... then another protocol, a separate protocol,
> > another port, another server ? don't you think it'll be usefull ? Is
> > there something like that implemented ?  another solution ? Thanks.
>
> You don't say what kind of connection you have, but if it is full-time
> you might consider running your own mail-server and then you would be
> able to access from *anywhere* and you could use pop3 or imap, as you
> desire.
Running a mail server is the task of an administrator, not a user. I already 
have my own mailserver, but not a home, that would be crazy, I have it in a 
secure colocation with a real internet connection and a good electric 
service!

> You must remember that linux, for the most part, consists of many small
> programs each doing one thing excellently rather than one program doing
> many things with many trade-offs (the windoz way).
Yes, I know, I'm not new to linux (unless you consider 7 years too little).

And on top of everythin, I'm not saying that mail filtering can't be done, I'm 
not saying that I can't do mail filtering. What I am saying is that it is 
wrong! that something is needed, a protocol, a protocol extension, a set of 
applications and servers, etc, something is needed. If we did innovation 
based on the rule of can be done or can't be done we wouldn't come much 
further out of procedual programming ;)

Thanks.
- -- 
Pupeno: pupeno at pupeno.com - http://www.pupeno.com
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