[Mimedefang] MIMEDefang and Qmail - Devloper Interest

[Justin]

On Mon, 10 Mar 2003, David F. Skoll wrote:

> If you go ahead with qmail integration, I do not recommend trying to
> replicate the Milter wire protocol -- it's too complicated.  Instead,
> you want to come in at the mimedefang/mimedefang-multiplexor
> interface.  That protocol is (somewhat) documented in the
> mimedefang-protocol(7) man page, and in the mimedefang.pl source code.
> It's a simple file-based protocol, with a couple of extra one-line
> request/reply interactions for checking at MAIL FROM: and RCPT TO:
> time.

Thanks for the tip... my first thought, and I'm not sure this is feasable
or ideal, was a simple replacement mimedefang binary that would be called
QMAILQUEUE-patch style by the qmail-smtpd process before the qmail-queue
process. I was hoping this binary could interface with the stock (or close
to stock) multiplexor. Again, this may not be feasible or ideal.

It should, however, get around any qmail licensing issues.

> I have some interest in integrating with other MTA's, because we get
> the odd qmail or Postfix user who asks about CanIt.  I'd be willing to
> help out as long as we're allowed to distribute the results as part of
> CanIt as well as part of MIMEDefang.

I think any work done to enhance what you've given the community should
(and has to under GNU?) be given back to you with as much Freedom - I
totally agree you should be able to roll it into CanIt and MIMEDefang.

> (The qmail license is somewhat problematic, which is another reason
> an MTA-independent proxy might be the way to go.)

My current situation is that I need the same SMTP service listed in MX
records to handle users. These users rely-on and require pop-before-smtp.
This is the main reason I haven't already implemented a sendmail SMTP
service gatewaying the qmail service. My user information is stored in an
LDAP database that courier and qmail love, I'm not sure I want to try and
get sendmail to play with it too.

I understand it could be difficult to manage, and that sometimes it may
seem like more work than it's worth, but I really think it's beneficial to
enhance the MIMEDefang package to work cleanly with other MTAs. Afterall,
when we are able to do so I think most of us would just setup a
sendmail+MIMEDefang dedicated gateway.

Thanks for your suggestions, comments and time,
Justin