[X-Unix] speaking of passwords...

[Dennis Fazio]

--On April 5, 2005 04:06:14 PM -0400 Stephen Jonke <sjj_public at mac.com> wrote:

>  If the keychain is currently locked, but was previously unlocked (during
> the current session), then Mail will *not* request the keychain password
> when *checking* mail. I don't know how it does this. Is it storing its own
> copy of the password which it only uses when checking mail and not when
> sending (I have my doubts that it does this), is it keeping the mail
> checking session open so it doesn't have to request a password, or some
> other means? ???

It would appear that Mail is caching the password and can fetch mail (via POP 
or IMAP) all it wants after it has authenticated with the server once. There 
may also be the case of the server authenticating the client, and then 
holding the session open for a set period. The client keeps the session 
active by checking mail on a more frequent basis than the server timeout 
period. But I've forgotten if that is how POP and IMAP work.

Most mail servers do not require authentication to send mail (via SMTP); they 
will forward mail from all clients within its "realm" of legitimate addresses 
(usually all of the ISPs customers).

-- 
Dennis Fazio
dfz at mac.com