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small fixes and todo -> fixme
author meillo@marmaro.de
date Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:35:26 +0100
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317:3b7680af0ebe 318:426ad56236ce
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57 \subsubsection*{Other segmenting} 57 \subsubsection*{Other segmenting}
58 \name{Mail transfer agents} can also be split in other ways. 58 \name{Mail transfer agents} can also be split in other ways.
59 59
60 Due to \sendmail's significance in the early times of email, compatibility interfaces for \sendmail\ are important for \unix\ \MTA{}s. The reason is that many mail applications simply the \sendmail\ \MTA\ to be installed on the system. Being not \emph{sendmail-compatible} may not matter for some fields of action, but makes the program ineligible for serving as a general purpose \MTA\ on \unix\ systems. Hence being sendmail-compatible is a major property of a \mta. %todo: how many MTAs are sendmail-compatible? 60 Due to \sendmail's significance in the early times of email, compatibility interfaces for \sendmail\ are important for \unix\ \MTA{}s. The reason is that many mail applications simply the \sendmail\ \MTA\ to be installed on the system. Being not \emph{sendmail-compatible} may not matter for some fields of action, but makes the program ineligible for serving as a general purpose \MTA\ on \unix\ systems. Hence being sendmail-compatible is a major property of a \mta. \MTA{}s not having a \emph{sendmail-compatible} interface or not offering it as a compatibility add-on, will not be covered here. One example for such a program is \name{Apache James}. %FIXME: check if correct
61 \MTA{}s not having a \emph{sendmail-compatible} interface or not offering it as a compatibility add-on, will not be covered here. One example for such a program is \name{Apache James}. %FIXME: check if correct
62 61
63 Another separation can be done between \freesw\ \MTA{}s and proprietary ones. Many of the \MTA{}s for \unix\ systems are \freesw. Only these are regarded in the following sections, because comparing \freesw\ with proprietary or commercial software is not what typical users of programs like \masqmail\ do. %fixme: what are typical users? 62 Another separation can be done between \freesw\ \MTA{}s and proprietary ones. Many of the \MTA{}s for \unix\ systems are \freesw. Only these are regarded in the following sections, because comparing \freesw\ with proprietary or commercial software is not what typical users of programs like \masqmail\ do. %fixme: what are typical users?
64 Comparison with non-free programs may be a point for large \freesw\ projects, trying to step into the business world. Small projects, mostly used by individuals at home, %fixme: is this the right target field? see chap02 63 Comparison with non-free programs may be a point for large \freesw\ projects, trying to step into the business world. Small projects, mostly used by individuals at home, %fixme: is this the right target field? see chap02
65 need to be compared against other projects of similar shape. The document is seen from \masqmail's point of view---an \MTA\ for \unix\ systems on home servers and workstations---so non-free software is out of the way. 64 need to be compared against other projects of similar shape. The document is seen from \masqmail's point of view---an \MTA\ for \unix\ systems on home servers and workstations---so non-free software is out of the way.
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129 The program was written by \person{Eric Allman} as the successor of his program \name{delivermail}. \person{Allman} was not the only one working on the program. Other people developed own versions of it and a variety of flavors came up, especially in the late eighties when Allman was inactive. %fixme: ref 128 The program was written by \person{Eric Allman} as the successor of his program \name{delivermail}. \person{Allman} was not the only one working on the program. Other people developed own versions of it and a variety of flavors came up, especially in the late eighties when Allman was inactive. %fixme: ref
130 129
131 \sendmail\ designed to transfer mails between different protocols and networks, this lead to a very flexible, though complex, configuration. 130 \sendmail\ designed to transfer mails between different protocols and networks, this lead to a very flexible, though complex, configuration.
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133 It was first released with \NAME{BSD} 4.1c in 1983. 132 It was first released with \NAME{BSD} 4.1c in 1983.
134 %todo: write about its importance and about sendmail-compat 133 %fixme: write about its importance and about sendmail-compat
135 134
136 The latest version is 8.14.3 from May 2008. The program is distributed under the \name{Sendmail License} as both, \freesw\ and proprietary software. 135 The latest version is 8.14.3 from May 2008. The program is distributed under the \name{Sendmail License} as both, \freesw\ and proprietary software.
137 136
138 Further development will go into the project \name{MeTA1} (the former name was \name{sendmail X}) which succeeds \sendmail. 137 Further development will go into the project \name{MeTA1} (the former name was \name{sendmail X}) which succeeds \sendmail.
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188 This section does not try to provide a throughout \MTA\ comparison, because this is already done by others. Remarkable comparisons are the one by \person{Dan Shearer} \cite{shearer06} and a discussion on the mailing list \name{plug@lists.q-linux.com} \cite{plug:mtas}. Tabular overviews may be found at \citeweb{mailsoftware42}, \citeweb{wikipedia:comparison-of-mail-servers}, and \cite[section 1.9]{lifewithqmail}. 187 This section does not try to provide a throughout \MTA\ comparison, because this is already done by others. Remarkable comparisons are the one by \person{Dan Shearer} \cite{shearer06} and a discussion on the mailing list \name{plug@lists.q-linux.com} \cite{plug:mtas}. Tabular overviews may be found at \citeweb{mailsoftware42}, \citeweb{wikipedia:comparison-of-mail-servers}, and \cite[section 1.9]{lifewithqmail}.
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190 Here provided is an overview important properties of the four previously introduced \MTA{}s. The data comes from the above stated sources and is collected in table \ref{tab:mta-comparison}\footnote{The lines of code were measured with \person{David~A.\ Wheeler}'s \name{sloccount} \citeweb{sloccount}.}. 189 Here provided is an overview important properties of the four previously introduced \MTA{}s. The data comes from the above stated sources and is collected in table \ref{tab:mta-comparison}\footnote{The lines of code were measured with \person{David~A.\ Wheeler}'s \name{sloccount} \citeweb{sloccount}.}.
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192 \begin{table} 191 \begin{table}
193 % FIXME: improve table data!!!
194 \begin{center} 192 \begin{center}
195 \input{tbl/mta-comparison.tbl} 193 \input{tbl/mta-comparison.tbl}
196 \end{center} 194 \end{center}
197 \caption{Comparison of \MTA{}s} 195 \caption{Comparison of \MTA{}s}
198 \label{tab:mta-comparison} 196 \label{tab:mta-comparison}
254 Each one of these four major Free Software \MTA{}s was presented afterwards and at the end, these programs were compared on some selected properties. 252 Each one of these four major Free Software \MTA{}s was presented afterwards and at the end, these programs were compared on some selected properties.
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256 Now, the reader should have a general knowledge about the four important \MTA{}s. Further chapters will refer frequently to them. 254 Now, the reader should have a general knowledge about the four important \MTA{}s. Further chapters will refer frequently to them.
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259 %todo: my own poll (?) 257 %fixme: my own poll (?)
260 258