sqwebmail zeta

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Main topics

• zeta is a DOM interface to sqwebmail. Only a full standalone package is currently provided, though.
• Why constantly put all processor load to the server, and let the client just wait idle, until the work is done? The approach in zeta takes advantage of the clients capabilities to store and process data, thus speeding up page processing at server side and cut page sizes to faster downloads.
  Hence, despite the versatile interface, zeta is very lightweight on server side and in bandwidth usage, and pages load very fast.
• Page layout is based on a set of iframes, which are used to store session data.
  The stored data is used locally in several functions in the client browser, thus reducing count page requests or making it possible to have the pages carry less info. The zeta structure, however, holds many small iframes, which makes login initialization to take a while. Also the total count requests during a short session is likely to be higher, but the total amount data transferred is considerably smaller.
• Most frequently fetched pages are significantly smaller (than sqwebmail pages) in size, making pages load faster and cutting down network traffic.
  In folderindex the advantage gets smaller the more messages on page. See data transfer statistics.
• Translations are done using gettext. See INSTALL for details.
• Pages are fully css controlled. Most pages are constructed completely without tables.
• Three steps deep directory structure is instantly browsable (public folders included) without any (further) page requests.
• Frame layout enables folders/messages/calendar browsing, without interfering new message or event composition.
• User language is set in preferences, independently from browser language setting.
• Language and theme can be changed on the fly.
• Key codes are provided for several functions, eg. folder index browsing, fast reading/deletion of single messages:
  when reading a message, hit Ctrl-D to to delete the current and fetch the next message.
• Integrated help page, available instantly (after first download) during any task.
• Gpg initialization available also for virtual users through a link in help page.
• Running session countdown time display.

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• Dynamic drop down menu holds most of the frequently used functions.
• Easy addressbook handling.
• All preferences are changeable in the dropdown menu.

• Folder - directory sorting
• Folder and directory managing through a right click dialog box.
• Directories may be renamed
• Folders (with restrictions, also directories) may be moved to another directory
• Folders and directories can be dragged to new position.
• Renaming or moving a watchdog delivery folder automatically fixes the rule definition.
• Folder properties page is provided, shoving folder statistics (disk usage, count messages, count unread messages, count total attachments) and shared access.

• Message status images: new, read, replied, attachment(s), gpg signed, gpg encrypted, moved, deleted...
• Attachments count displayed for each message.
• Instant view change between folderindex - current message - split frames views, without page requests.
• Right click and key codes functions: Select all/delete/move/reply.

• Right click dialog box for selecting, deleting, replying and moving.
• (currently disabled)Selected messages may be dragged into new destination.
• When shredder is mounted, deleted messages are destroyed, instead of moving to trash.

• Integrated WYSIWYG RTF editor enables rtf formatted (=html formatted) messages.
• Easy file attaching by one mouseclick (well, almost :-)).
• Up to five files may be attached without intermediate file transfers.
• Spell checking is done for all text at one sweep. Misspelled words are underscored, and a substitution list is available by mouse right click.
• Spell checking may be run against any language supported by the server, regardless of user language setting.
  The spell checking dictionary is selected in drop down menu.
• Partial spell checking: a block of text, selected with mouse, may be spell checked separately (any language).

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WATCHDOG

Currently the "start watchdog" link in login page is not used.
Wathcdog is a helper with three separate functions:

1. Watchdog mailbox checkup function (disabled by default) can be set up to periodically check for new messages.
   This is done in the background without interfering any tasks under work.
2. Watchdog scans arrived messages for conditions set in watchdog RULES and may be set to deliver messages to a specified folder.
   Watchdog functions only work during a running session, and only scans INBOX folder for new messages. Thus, watchdog rules are not applied to maildrop filtered messages.
   However, while one single rule may hold a large variety of conditions, watchdog rules are far easier to create and manage. Eg. moving a delivery folder to another position automatically fixes the rule definition, without any manual checking of the rules.
3. Watchdog may be set up to give a message arrival alert, when a new message meets a watchdog rule.

Each watchdog RULE is a combination of

• eventual alert function, giving a pop up alert (with optional sound), when a rule condition match is found.
• eventual delivery folder, where to deliver the message
• an eventual ARRAY of string patterns (up to 20 by default) to look for in one of the message headers or message body.
  String matching may be exact, approximate or fuzzy, and inverted.
• an eventual ARRAY of other message properties (up to 5 by default), as gpg signature/encryption, attachments, html formatting etc.
• Matching patterns and property conditions may be chained in a variety of ways.

The package is currently available only for development. See notice on download page.
darcs is used for revision control.

© 2006 / Matti Riikari

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