Subject: IMAPd locks - why reside in /var/spool/mail?

From: [email-masked] (Dawnshadow)
Date: 1 Dec 1996 21:55:04 GMT

Is there a way to make imapd 4.1 (except changing big sources) write it's
lockfiles somewhere else rather than in the mail spool dir? I don't feel
comfortable with having /var/spool/mail as mode 1777 .. /tmp is enough! :)

						Greetz.. Oscar

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From: Mark Crispin <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 2 Dec 1996 11:40:45 -0800

> comfortable with having /var/spool/mail as mode 1777 .. /tmp is enough! :)

Don't forget that one of the "big sources" that you have to change is
sendmail and whatever program (/bin/mail, mail.local, etc.) that you call
from sendmail to deliver the mail.

imapd doesn't lock that way because the author of imapd thinks it's a good
idea.  The author of imapd thinks it's a terrible idea.  But if he expects
mail delivery to leave the mailbox alone when imapd is doing an update, he
has to play by the rules established by UNIX mail delivery software.  One
of those rules are to use lock files in /var/spool/mail. 

The same holds true for MMDF or whatever other mail delivery system you
use.

-- Mark --	Read http://www.imap.org for the "best kept secret in email"

DoD #0105, R90/6 pilot, FAX: (206) 685-4045  ICBM: N 47 39'35" W 122 18'39"
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