Re: read mail in mbox files

[Adam Sjøgren]

On Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:28:23 +0100, Richard wrote:

> asjo@koldfront.dk (Adam Sjøgren) writes:

>> A "(news)spool" in news-related terms is usually where the articles are
>> stored in a newsserver (the meaning used here).
 
>> A mail-spool is usually where mail is stored locally until the user
>> fetches it (/var/mail or /var/spool/mail).
 
>> In the documentation nnml is described as the backend that most closely
>> resembles a newsspool, so that is probably where the choice of word
>> comes from. And perhaps also some of the confusion.

> I think in the context it's incorrect but wouldnt put my mortgage on it
> ...

> nnml-directory is not a spool really : the var/spool source is.

The content of nnml-directory is similar to a newsSPOOL - from which
Gnus historically has been (and is) able to read directly, when pointed
at it.

The manual says:

,----[ 6.3.13.11 Comparing Mail Back Ends - 
http://gnus.org/manual/gnus_202.html#SEC202 ]
|
| nnml is the back end which smells the most as though you were actually
| operating with an nnspool-accessed Usenet system. (In fact, I believe
| nnml actually derived from nnspool code, lo these years ago.) One's mail
| is taken from the original spool file, and is then cut up into
| individual message files, 1:1. It maintains a Usenet-style active file
| (analogous to what one finds in an INN- or CNews-based news system in
| (for instance) `/var/lib/news/active', or what is returned via the `NNTP
| LIST' verb) and also creates overview files for efficient group entry,
| as has been defined for NNTP servers for some years now. It is slower in
| mail-splitting, due to the creation of lots of files, updates to the
| nnml active file, and additions to overview files on a per-message
| basis, but it is extremely fast on access because of what amounts to the
| indexing support provided by the active file and overviews.
|
`----


  Best regards,

    Adam

-- 
 "Här kommer rädslan, gamle vän                               Adam Sjøgren
  När alla fjärilar i magen vaknar upp                   asjo@koldfront.dk
  Viskar välkommen hem"