Re: shared folders.

Chris Newman <Chris.Newman@innosoft.com> Sun, 31 August 1997 00:06 UTC

Message-Id: <Pine.SOL.3.95.970830165553.6300B-100000@eleanor.innosoft.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 17:05:10 -0700
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From: Chris Newman <Chris.Newman@innosoft.com>
To: Pravin Singhal <pravin@pacbell.net>
Cc: imap@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: shared folders.
In-Reply-To: <34080097.F3D1ABD@pacbell.net>
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On Sat, 30 Aug 1997, Pravin Singhal wrote:
> Can someone enlighten me how to create a shared folder in IMAP4 
> and what are the issues involved for the client to support it. 

There are three scenarios:

(1) On some server implementations, it may be impossible to create shared
folders through IMAP4 -- they have to be created manually on the server or
simply aren't available.

(2) On some server implementations, the client has to somehow magically
"know" where to create such folders -- usually by asking the user.  The
NAMEMODEL proposal will correct this problem.

(3) On some servers, one simply creates the folder and uses the ACL
extension to share it.  On these servers, simply displaying the LIST "" %
hierarchy will allow navigation to the shared folder.

The key things for client authors to do for shared folder support:

(a) For now, you have to allow the user to configure multiple search paths
for a given server.  Otherwise shared folders may be inaccessible.

(b) As soon as NAMEMODEL is published, I recommend supporting it -- it
will improve consistancy and should leave (a) as a power-user feature.

(c) Allow folders to be created with a type-in path -- not restricted to
some subtree.

(d) Support subscriptions so users don't have to see folders they're not
interested in.

(e) Support connections to multiple IMAP servers.

(f) Don't try to bypass the \Deleted & EXPUNGE model.

(g) Support the ACL extension.

		- Chris

shared folders. Pravin Singhal
Re: shared folders. Chris Newman