OK - many of you responded very positively to this idea and I'd really
like to see it happen. My gut level feeling is that this wouldn't be too
hard to get working. So I'm willing to kick in $500 to make it happen.
And if any of you who like this idea agree then maybe others could
pledge something.
If this works I'm going to find a Thunderbird programmer to write some
simple plugins that will put up some buttons to send simple messages to
a server to do a few simple things like one line messages to add or
remove email addresses from white/black lists.
I believe this feature is the next big revolution in expanding email
functionality and I'm willing to put some bucks behind making it happen.
I'm not a rich guy but with my $500 maybe I can get someone interested.
Maybe other will be willing to kick in a few dollars or euros to make it
happen.
Thoughts?
Andy Shellam wrote:
I love this idea! I know it wouldn't be part of the standard IMAP
specification, and you'd probably have to have an extra capability
such as CUSTOMEXECUTE or something in the IMAP capabilities, which
Thunderbird would have to look for before it allows the use of the
plugins.
As you suggested, this would make it so much easier to create an
Exchange-style account with Thunderbird/other client software.
Anyone else?
Andy.
Marc Perkel wrote:
Here's some thoughts I'd like to throw out there. I know it's not
standard IMAP protocol but someone has to try new ideas first and I
want to see what people (Timo) think of this.
IMAP establishes a connection between the client and the server.
Wouldn't it be great if it could be a conduit to let custom
Thunderbird plugins talk to custom server application over the IMAP
interface? For example, personalized server settings. Suppose for
example I want Thunderbird to edit my server side white lists or
black lists or any other setting? Wouldn't it be nice if IMAP
supported these changes? The connection is made. It's a secure
connection that's been authenticated. Lets use it!
Here's my initial thoughts on this. Suppose we extended IMAP to
include an EXECUTE command as follows:
EXECUTE command parameter, parameter ....
On the server side is a config file that has the commands that
execute will allow and what programs they run. When the execute
command is seen by Dovecot then Dovecot runs the program in the list
with the parameters passed. For example, suppose there is a command
to add a user to a server side blacklist.
100 execute blacklist add [EMAIL PROTECTED]
100 ok
Dovecot would open a two way connection to the server application
allowing the client to talk to any application that is configured and
can send and receive text. The connection persists until the server
end terminates or the client closes the connection.
With a tool like this one can write generic applications easily that
would greatly expand what email clients can do interacting with the
server. Not only can setting be changes but you could interact with
server side calendars, pick up voice messages from phone systems, run
any sort of groupware, all over a generic IMAP connection with this
simple extension.
Example:
100 EXECUTE calendar
100 ok
100 list schedule today 8:00 10:00
100 8:00 make coffee
100 9:00 meeting with boss
100 9:30 Call Joe Blow at 415-555-1212
100 ok
100 quit
100 ok
One thing I'd like to use it for is an outgoing SMTP connection to
send outgoing email over IMAP. A session might look like this:
999 EXECUTE smtp
999 220 darwin.ctyme.com ESMTP Exim 4.67 Sun, 13 May 2007 06:52:26 -0700
999 helo ctyme.com
999 250 darwin.ctyme.com Hello localhost [127.0.0.1]
999 mail from:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
999 250 OK
999 rcpt to:dovecot@dovecot.org
999 250 Accepted
......
999 quit
999 OK
Who likes this idea?
!DSPAM:37,4647190f343946551815980!
