New IMAP server schedule

Mechant Loup · 1 Oct 2007, 01:13 AM

There has been a test version of the new IMAP server available for "quite some time." When will the new server be implemented for production and the issues with the current implementation solved?

Thanks.

ltwally · 17 Oct 2007, 07:37 AM

I too would like to know.

bump.

Geir · 18 Oct 2007, 03:56 AM

Good news: We've just recently resumed work on the new IMAP server after finding a developer with experience both with Courier and the Runbox system.

We hope to have something testable ready shortly...

- Geir

che · 19 Oct 2007, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geir

Good news: We've just recently resumed work on the new IMAP server

So the previous 2-3 years you were just fooling your paying customers!? Funny!

Geir · 19 Oct 2007, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by che

So the previous 2-3 years you were just fooling your paying customers!?

Yes, and the alternative server we worked on for one of those years, which is accessible on port 1143, is just an illusion!

Seriously -- we have been working on a new IMAP server on and off for a long time, as is plain to see from the numerous threads here in this forum. The most recent attempt to patch an open source IMAP server for use with the Runbox system met some hurdles a few weeks ago and work has recently picked up speed again. That's what I meant with "resumed".

We now have well-founded hope that a new server, based on Courier (similar to the current, default server) will be ready for testing within a few weeks.

- Geir

graemeb · 19 Oct 2007, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geir

We now have well-founded hope that a new server, based on Courier (similar to the current, default server) will be ready for testing within a few weeks.

- Geir

Good to hear!

I had held out hope that the recent upgrades would have improved the IMAP performance, but it still feels very sluggish to me (and downloading large emails or many small emails still doesn't use my full available bandwidth, so I assume that something at the Runbox end is capping this). The upgrades did make a difference (it was taking up to 5 minutes to check for new emails before), but it's still pretty slow for me right now (checking for new email and downloading existing mails).

Thanks,
Graeme.

carverrn · 19 Oct 2007, 03:56 AM

To add to what Geir said, the "test version" of the IMAP server on port 1143 was the DBMail IMAP server which seemed to be a good fit with the Runbox system since it's also database centered. Unfortunately testing has shown that server to be too unstable (e.g. having to restart it frequetly).

The DBMail server is and has been running for some time now however it was never taken out of "test" status because of these issues.

After some discussion it was decided to return to a more recent version of the Courier IMAP server. An added benefit of this should be the support for the IDLE command, which is supported by current Courier servers but was not supported by DBMail.

As Geir indicated, we now have someone familiar with Courier and Runbox systems who is working on the update of the Courier server.

Regards,
Rich

che · 1 Dec 2007, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carverrn

As Geir indicated, we now have someone familiar with Courier and Runbox systems who is working on the update of the Courier server.

I still get

* OK Runbox IMAP (protocol version 4r1), powered by dbmail server 2.0.9 ready to run

Any news on this topic? I mean how many months/years do you guys need to setup an imap server? Is there a chance that I can use Runbox again anytime soon?

Geir · 4 Dec 2007, 04:21 AM

We're currently setting up a new development environment much better suited for developing and patching applications. Meanwhile work on the new IMAP server is continuing, and there has been made significant progress. We have an experienced programmer on this project and should be able to move from internal testing to open beta within weeks.

- Geir

graemeb · 3 Jan 2008, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geir

We have an experienced programmer on this project and should be able to move from internal testing to open beta within weeks.
- Geir

*cough* How many weeks?

And happy new year!

The current IMAP server is like wading through treacle at times. I use Thunderbird 2.x, but interact with 2 other IMAP servers which respond much more quickly when it comes to downloading or deleting messages. All my email goes via 1and1.com (since I bought the domain with them, and wanted their IMAP mailbox as a backup for those times when runbox was down, which was common at the time) - their IMAP service is much faster, and I'm basically looking at the same mail as is stored at Runbox. Their spam filter misses a lot of stuff that Runbox catches, however. Equally, the IMAP server at work is very responsive, even when I'm accessing it from home using VPN. Thunderbird can only shoulder so much of the blame when other IMAP servers are okay

I don't download the full body of the message and cache it locally - too many instances of Thunderbird deciding it needs to redownload everything again, which locks it up for the better part of 10-15 minutes

Thanks

Graeme.

che · 10 Jan 2008, 06:44 AM

It seems that a lot of people are willing to pay for broken services. So why change/fix it? I don't understand why people trust in a company that is not capable fix/upgrade their bl***y IMAP server for years! Well, you get what you pay for. I don't expect a solution within 2008! ;-)

Geir · 14 Jan 2008, 03:57 AM

The new IMAP server is currently in closed beta testing and is looking good. As soon as we've corrected known problems we will move to open testing.

- Geir

PS: Yes, it supports IDLE.

marc_otten · 15 Jan 2008, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by che

It seems that a lot of people are willing to pay for broken services. So why change/fix it? I don't understand why people trust in a company that is not capable fix/upgrade their bl***y IMAP server for years! Well, you get what you pay for. I don't expect a solution within 2008! ;-)

So, if I understand you correctly: you want the Runbox-staff to install an IMAP-server that has shown severe errors during tests? So that - after installation - you can complain about the buggy IMAP-server? That's sort of a self-fullfilling prophecy, isn't it?

I don't think that the process of upgrading is taking (too) long, but that the plans for the upgrade were published too early..

--Marc

che · 18 Jan 2008, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marc_otten

So, if I understand you correctly: you want the Runbox-staff to install an IMAP-server that has shown severe errors during tests? So that - after installation - you can complain about the buggy IMAP-server? That's sort of a self-fullfilling prophecy, isn't it?

Blablabla ... four years for upgrading an IMAP server is a joke, isn't it?
Don't tamper with the code if you don't have a clue.
Well, let's see if they can make it in 2008. But they have known problems which can take a while to fix (especially when the diff sucks)

1 Oct 2007, 01:13 AM	#1
Mechant Loup Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Finland Posts: 93	New IMAP server schedule There has been a test version of the new IMAP server available for "quite some time." When will the new server be implemented for production and the issues with the current implementation solved? Thanks.

17 Oct 2007, 07:37 AM	#2
ltwally Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 76	I too would like to know. bump.

18 Oct 2007, 03:56 AM	#3
Geir The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 2,938 Representative of: Runbox.com	Good news: We've just recently resumed work on the new IMAP server after finding a developer with experience both with Courier and the Runbox system. We hope to have something testable ready shortly... - Geir

19 Oct 2007, 03:56 AM	#7
carverrn Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 5,606 Representative of: Runbox.com	To add to what Geir said, the "test version" of the IMAP server on port 1143 was the DBMail IMAP server which seemed to be a good fit with the Runbox system since it's also database centered. Unfortunately testing has shown that server to be too unstable (e.g. having to restart it frequetly). The DBMail server is and has been running for some time now however it was never taken out of "test" status because of these issues. After some discussion it was decided to return to a more recent version of the Courier IMAP server. An added benefit of this should be the support for the IDLE command, which is supported by current Courier servers but was not supported by DBMail. As Geir indicated, we now have someone familiar with Courier and Runbox systems who is working on the update of the Courier server. Regards, Rich

4 Dec 2007, 04:21 AM	#9
Geir The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 2,938 Representative of: Runbox.com	We're currently setting up a new development environment much better suited for developing and patching applications. Meanwhile work on the new IMAP server is continuing, and there has been made significant progress. We have an experienced programmer on this project and should be able to move from internal testing to open beta within weeks. - Geir

10 Jan 2008, 06:44 AM	#11
che Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 58	It seems that a lot of people are willing to pay for broken services. So why change/fix it? I don't understand why people trust in a company that is not capable fix/upgrade their bl***y IMAP server for years! Well, you get what you pay for. I don't expect a solution within 2008! ;-)

14 Jan 2008, 03:57 AM	#12
Geir The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 2,938 Representative of: Runbox.com	The new IMAP server is currently in closed beta testing and is looking good. As soon as we've corrected known problems we will move to open testing. - Geir PS: Yes, it supports IDLE.