1.1 --- a/thesis/tex/0-preface.tex	Tue Jan 27 14:18:34 2009 +0100
     1.2 +++ b/thesis/tex/0-preface.tex	Tue Jan 27 17:16:13 2009 +0100
     1.3 @@ -2,54 +2,73 @@
     1.4  \chapter*{Preface}
     1.5  \addcontentsline{toc}{section}{Preface}
     1.6  
     1.7 -<< preface text (about 1 page) >> %FIXME
     1.8 +This thesis is about \masqmail, a small mail transfer agent for workstations and home networks. I chose \masqmail\ in October 2007 because of its small size while it is still a ``real'' mail transfer agent. \masqmail\ served me well since then and I found no reasons to change.
     1.9  
    1.10 -<< \textbf{say what you want to say} >>
    1.11 +Unfortunately, the \masqmail\ package in \debian, which is my preferred \NAME{GNU}/Linux distribution, is unmaintained since the beginning of 2008. Unmaintained packages with critical bugs are likely to get dropped out of a distribution. Although \masqmail\ has had no critical bugs then, this was a situation I definately wanted to prevent.
    1.12  
    1.13 -<< the overall goal of the document >>
    1.14 +Using my diploma thesis as a ``power-start'' to maintaining and developing \masqmail\ in the future was a great idea. As it came to my mind, while lying in bed, I knew this is the thing I \emph{wanted} to do. --- I did it! :-)
    1.15  
    1.16 -goal: revive masqmail; make it future save; clean it up; add some missing features; release a new version
    1.17  
    1.18 -<< write about the motivation to cover this topic: what is it I want? >> %FIXME
    1.19 +\vspace{3ex}
    1.20 +%\subsubsection*{Goal of the document}
    1.21  
    1.22 -<< preface == target of the book, related to the reader >> %FIXME
    1.23 +The overall goal of this document is revive \masqmail\ in usage and development. \masqmail\ was not developed for over five years but the world of email changed during this time. Hence quite some work needs to be done.
    1.24  
    1.25 -<< make the topic more concrete and limit it >> %FIXME
    1.26 +I chose to start down at the basis and analyse the environment and \masqmail\ throughoutly, to end in concrete plans of what should be done how to let \masqmail\ become a modern mail transfer agent again.
    1.27  
    1.28 -<< have text by Oliver here? >> %TODO
    1.29 +The actual implementation of the the proposed changes goes beyond this thesis. Here are solutions described but not implemented. I did work in the code and have fix bugs during the time I wrote on the thesis, though.
    1.30  
    1.31 -usage examples:
    1.32  
    1.33 -debian popcon stats
    1.34 +\vspace{3ex}
    1.35  
    1.36 -<< hikernet >>
    1.37 +%\subsubsection*{Audience}
    1.38  
    1.39 +This document is primary written with an audience of \masqmail\ developers or developers of other mail transfer agents in mind. But users of \masqmail\ and everyone who is interested in email systems in general may find this thesis an interesting literature.
    1.40  
    1.41 -\subsubsection*{Audience}
    1.42 +However, at least basic knowledge about \unix\ and the C programming language is preconditioned for the chapters three, four, and five. The required knowledge about \unix\ can be gained from \person{Kernighan} and \person{Pike}'s ``The \NAME{UNIX} Programming Environment'' \cite{kernighan84}. Programming in the C language is best learned from \person{Kernighan} and \person{Ritchie}'s ``The C Programming Language'' \cite{k&r}.
    1.43  
    1.44 -This document is targeted for \masqmail\ users and for people interested in mail systems in general.
    1.45 -Security problems in electronic mail, \unix\ and the C programming language will also be discussed.
    1.46 -Additional ones planning to take over an unmaintained software project will find real life experience in here.
    1.47  
    1.48 -In each topic, basic knowledge is preconditioned.
    1.49 -Nevertheless introductions are given and sources for further reading will be mentioned.
    1.50  
    1.51 -This work focuses on the \unix\ operating system.
    1.52 -Experience in usage, administration and program development is assumed.
    1.53 -This includes the basic tool chain (e.g.\ \name{tar}, \name{grep}, etc.), user, file and permission management, as well as writing, compiling and installing programs written in the C language.
    1.54  
    1.55 -General information about \unix\ can be found in \cite{kernighan84} %FIXME: references
    1.56 -. %FIXME: references
    1.57 -explain about administrating \unix.
    1.58 -And developing programs in C may be learned from \cite{k&r} and \cite{rochkind85}. %FIXME: references
    1.59 +
    1.60 +%<< \textbf{say what you want to say} >>
    1.61 +%
    1.62 +%<< preface == target of the book, related to the reader >> %FIXME
    1.63 +%
    1.64 +%<< have text by Oliver here? >> %TODO
    1.65 +
    1.66 +
    1.67 +
    1.68 +%<< hikernet >>
    1.69 +
    1.70 +
    1.71 +%how to get the masqmail source code
    1.72 +
    1.73 +
    1.74 +
    1.75 +
    1.76 +
    1.77  
    1.78  
    1.79  
    1.80  \section*{Organization}
    1.81  
    1.82 -<< write about organization of the book: parts, chapters, sections. And more that's useful to know. >> %FIXME
    1.83 +This document is organized in six chapters. Each chapter covers a delimited part of the overall topic and builds upon the knowledge and results of the previous ones. The first three chapters lead into the topic and create a solid base to build the second part upon. Chapter four and five are the central part of the thesis as they focus on \masqmail.
    1.84  
    1.85 -<< explain where the main part lies (theory vs. implementation) >> %FIXME:
    1.86 +Chapter 1 \textbf{introduces} \masqmail\ to the reader. It presents the properties, goals, advantages, and problems of the program. General knowledge about the email technology is also describes and later assumed to be know.
    1.87 +
    1.88 +Chapter 2 \textbf{analyses the market} of electronic communication and email. This chapter provides a secure basis by showing that email will remain an important technology in the future. It tries to identify future trends too.
    1.89 +
    1.90 +Chapter 3 \textbf{deals with mail transfer agents} (\MTA{}s) which are the most important entities of the email transport structure. \MTA{}s are defined, classified, and important ones presented and compared.
    1.91 +
    1.92 +Chapter 4 \textbf{focuses on \masqmail's present and future}. It is the core of the thesis. Requirements are identified and lead to a list of pending work tasks. Then possible strategies for future development are discussed.
    1.93 +
    1.94 +Chapter 5 \textbf{describes improvement plans}, as defined in chapter four, in more detail. A proposed architecture for a redesigned \masqmail\ is presented too.
    1.95 +
    1.96 +Chapter 6 \textbf{summarizes} the most important results and closes the thesis.
    1.97 +
    1.98 +
    1.99 +
   1.100  
   1.101  
   1.102  
   1.103 @@ -84,4 +103,3 @@
   1.104  \section*{Acknowledgments}
   1.105  %FIXME: write this at the very end.
   1.106  % dont forget: proove readers, suggestion makers, supporters, ...
   1.107 -% FIXME: if too long, think about a page in the appendix