Exec'ing a script from Cyrus when imapd has a client

[Greg A. Woods]

At Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:07:04 -0500, "Anthony Tibbs" <anthony-list at tibbs.ca> wrote:
Subject: Re: Exec'ing a script from Cyrus when imapd has a client
> 
> 
> You know, I don't know if I agree with all the objections over this person's 
> request.  I actually have a similar setup where Fetchmail is used to 
> retrieve messages from a remote mailbox for injection into a Cyrus setup, 
> primarily because of quota requirements on the far end.


Oy!  Why are you using broken hacks when a perfectly good solution is
just begging to be used?

Just get a forwarding alias installed on the remote mail server and then
you'll be using the MTA to move your mail in a robust, secure, and
fail-safe manner to the IMAP server where you desire it to be finally
delivered.



The rest of this is kinda just BS about how to use a proper IMAP client.


>  Yes, modern MUA's 
> offer the ability to store messages locally, but what if you have that MUA 
> installed in several computers in different locations?

IMAP, with modern capable IMAP clients, is an ideal way to access
multiple mail folders on multiple IMAP servers from multiple clients,
all simultaneously.


>  Moving to 'local 
> folders' in that case isn't helpful.

"local" is just one option -- you can copy and/or move messages to _any_
folder that the MUA has access to!


>  And yes, you could setup two 
> accounts - one on the main server and one to your cyrus setup - and move 
> messages manually,

Exactly.  It's _trivial_ to do with any modern and capable IMAP client!


>  but then why not fetchmail to the cyrus setup directly 
> too?

Well, partly because fetchmail is a rather horrible hack in terms of its
code and implementation, but mostly because in doing so you're violating
way too many protocol levels and introducing all kinds of possible
problems and errors, some of which will cause your mail to be lost, and
others of which will compromise the security of both servers.


The best and proper way to transport mail to any given desired
location is to use a proper and robust Mail Transport Agent with
whatever protocol is most appropriate and effective for the job.

Fetchmail is not a solution to anything, and never was!

-- 
						Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098                VE3TCP          RoboHack <woods at robohack.ca>
Planix, Inc. <woods at planix.com>      Secrets of the Weird <woods at weird.com>