Re: Policy: Mail folder creation (Re: Debian mutt package)
And thus spake Oscar Levi, on Thu, Dec 10, 1998 at 04:27:12PM -0800:
> On Thu, Dec 10, 1998 at 10:05:35PM +0100, Marco d'Itri wrote:
> > On Dec 10, Oscar Levi <elf@buici.com> wrote:
> > >interpret as is. Since the spool file will be created automatically
> > >by the MTA there is no error requiring user attention.
> > The MTA must be sgid mail to create the spool file. Mutt is not.
> > This is another reason to use ~/Mailbox.
>
> That's the point. The MTA is responsible for creating spool files.
> Our policy manual says that MUA are responsible for creating them when
> they are absent. Arguably, this is an inappropriate policy statement.
>
> The simplest change to make would be to correct the behavior of mutt
> to stop claiming that the absence of a spool file is an error.
In general mutt does not differentiate between your spool file and any
other mail folder. It does not open mail folders that do not exist, and
hence the behavior you are seeing.
Mutt can't do anything with a folder that doesn't exist. Running mutt
without any arguments when you don't have a mail spool folder is not
something that's supposed to work - if you don't have a spool file, you
should be specifying a recipient on the command line or a different
folder with -f. It must have a folder open - such is the nature of the
program.
--
Elie Rosenblum That is not dead which can eternal lie,
http://www.cosanostra.net And with strange aeons even death may die.
Admin / Mercenary / System Programmer - _The Necromicon_
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