Current versions of Linux, macOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, and NetBSD support a mount option in /etc/fstab, which causes the atime field never to be updated. Turning off atime updating breaks POSIX compliance, and some applications, such as mbox-driven "new mail" notifications,http://www.mail-archive.com/mutt-users@mutt.org/msg24912.html "the shell's $MAIL monitor ... depends on atime, pronouncing new email with atime($MAIL) < mtime($MAIL)" and some file usage watching utilities, notably tmpwatch.
