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-----Original Message-----
From: Tyler [mailto:dl@blackpacket.net]
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 6:14 PM
To: Marc Perkel
Cc: qmail@list.cr.yp.to
Subject: Re: Qmail is clearly out of compliance with RFC282.
Marc Perkel wrote:
> From the other thread, the relevant RFC passage was quoted from RFC2821:
>
> To provide reliable mail transmission, the SMTP client MUST be able
> to try (and retry) each of the relevant addresses in this list in
> order, until a delivery attempt succeeds.
>
>
> Seems clear to me. Unless you want to argue what MUST means.
>
> However, there MAY also
> be a configurable limit on the number of alternate addresses that
> can be tried. In any case, the SMTP client SHOULD try at least two
> addresses.
>
> What this says is that if you decide to have some limits that the limits
> should be set at 2 or more. Since Qmail doesn't have a configurable
> limit then the MUST part applies.
>
> Clearly it is saying that in any case that at least 2 mx records must
> best tested. For some reason you are ignoring the plain language of the
> RFC. It could have been written more precisely but you really have to
> stretch to not get what it is clearly saying.
>
> Qmail is out of compliance with RFC282.
>
I just replied to this in the other thread, I'll reply quickly here:
>The SMTP client MUST be able to try (and retry) each of the relevant
addresses in this list in order, until a delivery attempt succeeds.
QMail does have the ability to try and retry each MX, for example, when
none of the MXes are reachable.
>There MAY also be a configurable limit on the number of alternate
addresses that can be tried.
As far as I am aware, this is not configurable in QMail, but is not
required.
>In any case, the SMTP client SHOULD try at least two addresses.
This is a recommendation, it does not have to try at least two
addresses. So, as long as QMail is ABLE to try and retry according to
the first sentence, it is in compliance.
Whether you like it or not, QMail is (at least arguably), RFC compliant,
whereas your spam solution, as I mention in the other thread, is not RFC
compliant.
Either way, with QMail as one of the top 4 most popular MTAs (arguably
the 2nd most popular), and used by giants like Yahoo, whether it's RFC
compliant or not, it's widely used and accepted, and changing every
install of QMail so it works with your system isn't a feasible option.
Tyler
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