Re: Outlook and Qmail

[Craig Sanders <cas@taz.net.au>]

Kris Deugau wrote:
> Anil Gupte wrote:
> > I am having a problem with one of my customers who is using Outlook
> > 2000 SP-3 to connect to our Qmail server.  When downloading messages
> > from his POP account, Outlook will hang.  It is most likely a
> > corrupted message, since he can delete the messages using a webmail
> > interface, and then continue to download messages.
> 
> This has happened across Novell IMS, qpopper, UW ipop3d, and Teapop. 
> (In fact, that one Hotmail-originated message that *always* hung OE did
> so across all but qpopper (which was not in use at the time) *every*
> time.)  Examining the raw message in the mailbox has turned up
> absolutely NOTHING any time I've met this.  >:(

yep.

it happens with any MTA and any POP daemon.  that's because the problem is not
in the message, the MTA or the POP daemon.  it's in outlook.

> > Has anyone run into this problem?  I know at least one other ISP
> > having the same problem with some of his customers, but we have not
> > found a solution yet.  Any pointers will be appreciated.
> 
> The only thing I (or my boss) could ever even vaguely point to as a
> cause for the problem was OE's handling of attachments while it's
> downloading the message.  We never found a real "solution", except
> "Don't do that".  (ie, "Warn people not to send you big attachments")

almost right.

the problem is that outlook is broken.  it's broken in many ways but this
specific problem is due to the fact that outlook locks up when downloading
"large" messages.   it doesn't have to be an attachment, if the message is too
large, then outlook will hang.  i don't recall exactly what the definition of
"large" is, but in my experience even medium-length messages will trigger the
bug.

the only solution is to use a decent mail client.  point customer at mozilla
thunderbird (IIRC there *IS* a windoze version) - nice GUI mail client without
outlook's stupid bugs and without outlook's stupid security holes.  and it's
free.  if they don't like thunderbird there are many others to choose from, but
the Golden Rule is "Anything But Outlook!".


alternatively, get used to occasionally having to manually delete "large"
messages from the mailboxes of people who use outlook.
 
craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas@taz.net.au>

The next time you vote, remember that "Regime change begins at home"