[lug] IMAP spam filtering

[Peter Hutnick]

Michael D. Hirsch said:
> Does anyone have a recommendation for an IMAP spam filter?
[snip]
> This seems like it should already exist.  Any recommendation?

I don't think there is really any such thing as an IMAP mail filter.  It
either has to happen at transfer (SMTP), delivery (usually procmail), or
in the user agent (KMail).

Even if there is I don't think you'd want it, since IMAP doesn't do
anything but listen on a port when you aren't connected.  You'd end up
doing work in an interactive process that could have been done in the
background.

Furthermore, IMAP and POP are not mutually exclusive (though the common
practice of POP clients to delete seen mail from the server certainly
interferes with optimal use of IMAP).

Ideally you want to refuse as much SPAM as possible at the transfer phase
then have the delivery agent junk the rest.

I'm sure this is all somewhat academic, but I hope it is also clarifies
things for you a bit.

Good Luck,
Peter