From: "Hal E. Fulton" <hal9000@...>
Date: 2002-08-16T05:18:10+09:00
Subject: Re: ruby email client; why?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Campbell" <michael_s_campbell@yahoo.com>
To: "ruby-talk ML" <ruby-talk@ruby-lang.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 2:40 PM
Subject: ruby email client; why?


> I find this thread somewhat interesting.  When I'm shopping around
> for an application, I typically look for one in terms of its
> functionality; not what language it's written in.

As do I, in most cases.
 
> For the people that are asking for a ruby email app, why?  For
> illustrative purposes, so you can see how they do "x"?  So you can
> more easily modify it?  Something else?

That and more.

Speaking only for myself:

1. So I can see the source and pick up tricks from it.
2. So I can modify it.
3. So I can contribute to its development.
4. So I can know the API for the database and data 
formats and handle them independently of the client.
5. Perhaps most importantly: So I can easily write
internal scripts for it in Ruby.

As regards (5): One of the things that keeps me using
Outlook Express in spite of its problems is the "rules"
capability. (That, and sheer inertia -- I'd hate to 
think about importing 30,000 messages or so into a new
mailreader. Though if it were easy and errorproof, I'd
still do it.)

Hal