333344 - Delete POP3 messages immediately, not just at next retrieval

Status: UNCONFIRMED

(MailNews Core :: Networking: POP, enhancement)

Description

[Joshua Gordon]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.0.1) Gecko/20060111 Firefox/1.5.0.1
Build Identifier: Thunderbird 1.5

I have a POP3 account which I check with Thunderbird both at work and at home that does not offer IMAP abilities. In an attempt to best replicate IMAP features, I have configured this POP3 account in both locations to keep all messages on the server unless I move them from my inbox or delete them to the trash. These 2 options are set in the Account Settings for the POP3 account.

The problem with these options is that they don't perform these actions UNTIL 2 things happen. 1) I must instruct Thunderbird to empty the trash on exit... and 2) I must restart Thunderbird and perform a "Get Mail". Then and ONLY THEN are the messages that I either moved or deleted finally erased from the server. If I do not perform these 2 steps, the messages REMAIN on the server and then when I check the same account at another location, the messages are re-downloaded to the Inbox. 

I believe the behavior for how and WHEN items get deleted for POP3 accounts should be CHANGED and I think it would make the most sense to see 1 of 2 options: The first is that when you delete a message, the POP3 server is re-contacted and the message is immediately erased. The second option is to have the behavior be  like IMAP, so that all messages that a user deletes are marked as such and when you exit Thunderbird, they are removed from the server (EXPUNGED).

With the behavior as is, it is very difficult to synchronize my POP3 account between 2 computers. I must delete my messages, make sure "Empty Trash on Exit" is selected, close Thunderbird, restart, perform a "Get Mail" and ONLY THEN can I use the other computer to see a synchronized view. 

Please change this!!!

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Setup a POP3 account.
2. In the Account Settings, go to Server Settings
3. Check "Leave Messages on Server"
4. Check "Until I delete or move them from Inbox"
5. Check "Empty Trash on Exit"
Actual Results:  
Even though a message is removed from the Inbox after it is deleted, it remains on the server until it is EMPTIED from the trash (either manually or on exit) AND a new "GET MAIL" is initiated

Expected Results:  
I expect messages to be deleted from the server IMMEDIATELY or to be deleted from the server when I exit Thunderbird --- NOT after the next time I start Thunderbird and perform a GET MAIL.

Please fix this behavior!!

Comment 1

[David :Bienvenu]

we execute the deletes every time you get new mail, so you don't have to exit thunderbird, or empty the trash - just do a get new mail after your deletes.

Comment 2

[Joshua Gordon]

I see the problem -- I am using my Hotmail as POP with the WebMail extension and apparently, Hotmail has a different idea about how it wants to process deleted messages. In this case, it won't actually remove a message from its server until after the message is deleted from the Trash folder locally and THEN a Get Mail is initiadted.

I tried the same thing with a generic POP3 account and the behavior that you listed below holds true...


(In reply to comment #1)
> we execute the deletes every time you get new mail, so you don't have to exit
> thunderbird, or empty the trash - just do a get new mail after your deletes.
> 

Comment 3

[Steve Simms]

Changing the subject line to be more searchable, and marking it as an enhancement request.

Comment 5

[B Griffin]

I'm glad to have finally found that this is a bug. But what I don't understand is why "marking it as an enhancement request."