dovecot - May 2007 - Quota handling - opportunity for new Feature?

This initial proposal for a Feature Request is the result of my desire 
to implement quotas, but not have the attendant headaches that 
inevitably accompany its implementation.

Ralf Hildebrandt wrote:
 > I have to face it, my users are retards:

Is there any other kind of user?  ;)

<snip>

 > Thus I need a feature in dovecot that will tell them via email:
 >
 > Level1: "You ALMOST exceeded your quota, you're at 90% now"
 > Level2: "You're very close to exceededin your quota, you're
at 95%
 > now"
 > Level3: "Would you please clean up now? You're at 99% now"

What I'd *really* like to see implemented is something along the lines 
outlined below - but of course, this will depend entirely on whether or 
not Timo thinks it is doable - or desirable...

I know this would only be applicable if also using the dovecot LDA, 
because what I want to do requires cooperation at both the deliver and 
pop/imap ends...

1. Have two 'special' user-specific folders (by special, I mean like the
Drafts, Sent, Templates folders) that dovecot controls:
   a) one, that the user has read-only access to and shows up in his 
folders list, that is used only for system-related messages, like 
over-quota notices - and maybe even user-specific log-type errors could 
be delivered here?
   b) and one (hidden) that the user does *not* have access to, to 
temporarily hold messages that come in that are unable to be delivered 
due to an over-quota condition

2. When user is over quota, have LDA deliver to folder b (yes, accept 
the message for delivery from the sending mta), and then generate an 
over-quota message that is delivered to folder a.

Optionally, a bounce could be generated to the sender, informing them 
that their message is being 'held in queue' or something to that effect,
due to the recipient being over-quota.

3. Once the user deletes enough mail to come back under quota, dovecot 
would then move messages from the 'over-quota' folder to his Inbox.

Ok, am willing to hear reasons how/why this is a terrible idea... :)

-- 

Best regards,

Charles Marcus
I.T. Director
Media Brokers International
678.514.6200 x224
678.514.6299 fax

On 5/22/07, Charles Marcus <CMarcus at media-brokers.com>
wrote:
> 1. Have two 'special' user-specific folders (by special, I mean
like the
> Drafts, Sent, Templates folders) that dovecot controls:
>
   These are just special in terms of the client side of things. The
only special folder might be 'Trash' and various '.expunge'
folders if
you go that route. This can be seen by the large number of people with
Sent, Sent-Mail, Drafts, Postponsed, Junk Mail (and all the variants
Outlook has created on the phrase 'junk mail' over the years)
>    a) one, that the user has read-only access to and shows up in his
> folders list, that is used only for system-related messages, like
> over-quota notices - and maybe even user-specific log-type errors could
> be delivered here?
>    b) and one (hidden) that the user does *not* have access to, to
> temporarily hold messages that come in that are unable to be delivered
> due to an over-quota condition
>
    Your taking control of my email and not delivering it? In my
experience this would cause both a potential backlash and a people
resending mail. Especially since people really only look at their
INBOX for new mail or particular folders they have scripted. Using a
'poll all fodlers for new mail' I could see I had new mail in your
'a'
folder. But that would be the only way.
> 2. When user is over quota, have LDA deliver to folder b (yes, accept
> the message for delivery from the sending mta), and then generate an
> over-quota message that is delivered to folder a.
>
> Optionally, a bounce could be generated to the sender, informing them
> that their message is being 'held in queue' or something to that
effect,
> due to the recipient being over-quota.
>
> 3. Once the user deletes enough mail to come back under quota, dovecot
> would then move messages from the 'over-quota' folder to his Inbox.
>
> Ok, am willing to hear reasons how/why this is a terrible idea... :)
>
   This is how it actually works right now if configured, only the 'B'
folder is sender's /var/mail/spool and the 'a' folder is a
intelligent
client like thunderbird or squirrelmail with a indicator that goes
nuts at a certain % full.

   Off topic but you could also wrap your MTA (easily do this with
exim and I am sure others) to 'deny message  = "Achtung! your so over
quota man"\ncondition = ${run{gimmequota.pl}}\nhosts = local_domains"
if you want that instant 'halt your over quota' experience.

-- 
Gabriel Millerd