3 ms·

Where is the pain in the ass? Launching the client, clicking on the Google icon and entering your username/password? Is it really so difficult?

stevewilhelm 14y ago
Currently have over 90,000 emails (~9 GB worth) archived in my GMail account. Any idea how long it would take to transfer it all to my desktop via IMAP?
- nodata 14y ago
  It'll take a little over 2 hours on a 10 mbit line.
- skorgu 14y ago
  Unscientifically I've seen between 1-3 messages per second via imapsync so ~a day. The bottleneck seems to be the IMAP protocol or rate limiting on google's side, I've certainly never seen it approach wire speed.
  - 3825 14y ago
    Google has published total "bandwidth limits" where they say[1] "To address migration needs, you can download your entire mailbox approximately 3 times per month." [1] https://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1071518 https://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=...
    - sp332 14y ago
      Those limits only seem to apply to Google Apps for Business accounts.
      - 3825 14y ago
        I believe it also applies for anyone grandfathered into the free Google Apps standard. I'd like to know the limits on free accounts if that is not true.
- droopyEyelids 14y ago
  Furthermore, you have to jump through several difficult-to-recognize hoops to get that 9GB on your disk. IMAP will only sync what the sever feels are recent emails, and envelope information for the rest.
  - nodata 14y ago
    offlineimap will do it without hoops.
    - jedbrown 14y ago
      OfflineIMAP crashes a lot. I have been using it for many years and with each upgrade, I'm optimistic that stability and/or performance will improve, but it still sucks a huge amount of CPU and hangs several times per day.
      - nodata 14y ago
        I haven't had a problem. Have you reported the crashes and hangs?
  - ValentineC 14y ago
    Depends on your email client. Thunderbird downloaded full copies of two of my Gmail accounts when I added them and selected the "Keep messages for this account on this computer" option.
  - lips 14y ago
    See also: https://github.com/rgrove/larch https://github.com/rgrove/larch - "Larch is a tool to copy messages from one IMAP server to another quickly and safely. It’s smart enough not to copy messages that already exist on the destination and robust enough to deal with interruptions caused by flaky connections or misbehaving servers."

stevewilhelm 14y ago

Currently have over 90,000 emails (~9 GB worth) archived in my GMail account. Any idea how long it would take to transfer it all to my desktop via IMAP?

nodata 14y ago
It'll take a little over 2 hours on a 10 mbit line.
skorgu 14y ago
Unscientifically I've seen between 1-3 messages per second via imapsync so ~a day. The bottleneck seems to be the IMAP protocol or rate limiting on google's side, I've certainly never seen it approach wire speed.
- 3825 14y ago
  Google has published total "bandwidth limits" where they say[1] "To address migration needs, you can download your entire mailbox approximately 3 times per month." [1] https://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1071518 https://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=...
  - sp332 14y ago
    Those limits only seem to apply to Google Apps for Business accounts.
    - 3825 14y ago
      I believe it also applies for anyone grandfathered into the free Google Apps standard. I'd like to know the limits on free accounts if that is not true.
droopyEyelids 14y ago
Furthermore, you have to jump through several difficult-to-recognize hoops to get that 9GB on your disk. IMAP will only sync what the sever feels are recent emails, and envelope information for the rest.
- nodata 14y ago
  offlineimap will do it without hoops.
  - jedbrown 14y ago
    OfflineIMAP crashes a lot. I have been using it for many years and with each upgrade, I'm optimistic that stability and/or performance will improve, but it still sucks a huge amount of CPU and hangs several times per day.
    - nodata 14y ago
      I haven't had a problem. Have you reported the crashes and hangs?
- ValentineC 14y ago
  Depends on your email client. Thunderbird downloaded full copies of two of my Gmail accounts when I added them and selected the "Keep messages for this account on this computer" option.
- lips 14y ago
  See also: https://github.com/rgrove/larch https://github.com/rgrove/larch - "Larch is a tool to copy messages from one IMAP server to another quickly and safely. It’s smart enough not to copy messages that already exist on the destination and robust enough to deal with interruptions caused by flaky connections or misbehaving servers."