Will Thunderbird 3 still use mbox storage format?

[heraldo]

Just wonder if Thunderbird 3 will continue to store messages in mbox storage format. If so, are there any advantages storing this way compared to storing every message as a single file?

[rsx11m]

I assume that your are talking about the Global Inbox for POP accounts. This is already a configuration option in Thunderbird 2.0 in the advanced server settings, thus you have the choice of combining all accounts under Local Folders or have them in separate blocks. This shouldn't be any different in Thunderbird 3.0, where there is also discussion on collecting the folders by type rather than by account.

[charles]

And if you are talking about the mbox storage format I don't see that changing in the near future. If it did change it might go to a different type of database such as sqlite which is what other storage files used by Mozilla products have been switching to.

[heraldo]

Yes, I had the mbox storage format in mind. Is this format still used in alpha releases of Tb3?

[charles]

That has been the format for the last 15 years. No change there.

[rsx11m]

Sorry for misunderstanding your question, but that was kind of ambiguous. Switching to a different format for mail storage (or offering a choice of formats) has been under consideration for quite some time now, see this tracking bug for the various formats. I don't see a clear winner though as of now, thus it will likely stay with mbox, potentially with a "demorkification" of the summary files.

[heraldo]

ok, thanks for the answers

[rsx11m]

You are welcome.