mailbox.mbox.add() sets access time as well as modification time

[Grant Edwards]

On 2009-04-24, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo at geek-central.gen.new_zealand> wrote:
> In message <gtudnRY7tapPU2zUnZ2dnUVZ_h6dnZ2d at posted.visi>, Grant Edwards 
> wrote:
>
>> AFAIK, atime<mtime has been the "standard" way to determine
>> when an mbox contains new mail for at least 20 years.
>
> Doesn't apply to maildir though, does it?

Nope.  With maildir, there's a completely separate directory
where one puts new messages.

> Updating atime adds a lot of filesystem overhead; that's why
> the relatime option was invented <http://lwn.net/Articles/244829/>.

The relatime should cut down a great deal on system overhead
and yet still preserves the atime/mtime semantics used by mbox
clients.

> But better still is not to bother.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow! I wonder if I could
                                  at               ever get started in the
                               visi.com            credit world?