Fetchmail
Screenshot of fetchmail launcher
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| Original author(s) | Eric S. Raymond |
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| Stable release | 6.3.26 / April 23, 2013[1] |
| Operating system | Unix-like |
| Type | |
| License | GNU General Public License |
| Website | www |
Fetchmail is an open source software utility for POSIX-compliant operating systems which is used to retrieve e-mail from a remote POP3, IMAP, ETRN or ODMR mail server to the user's local system. It was developed from the popclient program, written by Carl Harris.[2]
Its chief significance is perhaps that its author, Eric S. Raymond, used it as a model to discuss his theories of open source software development in a widely read and influential essay on software development methodologies, The Cathedral and the Bazaar.
Contents
Design[edit]
By design Fetchmail's only means of delivering messages is by submitting them to the local MTA/Message transfer agent; delivering directly to mail folders such as maildir is not supported.
Dan Bernstein, getmail creator Charles Cazabon and FreeBSD developer Terry Lambert, have criticized Fetchmail's design,[3] its number of security holes,[4] and that it was prematurely put into "maintenance mode". In 2004, a new team of maintainers took over Fetchmail development,[5] and laid out development plans that broke with design decisions that Eric Raymond had made in earlier versions.[6]
See also[edit]
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References[edit]
- ^ "File Release Notes and Changelog". 2013-04-23. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
- ^ Raymond, Eric. "'Eric S. Raymond's former Design Notes On Fetchmail'". Retrieved 2007-04-03.
- ^ Lambert, Terry. "'UUCP must stay; fetchmail sucks (was list 'o things)'". Retrieved 2007-04-05.
- ^ Cazabon, Charles. "'getmail frequently asked questions'". Retrieved 2007-04-05.
- ^ "'Developer History'". Retrieved 2007-04-05.
- ^ "'Design Notes On Fetchmail'". Retrieved 2007-04-05.
External links[edit]
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