Robert A. Rosenberg wrote:
I would like to hear what was the (DRUMS) thinking towards making it a
MUST.
While I do not know DRUMS reason, I can think of one reason to require
the QUIT. It signals that the client is done and has received all of its
mail and has logged all of them. If I remember correctly the deletes of
mail sent from the server to the client un response to the client's DEL
commands is performed when the QUIT is received by the Server not as
each DEL is received. If the connection drops before that, the deletes
will not occur and the messages will be offered again at the next
connection.
Yes, as Klensin noted, that is the POP3 design. Another posted brought
up the idea that this could be part of the "confusion" and reason for
equating POP3 QUIT behavior with SMTP.
Under POP3, its classified as moving the server into UPDATE mode where
it can do the final markings of the messages received or delete
status. The idea of supporting "Roaming Users" is central to all
this.
--
Sincerely
Hector Santos
http://www.santronics.com