[Dovecot] Will pay $500 towards a Dovecot feature

[DINH Viêt Hoà]

why not use ssh for that purpose ?

On 5/23/07, Marc Perkel <marc at perkel.com> wrote:
> 10 days ago I proposed this addition (see below) to Dovecot and got a
> lot of positive response. I would like to make it happen. I'm willing to
> contribute $500 to the development of this feature. It doesn't have to
> be implemented perfectly but needs to be workable to the extent that I
> can telnet into the Dovecot server and run it manually from the command
> line. I want to at least be able to run a simple script that I will
> write to add or remove someone from a black list text file.
>
> Timo has limited time but has indicated that he will allow it as a kind
> of undocumented feature (or wiki documented only). This is a sort of
> proof of concept feature and if it ever becomes a standard the standard
> will probably be different. However, we should implement it in a way
> that would be as close to a standard as possible.
>
> So - I'm looking for a programmer to make it happen. I'm also looking
> for others who might also kick in a few bucks as well if necessary.
> Here's the rough spec.
>
> ----------
>
> 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 joe at smith.com
> 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:marc at perkel.com
> 999 250 OK
> 999 rcpt to:dovecot at dovecot.org
> 999 250 Accepted
> ......
> 999 quit
> 999 OK
>
> Config File:
>
> There would have to be a config file that would be a table of what
> command run what. An example might look like this:
>
> calendar: /usr/bin/dovecot/calendar
> blacklist: /etc/exim/scripts/blacklist
>
> Probably might eventually want to add UID/GID and root directory
> restrictions for security. Login information and connection IP should be
> passed in the environment.
>
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
DINH Viêt Hoà