Sorry, but you're misinformed about this. I've currently got two accounts set up in Mail.app: one using POP3/SMTP, and one using IMAP/SMTP. Both are using SSL, for all server connections. It was pretty painless to set up, too.

In the preferences dialog's Accounts section, select the account you're configuring from the list on the left, and then select the Advanced tab on the right. There's a checkbox for whether or not to use SSL. The port configuration just to its left will auto-update to the default correct value as you check and uncheck it.

For the SMTP server, open the Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) dropdown on the Account Information tab; select Edit SMTP Server List; check the Use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) checkbox.

How does that work, exactly? I mean, how does some random website at foo.com get access to cookies which are set by facebook.com or static.ak.fbcdn.net or whatever?

I ask out of genuine curiosity. I see FB "Like" buttons all over the web lately, and plenty of sites offer to let me log into my Facebook account for a more social-tastic experience, but none of them seem to know who I actually am, even if I'm logged into Facebook in another tab at the time.

I run Adblock Plus and also don't accept 3rd-party cookies, but from what I know of the cookie protocol, that isn't really relevant, since the 3rd-party cookies I'm refusing would have to be set from iframes anyway, which iframes again wouldn't be able to cross-communicate with the page at foo.com...

Brilliant quote, thanks. I'd make it my sig if it'd fit. :)

That's exactly one of the issues checked exceptions are meant to deal with - if the exception-throwing behavior of code you call changes, you get notified during compilation so that you can update your own code (either by handling the new exceptions, or passing them on). That's not bad, that's good!

What's the practical alternative? A random new exception shows up in your error logs one day, and you think huh.. guess they changed their exception spec?

To each his own, as you said, but I love Java's checked exceptions. One thing I hate about C# is that it won't even let me optionally specify each function's exceptions.

Actually, there are 3rd-party mail apps for iPhone, e.g. AltaMail, which I use. There are probably others too, though I have no idea whether any of them support S/MIME.

Your basic point stands, of course - I just wanted to point out that whatever official reasons it gives for App-Store rejections, Apple only "plays rough" with apps submissions when it feels like they challenge its core business, not merely because they duplicate Apple-provided functionality.

Or pants, apparently.. um, which profession did you say you were in, again? :)

Dude, it's your perfect world.. why not just go for the gusto and wish for the actual Natalie Portman?

:-)