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ok. I've created an account at zoom.co.uk and started experimenting a bit with it.

First note: the server doesn't support SASL. The odd thing is that it advertises its compatibility with APOP but it doesn't work (as per RFC1939, the RFC that defines how APOP works). I've tried to manually connect, via telnet, to pop3.zoom.co.uk and authenticate using APOP (following the RFC1939 religiously) but it doesn't work either. I've retried the APOP mechanism currently implemented against three other different servers and it works like a charm. I'm a bit confused.

A workaround would be to FIRST try to use the USER/PASS mechanism and THEN APOP if and only if it requires it. Not the other way round. I think it's the way poppeeper works. No info for Thunderbird. I will think about it.

Is it the only mailbox that doesn't work?

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N.B. modus operandi for APOP

c:\telnet pop3.zoom.co.uk 110

Then the server issues this kind of line:

[CODE]+OK <21481.1165781674@read13.mail.uk.easynet.net>[/CODE]

Grab the text inclosed in between <>, included

Append your password at the end of the string, without any space

e.g.

[CODE]<21481.1165781674@read13.mail.uk.easynet.net>MY_PASSWORD[/CODE]

Hash this string with MD5 (use the inclosed program)

Transform the result into an hexadecimal ASCII string (use the inclosed program)

Type the following command, at the server prompt, in the telnet session currently open

[CODE]APOP MY_USERNAME THE_HASHED_AND_HEXED_SECRET[/CODE]

where MY_USERNAME is the POP3 username (login) and THE_HASHED_AND_HEXED_SECRET is the transformed string produced above

pop3.zoom.co.uk inevitably answers "-ERR authorization failed"