Re: POP/IMAP before SMTP

[Eugene Crosser <crosser@online.ru>]

> > First, I'd like to tell you guys that I have a very very basic prototype
> > server working, i.e. it follows the specification.  No API so far,
> > not today.
> 
>      Just a note on the protocol:
>           This is an application on where we could (and likely
>           SHOULD) use UDP.

I agree, and I was thinking about this.  There are things that need to
be decided: e.g. if we want to wait for ACK's on login and logout?
Probably yes, for the sake of uniformity.

Another thing that must be decided, and quickly, is abilty to extend the
protocol in the future, e.g. include a "ttl hint" in the login request.
Any ideas?  Maybe allow multiline requests, and treat empty line as the
end of the request?  Once it is decided, my plan is following:

1. make a merely working server, TCP only, one connection at a time.
   This is what I already have modulo possible changes in the protocol.
2. At this point, API and server is ready for testing.  You can insert
   the API calls in the Zmailer source and hope they will not change
   much.
3. Start working on a "real" server.
4. When it is minimally functional (TCP only, multiconnection, cache for
   speed search), release it.
5. At this moment, possibly submit an RFC (otherwise it would be hard to
   convince POP/IMAP authors to use the protocol).  To be discussed yet.
6. Continue working on on the server: add UDP interface, AF_UNIX iface, ...
7. Pull my hair off because it takes all my time ;-)

Any comment?

Eugene