Technical Summary
The IDLE command (defined in [RFC2177]) provides a way for the client
to go into a mode where the IMAP server pushes notifications about
IMAP mailstore events for the selected mailbox. However, the IDLE
extension doesn't restrict or control which server events can be sent,
or what information the server sends in response to each event. Also,
IDLE only applies to the selected mailbox, thus requiring an
additional TCP connection per mailbox.
This document defines an IMAP extension that allows clients to express
their preferences about unsolicited events generated by the server.
The extension allows clients to only receive events they are
interested in, while servers know that they don't need to go into
effort of generating certain types of untagged responses.
Working Group Summary
There was an early discussion about document allowing mailbox matching
criteria that were too expensive to implement in servers. The current
draft represents consensus among active WG members. There was a
discussion about not having any events tied together. However some
implementers expressed concerns about difficulty of implementing
certain event combinations untied. The current text is a compromise
and represents consensus among active WG members.
Document Quality
Multiple client developers (at least 4) expressed the desire to have
this feature. Multiple server developers committed to implement the
extension (at least 3) and a couple of developers already have
prototype implementations.
Personnel
Eric Burger is the document shepherd for this document. Chris Newman
is the Responsible Area Director.
RFC Editor
In section 5.6 (MailboxMetadataChange),
insert a new paragraph after the 1st paragraph:
A client willing to receive unsolicited METADATA responses as a
result of using the MailboxMetadataChange event in the NOTIFY
command doesn't have to issue ENABLE METADATA.
In section 5.7 (ServerMetadataChange),
insert a new paragraph after the 1st paragraph:
A client willing to receive unsolicited METADATA responses as a
result of using the ServerMetadataChange event in the NOTIFY
command doesn't have to issue ENABLE METADATA
or ENABLE METADATA-SERVER.
In section 10.1, change the first sentence:
OLD:
It is requested that the following entry be added to the IMAP4 List
^^^^^^^^^^
Extended registry [LISTEXT]:
^^^^^^^^
NEW:
It is requested that the following entry be added to the
LIST-EXTENDED response registry [LISTEXT]:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^