Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

Brasinstorm link:

http://maemo.org/community/brainstor...nnection_type/

This is intended to work with POP3 (and maybe) IMAP under Maemo 5.

For people without access to good data plans, SPAM emails can become very costly. Even if it is not SPAM, a typical email with a funny video will use all of your monthly quota of data credits. Moreover, if it is a slow connection, when the systems fetches a large email in the beginning of the list it will prevent you from seeing the others (network timeouts, not enough time, etc).

Another observation: although one can argue about a similar feature existing in some form by using IMAP, for some servers and scenarios (some Internet hosted email servers, for example) IMAP is too slow to be practical.

Some use cases (all for POP3):

1) Using GPRS or some other slow or expensive data plans:
Download only the first X kb (header and some bits). Provide an option to delete it from server or retrieve fully (or maybe more Y kb) next time.

2) Using USB, Bluetooh or Wi-fi:
Download everything, including all attachments

3) Using 3G or 3.5G (not roaming, unlimited plan)
Download everything, including all attachments.

4) Using Edge, 3G or 3.5G (anywhere, basic plan, expensive)
Download only the first X kb (header and some bits, a little more than option1). Provide an option to delete it from server or retrieve it fully (or maybe more Y kb) next time.

Of course, the user is the one who establishes values for each connection if he or she wishes, based on his/her knowledge of available bandwidth and costs. if the user doesn't want to mess with it, leave all options at the reasonable defaults.

There could be still another option for every email that reads "schedule for full download" next time, whenever just a piece of the email was retrieved.

This kind of functionality (limiting download size) is already available at major desktop email clients. It is also available in Windows Mobile 5 and maybe others.

Thanks,
Luis

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

I'd certainly appreciate being able to choose to d/l headers only while not on wifi - then d/l the whole email if I want to. That's what I've done on other devices. I seem to remember posting that I was a little surprised not to have that option in the email programme.

I've got used to it, and I've used less data than I expected (if the monitor is correct - if not I'm in for a shock when the bill arrives!)

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

Actually I think this could be a quick workaround:

"Download only headers if not in wi-fi"
or
"Download only [xy] KB if not in wi-fi"
or
"Don't download attachments if not in wi-fi"

Depending on the existing program structure the easiest approach could be used for a while.

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

A related bug report: https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5175

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

Well, that's interesting. I had filled a bug report first, but then was informed that that would not be trivial and as such should become a brainstorm...

Anyway, were you talking about IMAP or POP3?

I would like to "merge" the two issues:

yours: be able to download all and everything (configurable) to do off-line reading and replying later.

mine: be able to specify in what accounts or type of accounts and how much data modest should download

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

Well, I'm not convinced Brainstorm is useful, TBH.

IMAP.

They're certainly related; if pitched as "specify maximum number of messages/data to download for each connection type/account" would cover both our uses cases if there was an "Unlimited" option.

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

This would be excellent for me, I forgot the "mail" online today and is synced ~400 emails... I cleaned it now but I certainly don't like to do that on a daily basis so that my contract data doesn't run dry in a week or so...

How about using "pages" with 25 emails/page or any other user defined number?

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

For me it was the most expensive funny movie attachment that I've ever paid for.

Good idea. Customize, if possible the number of emails per page (or at least adjust the font size?)

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

I was surprised it isn't there. My Palm TX has it, my Sony Ericsson phone has it, I'm pretty sure my previous WinMo phone had it. I would have thought it was pretty much standard. Also IMAP IDLE to minimise polling (but that's another thread).

Rgrds

Peter

Re: Provide download limits for emails based on connection type
 

I've noticed the "off-line problem", too. It also happens with pop3. I had a wifi connection and tried to send/receive all messages. The actual bodies were not downloaded. The system would try to download each one at the time I was trying to read them.