docs/diploma

changeset 385:2a2f51551081

corrected ch06; and small changes in ch05
author meillo@marmaro.de
date Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:00:32 +0100
parents acbdd61c4f61
children e15a13c6ebb5
files thesis/tex/5-Improvements.tex thesis/tex/6-Summary.tex
diffstat 2 files changed, 14 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-) [+]
line diff
     1.1 --- a/thesis/tex/5-Improvements.tex	Fri Feb 06 12:11:44 2009 +0100
     1.2 +++ b/thesis/tex/5-Improvements.tex	Fri Feb 06 13:00:32 2009 +0100
     1.3 @@ -15,9 +15,9 @@
     1.4  
     1.5  
     1.6  
     1.7 -\subsection{Encryption (\TODO\,1)}
     1.8 +\subsection{Encryption}
     1.9  
    1.10 -Encryption should be the first functionality to be added to the current code. The requirement was already discussed on page~\pageref{requirement-encryption}. As explained there, \NAME{STARTTLS} encryption---defined in \RFC\,2487---should be added to \masqmail.
    1.11 +Encryption (\TODO\,1) should be the first functionality to be added to the current code. The requirement was already discussed on page~\pageref{requirement-encryption}. As explained there, \NAME{STARTTLS} encryption---defined in \RFC\,2487---should be added to \masqmail.
    1.12  
    1.13  This work requires changes mainly in three source files: \path{smtp_in.c}, \path{smtp_out.c}, and \path{conf.c}.
    1.14  
    1.15 @@ -44,9 +44,9 @@
    1.16  
    1.17  
    1.18  
    1.19 -\subsection{Authentication (\TODO\,2)}
    1.20 +\subsection{Authentication}
    1.21  
    1.22 -Authentication is the second function to be added. It is important to restrict the access to \masqmail, especially for mail relay. The requirements for authentication where identified on page~\pageref{requirement-authentication}.
    1.23 +Authentication (\TODO\,2) is the second function to be added. It is important to restrict the access to \masqmail, especially for mail relay. The requirements for authentication where identified on page~\pageref{requirement-authentication}.
    1.24  
    1.25  Static access restriction, based on the \NAME{IP} address is already possible by using \NAME{TCP} \name{Wrappers}. This makes it easy to refuse all connections from outside the local network for example, which is a good prevention against being an open relay. More detailed static restrictions, like splitting between mail for users on the system and mail for relay, should \emph{not} be added to the current code. This is a concern for the new design.
    1.26  
    1.27 @@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
    1.28  \subsection{Security}
    1.29  \label{sec:current-code-security}
    1.30  
    1.31 -Improvements to \masqmail's security are an important requirement and are the third task to be worked on. Retrofitting security \emph{into} \masqmail\ is not or hardly possible as it was explained in section~\ref{sec:discussion-further-devel}. But adding wrappers and interposition filters can be a large step towards security.
    1.32 +Improvements to \masqmail's security (\TODO\,3) are an important requirement and are the third task to be worked on. Retrofitting security \emph{into} \masqmail\ is not or hardly possible as it was explained in section~\ref{sec:discussion-further-devel}. But adding wrappers and interposition filters can be a large step towards security.
    1.33  
    1.34  \subsubsection*{Mail security layers}
    1.35  
     2.1 --- a/thesis/tex/6-Summary.tex	Fri Feb 06 12:11:44 2009 +0100
     2.2 +++ b/thesis/tex/6-Summary.tex	Fri Feb 06 13:00:32 2009 +0100
     2.3 @@ -1,25 +1,25 @@
     2.4  \chapter{Summary}
     2.5  
     2.6 -This thesis is a comprehensive analysis of \masqmail. It followed a clear structure from the present to the future, from the problems to the requirements to proposed solutions, and from the general to the special.
     2.7 +This thesis is a comprehensive analysis of \masqmail. It followed a clear structure from the present to the future, from the general to the special, and from problems to requirements to proposed solutions.
     2.8  
     2.9 -The reasons why it is worth to restart development on the project and the problems to solve were identified in the beginning. The the current and future market for electronic communication and email was analyzed to show that it is future-proof and to spot future needs. Afterwards the different types of \MTA{}s were classified and the most important alternatives to \masqmail\ were presented and compared.
    2.10 +In the beginning, reasons why it is worth to revive the development of \masqmail\ were given and the problems of the program were identified. Then the current and future market for electronic communication and email was analyzed. It was showed that email is future-proof and probable trends were spotted. Afterwards the different types of \MTA{}s were classified and the most important alternatives to \masqmail\ were presented and compared.
    2.11  
    2.12 -In the second half of the thesis, \masqmail\ stood in the focus. First the goal to reach with further development was defined, then the requirements to reach it were identified. The existing source code was compared against them to see which requirements are already fulfilled. The pending work tasks were ranked by their importance and the amount of work they involve, to receive a list of tasks ordered by the focus they should receive.
    2.13 +In the second half of the thesis, \masqmail\ was in the focus. The goal to reach with further development was defined and the requirements were identified. The existing source code was compared against the requirements to see which ones are already fulfilled. The pending work tasks were ranked by their focus, which depends on the importance of the task and the amount of work it involves.
    2.14  
    2.15 -The possible strategies to control further development---improve existing code or redesign and rewrite---were compared against each other on basis of the pending work tasks. They were additionally discussed by regarding various other influences. The final decision is a twofold aim: First improve the existing code to keep it usable for the next time. Second, design a new version of \masqmail\ with respect for the modern goals for \MTA{}s that were identified throughout the thesis.
    2.16 +The possible strategies for controlling further development (improve existing code or redesign and rewrite) were compared against each other on basis of the required work. They were additionally discussed with regard to various other influences. The final decision was a twofold aim: First, improve the existing code to keep it usable for the next time. Second, design a new version of \masqmail\ with respect for the modern goals for \MTA{}s that were identified throughout the thesis.
    2.17  
    2.18 -In the end more concrete plans for the improvements of the existing code were made and a suggestion for a new design for \masqmail\ is presented. The description of this new design leaves quite a few questions open; it is more a discussion on the topic with suggested solutions. Covering such a topic throughout would take at least a second diploma thesis or a master's thesis. More information needs to be collected and further studies of the situations in existing \MTA{}s need to be made.
    2.19 +In the end, more concrete plans for the improvements of the existing code were made and a suggestion for a new design for \masqmail\ was presented. The description of this new design left quite a few questions open, however, it was intended as a discussion with suggested solutions. To cover such a topic throughout, much more information need to be collected and more detailed studies of the situations in other \MTA{}s need to be made. This would take at least a second diploma thesis or a master's thesis.
    2.20  
    2.21  
    2.22  \subsubsection*{Outlook}
    2.23  
    2.24 -Writing this thesis is not the end of my work on \masqmail\ but the beginning. The next important step is creating a community of people that are interested in reviving \masqmail's development. Then comes implementing the identified tasks together with this group of volunteers, and afterwards designing \masqmail\ new.
    2.25 +This diploma thesis is intended to be the begin of a long-time effort to revive \masqmail. The next important step is creating a community of people that are interested in reviving \masqmail's development. Then comes implementing the identified tasks together with this group of volunteers, and afterwards, creating the next generation of \masqmail.
    2.26  
    2.27 -Of course there are known, but unfixed, bugs in \masqmail. Those need to be closed.
    2.28 +Like expected for unmaintained software, there are known bugs in \masqmail. Those need to be fixed.
    2.29  
    2.30 -Documentation and ``marketing'' is important too. Especially end user documentation is needed and people who help to distribute the knowledge of \masqmail's existence and its advantages.
    2.31 +Documentation and ``marketing'' are also important. Especially end user documentation is needed and people who help to distribute the knowledge of \masqmail's existence and its advantages.
    2.32  
    2.33 -\masqmail\ is valuable software---this thesis is a first effort to revive it---it will not be the last.
    2.34 +\masqmail\ is software with value. This thesis is a first effort to revive it---it shall not be the last.
    2.35  
    2.36  
    2.37