Author: W B Hacker Date: To: exim users Subject: Re: [exim] imap vs pop contemplations
prad wrote: > we are planning out a new setup for our server (based at home via cable
> with only a few users and not a lot of email - but with multiple virtual
> domains).
>
> for 6+ years we've used imap (postfix and dovecot) and it's been very nice!
>
> however, we're thinking of switching to exim so this is an opportunity
> to rethink things.
>
> while imap is very nice, we find 2 issues:
First off, so long as file perms fit, most a[ny] IMAP daemon generally
could care less as to which MTA it is being 'fed' by. Much the same for
POP.
- Exim is essentially 'seamless' w/r Dovecot integration.
- Dovecot in turn is BOTH IMAP and POP capable. And can switch back and
forth with not a great deal of effort or planning.
So it is not a hard or 'final' choice' issue in general, and not really
an Exim (or other) MTA issue at all.
Better yet, it has a simple 'try this first' solution. See below.
>
> 1. no one uses imap for it's advantages - eg access is always through
> the same computer(s) and people are encouraged download stuff onto their
> own machines so as not to clutter up the server. i download my stuff
> right way rather than connecting to the imap server via gnus.
>
> 2. many people (especially my wife) are too lazy to transfer things from
> the server to their machines so i have to chase after them anyway to get
> the stuff off (she presently has 2.8G worth stored up there!).
>
> therefore, we're seriously thinking of changing everything to pop and
> forgetting about the next debate dovecot vs courier vs cyrus ...
>
Largely a matter of sysadmin prefs and 'taste', as there is little
difference in the end-user's space.
> based on the above situation, is going to pop the sensible/simpler thing
> to do or are there factors i haven't considered.
>
Seems so. Big one, too.
Why not just option ON the IMAP folder synchronization in the User's
MUA? (SeaMonkey here, but it should be available in any MUA that groks IMAP)
With no further effort, and not a great deal of time after the first go,
selected-only, or even ALL server-resident and local folders that can be
matched WILL be auto-matched, and kept in sync thereafter with no effort
on the part of the users.
For our user community, that includes multiple desktops and multiple
laptops on multiple continents and whether at home, office, visiting
friends or family, or on the road traveling.
Painless, and nearly invisible, save for the odd event when a machine
that hasn't been used for the better part of a whole year is again
switched on and needs a few minutes to catch up with chnages to 3GB to
6Gb of mailstore.
Then too, 'Prayer' webmail, accessed from a borrowed machine we do NOT
want to have keep ANY local copies, sees the same recently updated set
of IMAP folders and contents as our own machine would have. It doesn't
have to 'sync' anything, nor download any but the few headers of the
most-recent page of many.
Far less need of scarce time OR bandwidth when traveling.
By contrast, POP was a RPITA in *all* of that environment.
We switched it OFF many years ago as there is NFW we could go back to
'leave on server' and/or massive downloads and struggling wherein no two
machines had the same 'last message read' count.
N F W !
> i have never tried exim beyond the default configuration on debian on my
> personal machine, but i've heard it's very nice and easy to configure
> and will be exploring it this week.
>
Much as I love Exim, for a few-user home system that 'ain't broke', the
learning curve for Exim or any other Postfix replacement may not be
worth your while.
And you need not change Dovecot at all.
Just option ON both Dovecot's POP as well as IMAP, enable MUA 'sync',
try both for a while, and go with whatever suits YOUR needs.
Which may not be the same even between (among?) blanket-sharers.
