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1 \chapter{\unix\ \MTA{}s}
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2
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3 This chapter introduces a group of \mta{}s. These will be presented to the reader in a short overview and with the most important facts. The next chapter will show a comparison of the candidates in several disciplines.
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4
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5
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6 \section{Types of \MTA{}s}
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7 ``Mail transfer agent'' is a term covering a variety of programs. One thing is common to them: they transport email from one \emph{thing} to another. These \emph{things} can be hosts, meaning independent machines, or protocols like \NAME{SMTP} and \NAME{UUCP}, between which mail is transfered.\footnote{\sendmail{}'s initial purpose was moving mail between \NAME{UUCP}, \name{Berknet} and \NAME{SMTP}.}
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8
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9 Beside this common property, \MTA{}s can be very different. Some of them have \NAME{POP3} and/or \NAME{IMAP} servers included. Some can fetch mails through these protocols. Others have have every feature you can think of. And maybe there are some that do nothing else, but transporting email.
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10
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11
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12 \section{The ones not regarded here}
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13 The candidates for the competition in the next chapter are a subset of the \MTA{}s available. Comparision between totally different programs (apart of one function) makes not much sense. One would not use a program for a job it is not suited for. Therefor \mta{}s that are rarely similar to \masqmail\ are not regarded.
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14
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15 The first group of programs to sort out are the so called \name{groupware} programs. These provide a whole lot of functions, including mail transfer, file storage, calendars, resource management, instant messaging and more.
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16 Examples for this kind of programs are: \name{Lotus Notes}, \name{Microsoft Exchange}, \name{OpenGroupware.org} and \name{eGroupWare}.
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17
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18 The second group are the \name{relay-only} \MTA{}s.
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19 They transfer mail only to defined \name{smart hosts}\index{smart host}\footnote{MTAs that receives email and route it to the actual destination}. Most \MTA{}s can be configured to act as such a forwarder. But this is normally an additional functionality.
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20 Examples for that group are: \name{nullmailer}, \name{ssmtp} and \name{esmtp}.
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21
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22 Third, only \emph{sendmail-compatible} \MTA{}s will be regarded in the competition. The ones not \emph{sendmail-compatible} are not from big interest on \unix\ systems. %FIXME: write it the other way round: the group sorted out.
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23
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24
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25 \section{The competitors}
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26 %FIXME: are these all MTAs of that group? why these and not others?
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27 %TODO: what about `courir-mta'?
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28 The programs remaining are \emph{sendmail-compatible} ``smart'' \MTA{}s that do not offer masses of features unrelated to mail transport.
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29
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30 For the comparision, five programs of this group are taken. These are: \sendmail, \name{qmail}, \name{postfix}, \name{exim} and \masqmail. The four alternatives to \masqmail\ are the most important representatives of the regarded group.
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31
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32 Here follows a small introduction to each of the five.
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33
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34 \subsection{\sendmail}
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35 %TODO: author, date of first release, basic intention of program, ...
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36 %TODO: references to various descriptions
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37
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38 \subsection{\name{qmail}}
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39 %TODO: author, date of first release, basic intention of program, ...
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40 %TODO: references to various descriptions
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41
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42 \subsection{\name{postfix}}
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43 %TODO: author, date of first release, basic intention of program, ...
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44 %TODO: references to various descriptions
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45
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46 \subsection{\name{exim}}
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47 %TODO: author, date of first release, basic intention of program, ...
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48 %TODO: references to various descriptions
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49
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50 \subsection{\masqmail}
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51 The \masqmail\ program was written by Oliver Kurth, starting in 1999. His aim was to create a \mta\ which is especially focused on computers with dial-up connections to the internet. \masqmail\ handles situations which are rarely solveable with the common \MTA{}s.
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52 %TODO: references to various descriptions
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53
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54
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