Re: I don't know if this is an old question - is there a FAQ for this project?

[Craig Sanders <cas@taz.net.au>]

On Fri, Feb 05, 1999 at 01:30:58PM +0000, Darrin Mison wrote:
> Ken Yap wrote:
> > A Mail Transfer Agent like sendmail or qmail is a must. It doesn't have
> > to be on the user's machine, it could be the ISP's. When the user dials
> > in she will be assigned an IP number from the ISP's range and thus will
> > be a valid host on the ISP's network. So no working around anti-spam
> > measures is necessary.
> 
> Never thought of it that way, thanks.  Could someone provide some
> pointers or something regarding how to configure a client to use the
> ISP's 'facilities'.  I use Mutt and it only seems to have config for a
> local MTA, how is such a trick done in Pine?

in pine:

edit either /etc/pine.conf or each users' ~/.pinerc to add the
following:

	smtp-server=HOSTNAME


for mutt, you have to install a local MTA (sendmail, postfix, qmail,
exim, smail, etc - my preference is for postfix) and configure it to
masquerade all outgoing mail to your real address at your ISP.

this is actually a better way of doing it because it gives the ability
to write email while offline - mail just gets queued up until the next
time the machine dials in.


other thoughts:

it wouldn't be too difficult for us to set up a uucp server for
computerbank clients to connect to for email exchange (uucp over tcp,
they still dial in to their local ISP). clients could be given their own
hostname within computerbank.org.au (if they are a non-profit org they
could get their own .org.au or an individual could get their own .id.au
domain).

unless they were willing to pay for the service, there would have to
be some limits on mail sent and received (e.g. 1 MB/day or so, and ban
ftpmail services...if anyone is still running stuff like that these
days). there's no getting around the fact that bandwidth costs real
money and no service provider can afford to give away for free what
costs them a significant amount to provide.

the uucp server would also have to have a reasonably fast net
connection.

at the meeting on 30th Jan, i suggested that vicnet may be able to
provide such a service - if there's interest, i'll investigate (i am
the system admin at vicnet, but i'd still have to get approval from my
manager before implementing anything which is going to cost us)

craig

--
craig sanders