configure email accounts automatically like thunderbird [released]

I really don't care who set up the database. It just should work like thunderbird does. If Jolla would set up the database (or synchronize it with mozilla) they would be more independent i guess.

The most common way for auto config to be implemented is the second method mentioned in the Mozilla docs. If your web host uses cPanel then you've almost certainly got a DNS record which points to an auto config record. This doesn't rely on a central database. I would presume other web hosting panels have picked up this feature also.

is it using http://autoconfig.yourdomain.com/mail/config-v1.1.xml or just hardcoded settings for major providers?

Hardcoded atm, we are in talks to use one of the databases available in the future.

The beauty of using the discovery url is that you don't need a database. I work for one of the biggest web/email hosting companies in Europe and we have implemented the discovery URL for all our customers domains. Check out eg: https://autoconfig.plassmann.ch/mail/config-v1.1.xml

It should be easy to parse and make the email setup a lot easier. (Support questions from thunderbird users wanting to setup email accounts have virtually dropped to zero since we implemented the discovery url)

Yup, I know, we contacted thunderbird team regarding that, is not nice if we just direct our users to their servers without asking IMO :) Probably best is to have their xml database mirrored in our servers, let's see what kind of collaboration we will worked out, bit busy recently and the ball is now in our side.

Oh, actually you don't contact the thunderbird servers at all!

Let's say you want to setup the email for plassmann.ch. Then you do a HTTP GET to http://autoconfig.plassmann.ch/mail/config-v1.1.xml (or https if available).

The xml file is located/generated at the host of that domain. Please feel free to contact me on xmpp (dp@plassmann.biz) or per E-Mail if you want more details :) I would be more than happy to help.