[Gllug] Linux directory conventions

[itsbruce at uklinux.net]

On Mon, Nov 10, 2003 at 12:23:57PM +0000, Tethys wrote:
> 
> Actually, I'd recommend learning sendmail to anyone. Yes, it may be arcane,
> but it does *everything* you could ever want to do with mail.

Yes, but there are other options (Exim, Qmail) that do almost as much
(just as much, if you ignore the legacy options) and which don't require
the mind-numbing arcana.  IMO the most important thing about learning
how to administer e-mail systems is learning how e-mail works, not how
one arbitrarily complex implementation handles it.

I've seen what happens when people new both to Linux and to the
underlying complexities of e-mail plough into Sendmail.  In most cases
they either a) give up in frustration or b) get lost in learning how
Sendmail does it, rather than how e-mail works.  Qmail and Exim both
impose far less of a penalty in this respect, having a far less opaque
configuration format.

I'd say it was better for someone to acquire a solid understanding of
e-mail delivery before taking on Sendmail.  It'd make it much easier.

> Plus, you're
> going to come across it sooner or later anyway, so it's worth learning so
> you know what you're talking about.

It's not a subject where you can just scratch the surface.  To actually
know how Sendmail works, as opposed from learning a few basic m4 hackes,
is a huge topic.  People who use Sendmail effectively either know a tiny
amount about it (the m4 hacks) or a huge amount and in either case it's
really a waste of time to learn it until you actually need to use it.

-- 
Bruce

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