Imap servers

Jan 2, 2010 - Review of IMAP Servers

Increasingly I've been having problems with the Dreamhost imap server and its interactions with the Apple Mail.app application. The problems I've noticed include:

• A persistent tendency to create INBOX.INBOX.INBOX.INBOX...INBOX inboxes inside my INBOX. This seems to be a bug with Mail.app interacting with Dreamhost's mail courier mail server.
• Improper handling of the IMAP NOTIFY extension, so that deletes and moves on my laptop don't get immediately handled on the desktop.

I've reviewed three other imap servers and they all handle push properly.

• gmail (Google; not sure what they are using)
• me.com (Apple; seems to be based on the old Netscape code)
• Pair (dovecot)

One of the reasons to go with a managed imap provider is that they should also be able to provide a good web interface.

• gmail - Google's gmail interface.
  • Message can be in multiple mailboxes.
  • Hard to see all of the contents of a mailbox.
  • Slow to load in web browser.
  • 3-30 seconds to update.

• me.com - Apple's mail interface
  • Instant update

• Pair (dovecot)
  • 3 seconds to update.

• Dreamhost
  • Doesn't always update.
  • Arbitrarily archives mail.