Wish List Another Beginning

[Steve Lamb]

Friday, December 17, 1999, 8:37:26 AM, Jonathan wrote:
> I would agree on not having the minimum being 1, but I don't understand
> the reference to the server coping a 4Mb file every second. 

    You have to remember that 99% of all POP3 server retrieve the mail in the
standard unix mailbox format.  It is a flat ASCII file.  That means when the
server goes to delete a message it has to read in the entire flat file and
then write it back out removing those messages marked deleted.

    The 4Mb figure was just a guess, but considering the average message size
is slightly over 2k w/o HTML, forwards or attachments, that is at least 2Mb
for 1000 messages, if not closer to 3.  One attachment puts it to 4.

    So now imagine the server opening the file, parsing out all the messages,
presenting a list, the user grabbing one message and closing.  The server then
writes it all out.  He connects.  It reads it all in, parses it so he grabs
one message.

    Can we say "DoS"?  :)

-- 
         Steve C. Lamb         | I'm your priest, I'm your shrink, I'm your
         ICQ: 5107343          | main connection to the switchboard of souls.
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