#714: Lines starting From aren't escaped saving from Maildir to mbox Comment (by rtc):
Replying to [comment:14 vinc17]: > Replying to [comment:13 rtc]: > > The RFC message format is a layer above the mailbox. The mailbox stores collections of messages transparently, that is, without assumptions about the message format, > This is not true. For instance, with the maildir format, the flags of the messages are stored in the filename. This does not contradict, but, on the contrary, is in exact agreement with what I said. The flags are not part of the message itself. Strictly speaking, mailers that save flags as part of the message header (admittedly the single most commonly seen solution) are violating the layer separation principle. > > while it should be possible to store the messages in any mailbox format, without any assumptions about its structure. If you read from a mailbox, you must hence undo the From_ quoting before assuming that you can handle the message. > No, it is not possible to unquote the "From " unambiguously. I did not say that it is possible without preconditions. You should always assume mboxrd format when unquoting, and if the message was in fact written in mboxrd format, then unquoting will be unambiguous. If not, then the information was already lost when the mail was written, so it won't really be a problem. I use procmail, enhanced to write mboxrd instead of mboxo format messages. > > > Also, if one assumes that nowadays, mail software supports MIME, quoted-printable allows to encode the "From" without any corruption. > > That would tamper with the message and violate the layer separation principle. > Not more that From quoting. If you do mboxrd style From_ quoting und unquoting, you will not violate it. -- Ticket URL: <http://dev.mutt.org/trac/ticket/714#comment:15>
