Thunderbird supports SPECIAL-USE (Merry x-mas!)

[Robert Schetterer]

Am 26.12.2014 um 23:39 schrieb Patrick Ben Koetter:
> I've waited about two years to write this mail... :)
> 
> As of Dezember, 24th Mozilla Thunderbird can handle SPECIAL-USE. The patch,
> which adds the required functionality, has passed review and TBs nightly build
> was successful. The next official Thunderbird release (version 38, release
> date 2015-05-19) will very likely ship SPECIAL-USE included. \o/
> 
> SPECIAL USE is an IMAP extension. It means less mailbox chaos for admins. But
> more than that it means less configuration work and easier orientation for end
> users.
> 
> If IMAP server and client are capable of SPECIAL-USE [1] the server may tell
> the client some of the folders (Inbox, Drafts, Sent, Trash etc.) are reserved
> for SPECIAL-USE.
> 
> Any client, capable of SPECIAL-USE, may adapts its local folders to the
> servers view. It may map e.g. "Sent Items" to "Sent", "Deleted Items" to
> "Trassh" etc. pp. All this takes place automatically. No more user
> interaction. No more locale problems. 
> 
> When all components - server, desktop-, webmail-, and mobile client - can
> handle SPECIAL-USE live becomes easier. Clients don't create their own
> 'special folders'. They understand special folders already exist and adapt. No
> more superfluous ambiguous folders. Users will know where their messages have
> been stored.
> 
>     Note: Combined with automx [2] users will only have to enter their
>     realname, mail address and (optional) password and their client will setup
>     all the rest automatically.
> 
> SPECIAL-USE started as a suggestion to friends at IETF. We sponsored its
> implementation in Dovecot [3], when it had become a RFC standard. Then we took
> out to bring it to Thunderbird.
> 
> This took use longer than expected. The moment we had begun to work on it,
> Mozilla withdrew most people from the Thunderbird team and reassigned them to
> Firefox OS. Things slowed down significantly and Microsoft Outlook became the
> first mail client to adopt SPECIAL-USE. Two years later - together with Ben
> Bucksch (Thunderbird developer) - we finally succeeded and it is about time to
> close the RFE [4].
> 
> Nobody should have to spend more time than required to configure their client.
> Everyone should be able to focus on their primary goal - communication via
> mail.
> 
> We - sys4 and our business partner Becon - sponsored SPECIAL-USE. I hope
> SPECIAL-USE will make your and your customers life easier. The patch just
> became ready for x-mas. :)
> 
> 
> p at rick
> 
> 
> P.S.
> Unpacking the gift will have to wait until 2015-05-19. ;)
> 
> 
> [1] IMAP LIST Extension for Special-Use Mailboxes
>     <http://tools.ietf.org/rfc/rfc6154.txt>
> 
> [2] automx - mail setup made easy!
>     <https://automx.org/>
> 
> [3] Mailbox settings
>     http://wiki2.dovecot.org/MailboxSettings
> 
> [4] Bug 558659 - (RFC6154) Support IMAP LIST SPECIAL-USE (RFC 6154) to
>     autoconfigure Sent, Trash, Draft folders on IMAP servers
>     <https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=558659>
> 

Many thx, long awaited feature. So lets party as its done now !


Best Regards
MfG Robert Schetterer

-- 
[*] sys4 AG

http://sys4.de, +49 (89) 30 90 46 64
Franziskanerstraße 15, 81669 München

Sitz der Gesellschaft: München, Amtsgericht München: HRB 199263
Vorstand: Patrick Ben Koetter, Marc Schiffbauer
Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender: Florian Kirstein