Re: Configuration

[Brady Hegberg <bradyh bitstream net>]

I just want to mention one advantage of filtering in the mail program.
Eudora has a function (that I haven't used) where you can just tell it off
the cuff "send email messages like this one to mailbox x" and it will
create a filter automatically.  I'm a professional programmer but I have no
interest in spending hours learning how to use procmail just so I can
filter email while I'm out of the office (for a couple of days) then turn
it off again.

A nice feature might be to allow an add-in/plug-in that would allow
configuration of procmail (or other similar programs) from within Balsa.
This could be as simple as running an external configuration program by
hitting a button or as sophisticated as some hacker wants to make it.

>> [snip]
>> 
>> > 
>> > Message Filtering!
>> > 
>> > Does anyone apart from me think that balsa is the wrong place to do
>> > message filtering?  Personally, I think message filtering is best done by
>> > a special-purpose app, like procmail or exim, and is possibly done
>> > 'upstream' at the IMAP server.  Even if you use POP, it seems to me that
>> > fetchmail+procmail is a neater filtering solution that balsa - why should
>> > we reinvent the wheel?
>> > 
>> 
>> I decided to start working on balsa for several reasons.  One of them is
>> long term and involves the "ease-of-use" facilities of Linux (or lack
>> thereof currently).  I want to see Linux go mainstream desktop and I
>> believe that to accomplish that we _have_ to win over Joe User to our
>> desktop.
>
>I admit to being a different wavelength here.  I want Linux to be the
>best.  I'm not too bothered about whether Joe User uses it - it's his
>loss, not mine.  However, I do understand your points.
>
>> 
>> I like balsa and believe that it can help in the long-term effort by being
>> a kind of "all-in-one" mail tool.  I'm not talking about a complete
>> kitchen sink setup but something along the lines of the popular Win32
>> tools that people are used to today.  And please, don't start the windows
>> flames.
>> 
>> Given the choice which would you prefer to setup: a mailclient which does
>> what you need OR mailclient+fetchmail+procmail to get what you need.  I'm
>> pretty sure I know what Joe User will say.
>
>Fair point.  I say the opposite :-)  One of the traditional strengths of
>Linux (indeed, anything on the un*x model) is the way that separate tools
>can easily interoperate to combine to do things the original authors
>hadn't thought of.  procmail is a very powerful filter tool - indeed, I
>suspect it's more or less turing complete, and can do anything!  So why
>reinvent the wheel (but please read on before replying...)
>
>> 
>> Personally, I don't want to resort to three programs to properly receive
>> and filter my mail.  I want to be able to crank up one app, tell it where
>> to get my mail, and tell it what to do with my mail.
>> 
>> Besides, even if we do include some kind of filtering in balsa there is no
>> requirement that it be used.  You can still setup fetchmail+procmail and
>> go that route if you want.
>
>Of course.  And that's the killer argument.  If you want to work on a
>superb filtering system, then I'm certainly not going to stand in your
>way!  I may not use it, though..
>
>Jules
> 
>/----------------+-------------------------------+---------------------\
>|  Jelibean aka  | jules@jellybean.co.uk         |  6 Evelyn Rd	       |
>|  Jules aka     | jules@debian.org              |  Richmond, Surrey   |
>|  Julian Bean   | jmlb2@hermes.cam.ac.uk        |  TW9 2TF *UK*       |
>+----------------+-------------------------------+---------------------+
>|  War doesn't demonstrate who's right... just who's left.             |
>|  When privacy is outlawed... only the outlaws have privacy.          |
>\----------------------------------------------------------------------/
>
>
>-- 
>	FAQ: Frequently-Asked Questions at http://www.gnome.org/gnomefaq
>         To unsubscribe: mail balsa-list-request@gnome.org with 
>                       "unsubscribe" as the Subject.