Need some input on IMAP

Charles Rishel chaz03 at localnet.com
Thu Oct 24 17:34:55 EDT 2002


Basically it boils down to this:

  I want to ensure that we both have access to the email messages.  Since 
she and I will both be doing order verification and fulfillment, I wanted 
to ensure that:
1.  We could both read/see what email orders have been placed
2.  This allows either of us to respond to email inquiries from customers.
3.  If one of us verifies/fulfills the order, then it should be marked as 
"completed"
4.  This allows us both to operate at the same time on the orders placed, 
without "stepping on toes" so to speak
5.  If one person downloads all orders via POP3, then we would either have 
to print off ALL orders downloaded (only completed orders should need 
printed out for book-keeping purposes), do all work from a single 
workstation, or alternatively forward remaining emails to the other 
person.  I feel that all of this is a headache that can be avoided more 
efficiently in the way I am proposing.

NOTE
This is an interim solution to an immediate problem.  I intend, in the long 
run, to have an email parsing system that will retrieve all email orders 
from a central point (mbox) and transcribe the order information into a 
MySQL database that we will both work off of.  This would allow for an 
additional simplification of book-keeping duties, and allow for scripts to 
be created to allow us to know, at any given point, how our orders are 
fluctuating (time of year, holiday seasons, etc).  This will also allow us 
to better know which products are moving more quickly, and which are 
"non-sellers" so that we can maximize our profit potential and streamline 
our product inventory.

Chaz03


At 10:08 AM 10/24/02 -0400, you wrote:
>I guess the reason why I asked what client you were using, is that if
>you were using just linux clients for example,
>Then theres probably no reason why to even use POP/IMAP. I'd read the
>mail files directly. This will allow you to do all your mail tagging,
>since you're working with the files directly.
>
>One more question, you seem to indicate you will be having multiple
>people readming the same mailbox??
>For what reason, why not split up the mail messages into separate
>mailboxes, that way you don't need to
>worry about what the other person is doing..
>
>-Mark
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-nflug at nflug.org [mailto:owner-nflug at nflug.org] On Behalf Of
>Charles Rishel
>Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 3:47 AM
>To: nflug at nflug.org
>Subject: RE: Need some input on IMAP
>
>
>Mark,
>It took me some time to research the information you posted.  As you
>state,
>they EMPHATICALLY suggest not using this method.  I am not entirely sure
>
>that I would need directory support anyway, so it may be a mute
>point.  Will have to cross that bridge when I come to it.
>
>I have RH8 which does come with the fetchmail and imap packages on
>disk2.  I will likely do another install on a test HD to see what I come
>up
>with.
>
>I only use Eudora for a mail client on my desktop system, I do like
>Ximian
>on RH8 though, will have to see how that works with the imap server
>also.  I refuse to use OE or Outlook due to their inherent security
>flaws.
>
>Thanks Mark and Justin for the input.
>Chaz03
>
>At 08:39 PM 10/23/02 -0400, you wrote:
> >You can change the default format without recompiling by creating an
> >/etc/c-client.cf And in it putting:
> >
> >I accept the risk
> >set new-folder-format <driver-name>
> >set empty-folder-format <driver-name>
> >
> >To fix some web-mail multiple socket issues, besides setting the number
>
> >of concurrent connections higher, You can also lower the timout by
> >putting the following in the c-client.cf file:
> >
> >set tcp-read-timeout <number>
> >
> >Where <number> is the number of seconds.
> >
> >
> >Note, that the c-client.cf file is really not supposed to be used, and
> >the authors strongly suggest compiling your Own version of the software
>
> >instead of tewaking these values, but I have really never had any
> >problems, And the format has almost never changed (considering they
> >only put out a new version of the software once every couple
> >Of years!)
> >
> >
> >That's also why the first line HAS to be "I accept the risk" . Because
> >they really want you to know What you are doing..but it's definitely
> >worth a try expeciually if you just want to experiment a little bit!
> >
> >
> >P.S. what will you be using to actually read the email?? (i.e. what
> >IMAP
> >client?)
> >
> >-Mark
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: owner-nflug at nflug.org [mailto:owner-nflug at nflug.org] On Behalf Of
>
> >Justin Bennett
> >Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 8:12 PM
> >To: nflug at nflug.org
> >Subject: RE: Need some input on IMAP
> >
> >
> >UW is stable and quick, one problem is that by default it used mbox
> >format meaning a imap 'folder' is actually one file with text emails
> >one after another. This means that you can't have folders with
> >subfolders. Other than that It's stable I run it in an enviroment with
>250 users.
> >     We had people in our europe office who did pop with netscape with
> >50+ folders, and they had folders inside of folders, sometimes 5 deep.
> >We converted them to squirrelmail (web based imap mail) using UW imap
> >server, this became an issue. But other than that it's fine.
> >     If you use redhat or some of the other distributions it comes
> >standard as part of the distribution, and that means if you use a
> >service like redhat's up2date (Red Hat Network) you can easily keep
> >your box current for all security fixes and such, if you compile and
> >install software you'll have to manually keep track of what you have
> >and keep it up to date. I know mandrakes got a similar service. There
> >are others out there Cyrus for example that do subfolders out of the
> >box. But for what you doing UW is probably fine, Cyrus also used to
> >have some issues with ximian evolution mail client for linux, don't
> >know if they got that cleared up. Other than the subfolder issue theres
>
> >not too much difference.
> >
> >
> >Justin
> >
> >
> >Charles Rishel said:
> > > UW IMAP is what I am reading up on now.  I figure it will likely be
> > > the one  I use, but am looking for any input from people with
> > > experience with imap,  as I have no previous experience with it.
> > >
> > > To your second question, yes.  We are in the process of creating the
>
> > > website, hosted with a provider, I am going to .forward all incoming
>
> > > email  to that site to an email account with my ISP.  I then want to
>
> > > be able to  download all the messages to my Linux server using
> > > fetchmail. I would then  be able to use the existing POP3
> > > implementation that is currently running  on my system, however, I
> > > want to enable us to BOTH be able to see/read/respond as necessary
> > > to the business emails.  I figure IMAP would  be best for that, as
> > > then she or myself can mark messages as read or  replied to, but the
>
> > > other will still be able to see/read/access the applicable email
> > > message.  I
> >
> > > hope I have not confused anyone on that.
> > >
> > > POP3 deficiency: if you leave message on server, there is no way to
> > > know if  the message has been recieved or replied to.  I want to
> > > circumvent this  problem.  At the same time, I don't want messages
> > > removed from the server.
> > >
> > > At 06:32 PM 10/23/02 -0400, you wrote:
> > >>What you'll probably want is the UW IMAP server. (the same people
> > >>that
> >
> > >>make PINE)
> > >>
> > >>You should be able to download it directly from
> > >>http://www.washington.edu/imap/ But I'm sure it also comes as
> > >>standard
> >
> > >>packages in linux distributions.
> > >>
> > >>BTW, when you say you'r using fetchmail to retreive emails fomr the
> > >>server, do you Mean from your ISP??
> > >>
> > >>-Mark
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>-----Original Message-----
> > >>From: owner-nflug at nflug.org [mailto:owner-nflug at nflug.org] On Behalf
>
> > >>Of  Charles Rishel
> > >>Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 6:03 PM
> > >>To: nflug at nflug.org
> > >>Subject: Need some input on IMAP
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Hey all,
> > >>
> > >>I have seen many people talking about fetchmail and such for
> > >>retrieval
> >
> > >>of email to a local server.  Me and my g/f are starting a home-based
>
> > >>sales  business and a web-site.  I would like to setup an imap
> > >>server so that  we can both access emails for the business, off of
> > >>my local server.  I  will
> > >>
> > >>likely use fetchmail to retrieve the emails from the server and
> > >>store
> >
> > >>them locally to be accessed via imap.
> > >>
> > >>I am looking for input on the various imap implementations that are
> > >>out  there.  Just like anything in Linux there is much to choose
> > >>from.
> >
> > >>Having no need for an imap server previously, I am looking for any
> > >>real-world  advice from those who have dealt with the various imap
> > >>software packages.
> > >>
> > >>(Side note)
> > >>I find it funny that I always hear that "there's no software for
> > >>Linux"  all the time, I find it ironic because one of the biggest
> > >>problems I have  found with Linux is the over-abundance of software.
>
> > >>There are usually 3+  programs that can do equivalent things, it is
> > >>just a matter of preference,sometimes stability, and ease of
> > >>installation that usually  sets
> > >>them apart.
> > >>
> > >>Thanks,
> > >>Chaz03
> > >>
> > >>"If you want others to follow, give them leadership that they can
> > >>believe in."
> > >
> > > "If you want others to follow, give them leadership that they can
> > > believe in."
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > This message has been scanned for viruses and
> > > dangerous content by Dynabrade using Mailscanner,
> > > and is believed to be clean.
> >
> >
> >--
> >-------------------------------------------
> >Justin Bennett
> >Red Hat (Linux) Certified Engineer
> >Network Administrator
> >Dynabrade Inc.
> >8989 Sheridan Dr
> >Clarence, NY 14031
> >716-631-0100 ext 215
>
>"If you want others to follow, give them leadership that they can
>believe in."

"If you want others to follow, give them leadership that they can believe in."
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