Mark Crispin (MRC@CAC.Washington.EDU)
Wed, 12 Dec 2001 17:06:19 -0800 (PST)
On Wed, 12 Dec 2001 22:05:16 +0200, John Neystadt wrote:
> 1. IMAP: Extend SORT to support Message-Context
This could be done by an IMAP extension for VPIM. Since Message-Context is
not a MIME base header it probably does not belong in the SORT base document.
> 2. IMAP: Add support for UIDs in unsolicited events
This can't be done without breaking IMAP2 compatibility. IMAP2 clients are
not extinct yet. We've learned that the hard way.
> 3. IMAP: Add support of per Message-Context counters in STATUS command
This can also be done by an IMAP extension for VPIM.
> 4. IMAP: Add support for STATUS of multiple folders
STATUS does not accept multiple mailboxes for a reason; the metadata obtained
by STATUS may not be available to the server except by doing an internal
SELECT. Forcing clients to do a STATUS command per mailbox emphasizes that
this is not something that should be done on a wanton basis.
There is an effort underway to extend LIST to return additional mailbox
metadata, but only if the server chooses to offer it.
> 5. IMAP: Add support for IDLE of multiple folders
The same effect can be achieved with multiple connections, one for each
mailbox, each in an IDLE. That way, instead of adding a multiplexing
mechanism to IMAP, it uses the wonderful multiplexing system that every
Internet system has built in for free: TCP.
> 6. IMAP: Standardize English names for standard (system) folders in addition
> to INBOX - Sent Items, Drafts, Outbox, Deleted Items
I consider it to be a great stretch to call any of these "standardized", and
as far as "Deleted Items" goes that is nothing less than a wholesale
abandonment of IMAP.
"Outbox" has at least two incompatible roles in common use by clients. Pick a
definition for what "Outbox" can mean, and I can argue quite convincingly that
you're wrong and the only correct definition is a different one. So you give
in and go with that definition; I'll then argue quite convincingly that the
first definition was right.
This type of MUA-dependent functionality does not belong in IMAP.
> 7. Add support of two new system IMAP flags - to mark messages with \Spam
> and \Adult content.
There is no need to do this; keywords will accomplish the same thing. There
is even a mechanism for inter-client keywords (the "$" prefix) that are well
known (perhaps we need a formal IANA registry of these).
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu Dec 13 2001 - 03:29:36 IST